The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-04-14
DANCER Of LOSING
FEDERAL BUILDING

The United States District Cour
yesterday morning was the scene of
sensational move in the matter of tn,
long negotiated Federal building sit
| matter. the latest development being
a motion before Federal Judge S. B
Dole, made by Attorney Henry E
Cooper, representing the Hackfeld in
| terests to have the matter set fol
| hearing so his clients could receive
their money, said money representing
their share of the price agreed to bt
paid by the government upon the set
/ tlement of the title of the site and
the absolute determination of the ex-
| tension of Bishop street.
Judge Dole declared that no action
would be taken by the court in the
! matter until the receipt of advices
| from Washington, where the matter
! was now under consideration as TO
whether or not everything is salts
| factory.
Attorney Cooper intimated that there
was a scheme to delay the settlement
of the title and street extension on
he part of the Henry Waterhouse
Trust Company, to finance the bust
ness.
AS far as the Federal authorities are
concerned, they are not interested in
any dispute there may be between any
of the various interests represented in
the property between King and Mer-
chant streets and the E. o. Hall build
ing and the Waikiki side of what
would be an extension of Bishop street
toward the waterfront.
All the court or the United States
District Attorney or any Federal rep
resentative is interested in is the ac-
QUESTION of a clear title to the prop
erty so that the appropriation. which
is available, may be put to use and
not allowed to lapse; and title can
not be accepted until there is absolute
assurance that Bishop street will be
extended. Here is where the difficulty
appears to lie. On what is known as
the Mahuka or Emmeluth property
there are J. F. Hackfeld and Mary E.
Foster mortgages. Hackfeld, by his
attorney, H. E. Cooper, wants to cash
in, wants the matter settled, but the
government will not settle with any
one of the parties interested until it
is assured that all the parties have
agreed on the disposition of the Bishop
Street 08l6HSlOn anu nave SSkllSO Uc-
tween themselves their disputes so the
extension will be realized. The gov
eminent wants an absolutely settled
proposition before handing over the
money.
The unfortunate part of the whole
affair is that unless the parties at
variance get together and satisfaeto-
rily arrange their present difficulties
the appropriation is likely to lapse and
go back to the general fund, although
the law and precedent are not alto
gether definite on the point of rever-
sion to the general fund. There is suf-
ficient ground of alarm, however, to
call for a speedy understanding be-
tween the contending interests.
I'VE appear to be the black sheep
in this proposition remarked Att0r
ney Cooper, for everybody else seems
to have agreed, according to counsel"
TT is not a case of black sheep, but
rather of hogs said Judge Stanley,
in effect, representing other interests.
Il don't like to be called d hog" de-
clared Judge Cooper.
Il did not call learned counsel a
hog" said Judge Stanley; Il had ref
edence to his clients, in the manner
in which they appear to be wanting
to grab
Z object, Your Honor. to my clients
being referred to as hogs" insisted
Judge Cooper.
well, l withdraw the epithet,'' said
Stanley, land accept counsefs own
designation of black sheep, but 1 fail
to see the distinction
lirh
emotion involved in the controversy
1t is understood on the highest au-
thority that this matter, of whether |
or not the parties involved can come |
to an understanding to satisfy the |
Federal Government to the extent of |
paying over the money. must be once |
for all settled before Governor Frear
leaves for Washington on the oath of /
this month.
The Austin estate, Cummins estate, |
Bishop Museum interests, J. F. Hack !
field and Mary E. Foster mortgages |
are among the interests involved in |
the actual site and the contemplated !
road involves various interests.
A hitch occurred in the matter of /
the opening of Bishop street in June |
of last year and sites other than that /
of the Mahuka area were widely dis |
cussed. Now it would appear not to |
be SO much a matter of casting about |
for other sites as of rushing word |
to accomplish an understanding be- |
fore Governor Frear leaves for Wash |
ington, SO that the appropriation will /
not be allowed TO lapse.
y Federal official stated yesterday |
that the location of the site was not |
as material to the government as |
might be supposed by some. 1t made i
little difference where the Federal /
building was to be, and all that lies /
in the hands of the local representa- |
tives of the Federal Government is to |
make sure that the title is secure and, |
if the Mahuka site is to be the site |
for the Federal building in Honolulu, |
1t is certainly UP to all interested |
therein, if they expect to get their /
money, to get together in a hurry and |
settle differences and arrange for cut
ting through Bishop street and so |
comply with the terms uDOn which |