The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-08-14

Harlow, Fort Ruger, located on the
n1auka-opposite slope of Diamond Head
may he directed By electric telegraph.
Within the crater steps may be observ-
ed leading up from the floor to the
apex of the observatory and on the
outer slope a stairway has been in
stalled. This latter is partly for the
use of employees in leaving the crater
at the end Of days work, and also
for mechanical purposes in installing
the trig station.
On the mauka slope of Diamond Head
the fertilization of Battery Harlow
with its eight huge mortar guns is ap-
preaching completion, but the work, be-
ing thorough, is necessarily slow. Over
The easemates thousands of tons of rock
are being deposited. One side of Dia-
mond Head is being shaved off to pro-
vide the vast amount of material TO
cover the classmates to make them I'M
pregnable to descending shells from
hostile guns. The batteries, located by
tours in two pits, are open to the sky
and to the road which makes the cir
cult of Diamond Head. Large gangs
of workmen are engaged in shaving the
hill and transporting the rock in ore
cars upon rails to the tops OF the case
mates. More rock is being dumped IN
front of the central station OF Battery
Harlow to make larger expanse OF
level ground for the troops.
Across the way on the Waialae side
of Kaimuki slope is more activity, for
there the 21s men of Companies l0o
and 159. Coast Artillery, will be sta
toned when they leave the transport
Sheridan this morning. The location is
ideal. for magnificent view is afforded
of Koko Head and the beautiful Waia-
lac Bay, with Battery Harlow looming
big and masterful on the right. On
the crown of the hill one may view
the entire city of Honolulu and the
water from Diamond Head to Pearl
Harbor
A month ago this site was part
of the desolate looking and undeveloped
waste Of lava strewn land. Captain
Falls. Depot Quartermaster, and the
civil engineers took hold of it, and with
Hawaiian workmen, whom civil engl-
peer describes as the best and most
willing men he has ever had under him.
the lava was broken up and rolled off
down the slopes and in time the earth
was found. That earth was rich and
red. earth which sticks to the person
like plaster but which responds to till
ing rapidly Upon a bluff overlooking
Waialae Bay FIVE officers quarters were
built, each shaped like house boat
with wings which are termed sleeping
apartments. and each provided with a
cozv mosauito-proof lanai. sixth set
of quarters was also built for the COM
manding officer. This has four bed
rooms attached.
Upon higher ground. Ewaward, round
wooden platforms for tents were placed.
Some rested upon lava rocks but all are
high with ample air spaces underneath.
Then large mess-hall was built, a
pumping station for water which comes
from city mains. When the Sheridan
came into port on Thursday the Fort
Ruper cantonment looked like the be-
ginnings of a garrison and when the
tents go up today the place will be
found well adapted for use AS mill
tarv rendezvous.
Lack of transportation facilities has
so far prevented the coast artillery
from moving its impedimenta to the
cantonment but much of it will be on
hand today. The men so far have been
kept aboard the troopship, while few
have been wading around in the deep
red dust and wondering whether they
will ever have turf.
Major Cree is not only commander OF
the Artillery District of Honolulu, but
VI
is in command of Fort Ruger. Inc
senior officer under him is Captain j.
r. Pourie. commanding the 105th Com
pany. Lieut. G. F. Turner commands
the 159th Company. Each company has
109 men, For the present the attention
of the garrison will be directed to pollc-
ing the place and putting 1T IN shape
for fit habitation There will be grum-
bling. no doubt, but when the men find
that conditions improve fast when they
put their shoulders to the wheel, the
camp. will undoubtedly show wonder
full improvement within month. Elec-
tric current win be supplied from Bat
tery Harlow so that all the officers
quarters and larger houses, as well as
the company streets, viii be well lighted.
A guard drawn from the cantonment
will always be maintained at Battery
Harlow Each day the garrison will
drill with the guns. AS the infantrymen
turn out daily for drill with small arms,
and the eavalrymen with their mounts,
so the coast artillerymen viii have in
struction in the handling of the big
guns.
When the big 12-ineh guns at Fort
de Russy are mounted more coast ar
tillerymen viii be sent here and when
the guns are mounted at Pearl Harbor
in Battery Selfridge. another detacn-
ment will be ordered to this station.
Captain Pourie, who was at the camp
yesterday taking on a coat of red dirt,
brought his White steamer with him.
He learned the best route to the can
tonment the first day he was here. This
is by the Waialae road, following the
Waialae Rapid Transit road almost to
its terminus and then turning off to
the right on one of the avenues. This
brings the autoist up to the edge Of the
garrison reservation on the town side.
The road to the garrison leading off
from the Diamond Head road is bad.
It is full of rocks and dust and it takes
a good auto driver to navigate his ma
chine successfully to the post.
E..