The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-06-10
THE FEDERAL
BUILDING SITE
Correspondence and Gables Re-
garding a Proposed
Change.
trrom Thursaay,s AavertIser.l

Nfrom InurSQay'S -AuYertlSer.J
After two weeks in cold storage, de-
tails concerning the latest official view
of the Mahuka site for the federal
building have been permitted to see
.he light of day. At meeting of
the trustees of the chamber of com.
merce yesterday the entire correspond
ence relating to this matter was read
and showed that officials of the cham
Der of commerce received information
Of the reconsideration of the site ques-
ton as early as May %, On that date
they received a cable from Delegate
Kuhio asking for estimates on the
property between the Mahuka site and
Fort street. The following day the
estimates were received from the tax
Office and forwarded to Hawaii's rep
resentative in Washington.
Conferences between Mcclellan and
Kuhio and the treasury department
commenced at once, the details of
which were received on May 81 in two
letters from Mcclellan. These were
added to the accumulating records in
the secret files while the Delegate was
working for Hawaii's benefit in Wash
ington.
The decision against the present site,
as far as such a decision has been
given, is an architectural report stat
ing that there will not be room enough
and for this reason the added property
fronting Fort street is desired. This
was explained in letter from the Dele
gate which was received on the Tenyo
Maru. 1t is as follows:
"May 25, 1910.
"The Chamber of Commerce, Honolulu,
Hawaii.
"Dear Sirs:-I am in receipt of your
cablegram making estimate of the prob
able cost of eondemning the remainder
of the Mahuka block for use as fed
eral building site.
"The occasion of my inquiry is that
the architect reports that he is unable
to build satisfactory building that
will house all of the departments ON
the ground already acquired. was call.
ed into conference by the secretary OF
the treaury who suggested that
sound the sentiment of congress as to
the possibility of acquiring the re
mainder of the block
"0f course, the additional cost i:
very heavy considering the size of oul
city and it will be extremely difficult
to secure the additional sum. For tina
reason made my cable confidential
because did not want it assumed that
there was a probability of our getting
this through. On the other hand re
alize that the securing of the othel
half of the block would mako possible
a beautiful and monumental building
in the very heart of the city, For tina
reason shall make heroic efforts t.
put through some proposition to secure
the remainder of the block.
f'It must be realized that this viii
be very difficult in view of the fac
that we have already secured NOR,
than double for the Honolulu building
what is allowed for similar city OF
the mainland but it may be possible b,
! the special aid of our friends in con
gress to achieve this very desirable
end Very truly yours,
F'J. K. KALAMAZOO"
When President Waldron received hi
letter on the matter, he at once brough
it to the chamber of commerce Off
: cials who received it with some sur
, prise and assisted him in answering il
The first cable received, dated Ma,
%, 1l:o7 a. m, was as follows:
j., Confidential. Cable taxation value
and estimated cost to condemn re
mainder Mahuka block to Fort street
"KUHIO."
The following day the Delegate wa
answered as follows:
o "Total assessed value, $245,000. El
, innate cost to condemn, $3.50 ,000.p
This information was based on figure
received from the tax office through tn
!, Governor, who was strangely unawar
Y of its purport. The cold storage pla
was also extended to the official COZ
respondence on the matter. There ha
been persistent denials of cablegral
J reported to have been received by til
n Governor on the question about thre
q days ago.
a Wilder's letter WAS as follows:
"'Honolulu, May "a.
. Honorable Walter F. Frear, Governt
Territory of Hawaii, Executiy
Building, Honolulu.
- "Sir:-In reply TO your verbal T
quest for a value of the property boun
s. ed by King, Fort and Merchant sire
IT and adjoining the present federal bull
d ing site, beg to enclose map of SUI
Ia property and to state that the valu
which have entered against the val
Gus interests consider to be very fai
Estate JAS w. Austin, 1850 squa
II feet, value, $126,4S0.
= "John A. Cummins, 10,s5s squa
is feet, $ss,36o.
IN 600.
"Building of ]. w. Austin estate 70
Levers & Cooke), $500.
"Building of Bank of Hawaii On
ii waiian Trust Company Building), 81
/, 600.
= "Building of ]. A. Cummins, $500
IN every respectfully,
GCHAS n WIT HlFR -