The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-05-18
MILITARY POST
IS UNDER FIRE
Residents of Waikiki Complain of
Onsanltary Conditions at
the Fort.
MOTT SMITH MAY PROTEST
Board of Health Authorities Saw
They Are Barred From the
Reservation.
IOTT-SMITH MAYPROTEST

The board Of health has been appeal
| ed to by a number Of the residents of
| Waikiki to take steps to correct the
! unsanitary conditions which are said to
| exist at Fort De Russy and which, it
| is claimed. constitute a serious menace
| to the health, not only of the soldiers,
| but more particularly of the civilian
residents Of the district.
| Unfortunately, there is a clash be-
| tween the territorial health authorities
| and the military officers. The officers
| contend that the Territory has no juris-
| diction over any of the federal military
or naval reservations and that santa
| ton on the reservations IS a matter
| solely for the consideration of the mill
tary authorities. This point is not con-
| coded, however, by the territorial au-
| thorities. President Mott7Smith of the
! board of health stated emphatically re-
Gently that the board has jurisdiction
| in all health matters within the con
fines of the county, whether on or off
| the federal reservations. Superlntend-
ent Marston Campbell stated yesterday
that he inclined to the same view of
| the matter.
| The complaints that have come from
| Waikiki are of a serious nature and are
| to the effect that not only the comfort
| and convenience but also the health of
| the entire district is menaced by the
refusal of the Fort De Russy people to
| take proper sanitary measures for the
| disposition of sewage.
| The territorial regulations require
the residents of Waikiki, since there is
no sewer system in that district, to in
stall cesspools, and this regulation i.
strictly enforced, even the owners of
meanest cottages and novels being fore
ed to obey the law.
But the military authorities of Fort
Ruger refuse to pay any attention to
this regulation. INSTEAD Of digging
cesspools, the sold rs dump their refuse
into the sea and u1epeakable filth is to
be seen at all times floating up and
| down the beach Two latrines have
been constructed on concrete piers out
over the water. As there is a current
| constantly setting along the shore, the
| condition Of the beach for hundreds of
yards beyond the camp may be imagln-
ed. walk along the beach reveals
| disgusting conditions.
| The inspectors of the board OF health
| state that they have been refused ad-
| mission to the military reservation and
| are absolutely unable to do anything
| to abate the nuisance. Sanitary Of
| ficer Charlock of the board of health
| confirms this statement, saying That his
| men are not allowed to interfere with
| sanitary-or nsanitary-matters on the
| military reservation. One of the IN
| spectors states that when he asked the
sentry at the fort line to let him see
| the officer of the day, the sentry re
| fused in d very insoIent manner.
Major Wiuslow, who IS in command
1
| Of Fort De Russy, denies fatty that the
board Of health inspectors are not al
| lowed to enter the reservation, but says
| that to get onto the reservation they
must first get a pass from him. He
| stated Monday afternoon that there IS
al present no prospect of any change
| being made as regards the disposition
of sewage. Later on. he says, when It
is definitely known how many artillery
men are to he stationed on this island
and how many Of them are to be located
at De Russy, and after congress shall
have APPROPRIATED sufficient money, It IS
planned to put in pumping plant to
carry the sewage out beyond the reef.
Major WlnsLow states that there j.
mo telling at present how long It will
be before anything Of this kind IS done,
and in the meantime the beach at Wa
klki is being strewn with filth and the
waters polluted Fortunately the cur
rent as a usual thing sets in toward the
har5or instead Of out toward the hotels,
ana the waters of the bathing places
are comparatively little contaminated.
But conditions Eva Of the fort are par,
tlcuIarIy bad and the residents are pro
testing vigorously.
At Fort Ruger, schofeld Barracks
and other military posts there are in
ciaerating plants where the sewage is.
consumed. It has been suggested that
the installation of such plant at Fort
De Russy would not only abate the pres
on. nuisance. but would be worth while
TO fine post itself, even if in time a
pumping plant is installed.
1t IS probable that, unless the null