Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-12-31

dlICdue lCInlCu thS
Key to the Pacific" and destined to
become the greatest naval base in
the world, sprang up with mushroom
rapidity during 1872 On January of
this year the site Of the new naval
station was a wilderness OF tangled
lantana, the only sign of construction
activity being the timbered structure
of the just-commencing drydock. On
December 81 the yard presents a
scene of bustling activity. A score
of buildings, many of them almost
entirely completed, dot the shore line,
construction trains shunt their heavy
loads over several miles OF trackage,
a monster coaling plant and wharf
is being rushed TO completion, and
work on the drydock. increased dur
ing the year to length of 1000 feet,
is being rushed with all speed and
good success. Truly Pearl Harbor is
the marvel of industrial Hawaii.
The first important feat to mark
the year was the completion by the
Hawaiian Dredging Co. of the channel
dredging contract, on February 2.
This work had a total cost Iof 3d.
100000. The depth of the channel
is 35 feet; width through the bar,
500 feet; after passing the bar the
minimum width is 500 feet; the
length of the channel is Az miles.
That the entrance I'd the harbor was
practically completed by December,
1911, was proved by the passage
through it on December IA, 1911, of
fba o,,,;eo, CoIifor~io ,x,hiah earn a
to anchor off the drydock site.
The early months OF lie year were
marked by grave worries by the con-
tractors and navy engineers for the
success of the drydock Due to the
tendency of the bottom to rise when
the water is pumped out, it became
necessary to place the. first layer
of concrete mixture, before pumping
out the sea water. For long tir
the right concrete mixture, that would
set properly under water, could not
be discovered, hundreds of tests be-
ing made. Finally the right mixture
was found, one of the ingredients be,
ing a proportion of Pacific Coast
sand, which will be brought here by
the collier Nero, making regular trips
between the mainland and Pearl Har-
bor The length of the drydock was
increased from 500 to 1000 feet during
the year, and the big basin is now
about one-fifth completed.
Building Up Fast
Great progress was made with the
construction of the buildings during
1912. The seven Industrial buildings,
which will cost 100000 are about
three-fourths completed; the 100000
reinforced concrete storehouse, is
about half completed. The marine Of
ficers quarters are nearly finished,
while the marine barracks are about
one-third up. The contract price for
the marine post is s158,325, the con-
tract being held by the Spalding Con-
struction Co., of Portland, Oregon.
Work was started during the latter
part of the year on the administration
building ($50,000), and the contract has
been awarded for the construction Of
six officers quarters lS69,000l. The
naval hospital and quarteA3 for sur
geons has not yet been started, al
though plans have been drawn for
the buildings.
During the year an allotment of
100000 was made for machine tools
for the equipment of the shops now
under construction, and in the near
future the shops will be laid out and
properly fitted.
A system of roads and sewers was
started by yard labor last summer,
and by the end of the year is about
half completed.
Large Coalina Plant
One of the most important of re-
cent developments of the Pearl Har-
Dor work was the increase last No
vember of the coaling plant from a
$350,000 to. $613,750 project This
last amount has been made available,
the balance of the increase to be put
into handling machinery, which will
greatly increase the efficiency of the
plant. Besides increasing the size of
the coal storing plant, the storage ia
cilities for fuel oil were increased on
the plans. Instead of one oil tank,
three will be erected, while another
container will be used for
gasoline. The coaling plant and
wharf are being built by yard labor.
An important contract let during
the last month of the year, was for the
of the naval magazine
of Kuahua Island, off the drydock site.
The job, amounting to about 100000,
was won by the Lord Young Engineer
ing Co. of Honolulu, and work will
be started in the near future.
The question of permanent water
supply for the naval reservation was
settled by the boring of an artesian
we'll at Moanalua, which developed
a flow of million gallons every "a
hours. Through the public spirit of
Mr.. S. NJ. Damon the government was
allowed to purchase the land for the
sum of 81, right of way for a
pipe line across the Damon property
being included. This water will be