The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-11-30
COMPARISON Of THE
TWO PROPOsED1SITES

Editor Advertiser-The statement
made by Judge Cooper that Secretary
Winthrop and Secretary Garfield wish
ed the new Federal building for Homo
lulu to be near the civic center, whic a.
l take it, has been determined as being
in the vicinity of the Capitol and Ju-
dietary buildin, is one that possibly
may appeal to the idealist s point of
view, but practical reasons for the plac-
ing of a public building must also be
considered.
There may be an effort to place all
public buildings in a common civic
center, but whether or not that can be
done consistent with business require
ments depends largely, or to some ex-
tent, upon the size of the city. In
cities with population of $4,000,
100000, 100000, and son on, the posi-
ton of Federal building in the civic
center may be justified. In those cities,
however, the postoffice, for instance,
does not have to be placed in the cen
ter of the business section, as nearly
all cities have many branch postoffices
which are to be found in the heart of
the business sections and the residence
districts also. In Honolulu that condi-
tion does not exist. The business of
the residents with anything that apper-
tains to postoffice matters will neces-
sarily lead them to the postofice build
ing, not the branches as we have them
here. San Francisco's postoffice build
ing may be near its civic center,
wherever that may be POSSIBLY in the
neighborhood of the ruined city hall),
but it is too remote from the active
business center and much of the postal
business is done with the branch offices.
When l'Enfant planned the City of
Washington, the great Capitol was the
hub with the avenues radiating from it
like spokes of a wheel. The city has
not grown as its designers of century
and more thought, however, for the
rear of the Capitol now faces the real
city. 1 don It know the length of Penn
sylvania avenue, but at one end is the
Capitol and at the other is the Treas
ury building, and around the corner is
the White House, the State, Army and
Navy building and some minor office
buildings. In another part of the town
is the Postotfice Department (not gen
eral building and the Patent Office,
and still farther away is the Pension
building. Therefore, in the city in
which Mr.. Winthrop has his office it is
difficult to understand what they mean
by grouping all public buildings in the
civic center.
Getting down to local conditions. al
most any business man will say that he
hates to go up to the Capitol or Jul
dietary building because it seems so
far from Fort street. To wait for a
car to go there seems ridiculous. The
walk through Palace Square, whether
on a hot day or rainy day, is a dis
comfort. The approach to the Irwin
site is along streets where there are
no building awnings projecting over
the sidewalks. If one gets off King
street ear in Palace Square to go to
the Irwin site, it is a discomfort,
surely, to cross it on a rainy day.
With the Mahuka site it is different.
There are building awnings on the Hall
building, and that is something to
think of. The King street car passes
the front door. The PunahOu line from
Manoa, College Hills, Makiki and
Punchbowl slopes passes close by, and
the Nuuanu street car line also comes
down to the Hall corner The Hotel
street line passes closer to the Mahuka
site than it does to the Irwin site.
l heard a gentleman say yesterday
that he travelled to Japan on the same
steamer with Mr. Taylor, who entered
into the contract for the Mahuka site,
after carefully investigating the sub
ject, and that in a conversation with
Mr.. Taylor the latter said he had, in
the course of his official duties with
the United tSates government, selected
about 2000 sites for public buildings.
and he believed his selections were
generally satisfactory. Where more
than one site was in view and there
was a difference of opinion, he brought
the matter before meetings of citizens
and ascertained the sentiment of the
community by that means.
don't see where the municipality
will gain by the exchange of the Ma
huka site for the Irwin site. Bv agree
ing on the Mahuka site. Honolulu ac-
CURED a new and much-needed street.