The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-09-09

The joint committee OF the Cham.
Der of Commerce and Merchants AS
ISOLATION have signed the following
report:
The joint committee of the Homo
lulu Chamber of Commerce and the
Honolulu Merchants Association, to
whom was referred the communication
of the EIilo Board of Trade requesting
the support of said Organization to a
protest made by it against certain pro.
posed methods of expenditure of appro-
priauons for the Hilo breakwater,
have given the mater careful consider
alton and report as follows:
1. Congress has approved of the
construction of a breakwater at Hilo,
estimated to cost approximately ST..
100000
Congress authorized the expenditure
Of 100000, upon the project, and ap-
proXimately two years ago a contract,
known as contract Number One, was
let to d. e. Metzger for the construc-
ton of the first section Of the break
water.
Three successive appropriations in
three successive sessions Of Congress
have been made under this authorize
ton of respectively 100000, 100000,
and 100000. The first appropriation
has been spent. The second is now
in process of expenditure. Expendi-
ture of the third will begin in the near
future.
2. The time allowed to Mr. Metzger
within which to complete the contract
was three years, which will expire
July, 1911. At the present rate of
progress, however, he will finish some
time between January and March
next.
3. The method of construction un-
der the Metzger contract is by pump
ing rock over the end of the break
water by means of a derrick, COM
pleted breakwater, from foundation to
cup stone, being finished as the work
progresses.
4. The maximum average rate of
construction of the breakwater by this
method has been approximately 800
tons of rock per day in good weather
and considerably less during the
stormy weather of winter.
3. A further appropriation of $780,
600 for the breakwater was made by
the last Congress, being appropriation
number four for the purpose, and spe-
cifcations for new contract, known
as contract number two, for eXpendi-
ture of the same, are now being for
INFLATED by Major Winslow, local chief
of the Army Engineer Corps. Some
time since, he announced his intention
of so drawing the specifications for
expenditure of this last appropriation
that it would be expended exclusively
on construction of substructure, to be
exclusively placed by means of scows.
6. The effect of these provisions
would be: Cd to prevent the building
of any completed breakwater out Of
said appropriation; and (2) to prevent
the present contractor, Metzger, from
continuing the use of his existing der
rick plant in building the breakwater
by dumping rock at the end, in case
he should be the successful bidder for
contract Number Two.
Z. Under these circumstances, Mr..
Metzger brought the matter before the
Hilo Board of Trade, the Merchants
Association Of Honolulu and the Ho-
nolulu Chamber of Commerce, with
view to securing their assistance in
securing a modification of the specifl-
cations proposed by Major Winslow
upon the lines above set forth.
8. At the invitation of the Mer-
chants Association, Major Winslow
kindly appeared before a meeting of
its directors and explained the status
of the matter from his standpoint, and,
after conference with a number Of
those more especially interested in
the improvement of Hilo Harbor, stat