The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-06-28
NEED MATHEMATICS
TO SOLVE PUZZLE
tumble of Figures and Names
Confront Officers When Bids
Are Opened.
(From Thursday,s Advertiser.l

(From Thursdays Advertiser.)
A mathematical puzzle occupied the
Office of Major Cheatham, constructing
quartermaster of the Department of
Hawaii, yesterday afternoon, and at
the time of closing had not been
solved. English, Hawaiian and Japa-
nese names figured in the tangle, while
contrary figures fairly danced over the
big calculating sheets. The solution of
the puzzle consisted of finding the fig
ures Of the bids offered by half dozen
contractors for reservoir, tunnel, ditch
and wire stretching work for Schofeld
Barracks and Fort Ruger.
The Lord-Young Construction Com
pany appeared to be the winning bid
der for the reservoir construction at
81, 1893, against the bid Of the Homo
lulu Construction & Draying Company,
at $47,947. Those were the only two
bids recorded for the dam and reser-
voir work, but the remaining tenders
for tunneling, ditching and wiring
were tumble of odds and ends of fig
ures.
One of the tenders called for ditch
work along the Kaukonahua south
fork. The Lord-Young company bid
$3.50 per 1000 feet for the work. Okita,
Japanese bidder, offered his bid as
follows: $1,000 lineal feet, so cents"
He intended to say "per foot" but me-
elected these important words. Yoke
maya another contractor got his bids
| twisted and if compelled to carry out
the work per his offer, would lose
money. Tunneling in rock formation
the bids of several contractors were
somewhat alike, in the neighborhood of
So per foot. Yokinaga reversed his
figures and offered to do the rock tun-
neling for $125 and the earth work
for $3.50. Yokinaga could not under
stand the audible smiles which swept
around the room.
| In some cases bidders rendered
prices for work for whole job, some
| per foot and some per rod.
Major Cheatham' announced that he
would make up the figures as soon al
| possible in order to award contracts be
| fore the end of June. The approprla'
tons under which the work is to be
done are available, but if not con
tracted for before the end of the fiscal
year, the appropriations will lapse and
be returned to the treasury. The an
nouncement of awards will be made
this morning.
| For clearing, grubbing and other
wise clearing the reservoir site Yoh
maya bid $500. and to remove the
loan, $5445. The Honolulu Construe
ton & Draying Company's bid val
$3.50, and if awarded the dam con
tract would reduce this figure by $1,000
Lord Young Construction Company
offered to clear the reservoir site fol
$4,000; build the ditch at $3.50 per 1OOC
feet, dig the rock tunnel at s. per foo'
and the earth at $l.75. The LORD
Young company announced that the,
could not offer to do the ditch ant
clearing work alone, unless awarded
the contract for the dam, their figure
for this being 1898.
Okita 3 figures for the ditch were 81
cents for 1000 feet; $3.50 for Digging
rock tunnel, and 1896 for earth. Yoki
maya 3 figures were $3.50; $l.25 and 81
Honolulu Construction Company, $3.50
IS and $3.50.
William Laa offered to stretch thu
wire around Fort Ruger reservation fol
$4,000, completing the work in lO(
days. Yokinaga win do il for III cents
per running foot in 80 days; Aeetylent
Light Company, Fort Ruger fence
1927 per rod; Schofeld Barracks fence
sl.56 per rod; Honolulu Construction
Company, $254S.