The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-09-09
REPORT ON HILO
Wharf SUBJECT
JOINT COMMITTEE OF CHAMBER COMMERCE AND MERCHANTS
ASSOCIATION REACH BOTTOM OF INSTRUMENTATION coNTRo
vERsY, ENDORSING THE SPECIFICATIONS PREPARED BY THE
FoRyER-REFERRED BACK TO HLo

: ed that he would modify the proposed
specifications for contract Number
Two in two important particulars, viz:
First, by providing that the scow
plant should be paid for by and be-
come the property of the government
at the conclusion of the contract,
thereby relieving the contractor from
the danger of having the same left
on his hands, and making it available
to the Government for use in connec-
ton with future extensions of the
breakwater.
Second, by Incorporating in the spe-
cifcations for contract Number Two a
provision allowing bidders to bid at
separate rate, if they so chose, for
construction of superstructure; and,
by permitting the bidder to proceed
with the construction of the super
, structure by means of a derrick, work
! ing from the end of the breakwater, as
soon as contract Number One was
completed; with this further proviso,
however, viz: That if another appro-
priation is secured from Congress at
the coming session, providing means
for a third contract, and another con-
tractor than the one under contract
Number Two, secures contract num-
| Der three, then and in such case con-
tractor number two must keep out of
the way of contractor numbar three,
in the construction of superstructure.
8. The reasons given by Major
Winslow for the proposed specifica-
tons requiring that the last appropria-
ton be used exclusively for substitute
lures and that it be placed in position
by scows, instead of by derrick over
the end of the breakwater, are as fol
| lows:
(a) The present rate of progress in
the construction Of the breakwater in
wolves the expenditure of only from
| 100000 to 100000 a year and the
placing of from 25O to 800 tons of
rock per day; and if the same rate of
construction continues it will take
from eight to ten years to complete
the breakwater;
(b) At the present rate Of progress,
it will take several years yet before
there will be complete protection to
any portion of the Hilo harbor, where
as, if the rate can be doubled, there
would be practically complete protec-
ton to the east end of Hilo Harbor
by two years from now:
(c) The present and Immediately
prospective commerce of the port of
Hilo warrants the expenditure for
plant necessary to complete the break
water in not to exceed four or five
years, instead of eight to ten, and the
proposed specifications are intended
solely for the purpose of increasing
the speed of construction and cores
pondingly decreasing the time within
which the breakwater will be com
pleted;
(d) As it is mechanically impossi-
BILE to increase the rate of construc-
ton if the building goes on at one
point only, viz: over the end of the
breakwater, the proposition is that
construction shall go on at two points
simultaneously, viz: over the end of
the breakwater by means of derricks,
and by the construction of substitute
ture through the medium of scows at
point in advance of the completed
breakwater;
(e) Major Winslow proposes to re-
quire that contract Number Two
shall be completed within approxima-
tely nine months, which, in round
numbers, will require that rock shall
be placed in position at the rate of
approximately 400 tons per day. The
result will be that under contract
Number One approximately 300 tons
per day will be placed; while under
contract Number Two approximately
400 tons a day will be placed; and
when these two contracts are complet-
ed, there will be plant on hand and
available for the construction of the
breakwater under contract number
three, which can place approximately
700 tons of rock in the breakwater per
day, thereby securing the completion
of the breakwater within, say, four
years:
OF If the present specifications do
not require that a scow plant shall
be used, then the construction of the
breakwater' will continue at one point
only and the rate of construction can
not be increased.
TO- The reasoning of NJ Metzger,
also adopted by the Hilo Board of
Trade in opposition to the specifca-
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