Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-03-25
FOR HILO
WHARF LIKELY
OF Change
The Commissioners Apparently
Consider Necessity for Speed
Just'fies Reducing Size

In spite of the fact that commit
tee consisting of acting Supt A. c..
Wheeler and r. B. Parks of the pub
lie works department and j. Morse,
territorial wharf-builder, recommend
ed that the present plans of the $780,
600 Hilo. wharf be adhered to even if
1t were necessary to call upon the leg
islature for an immediate additional
appropriation, the consensus of opin-
ion at special meeting of the board
of harbor commissioners held this
morning seemed to be in favor of re-
modelling the plans so as to make the
wharf and fill twenty feet narrower
tina mis- at present specified
II the plans are so remodeled a
practical monopoly of the. handling of
an freight on the wharf will be given
to the Hilo Railroad Company, say en-
gineers. With the wharf and fill
twenty feet narrower, there will be a
space of only about four feet for the
handling of freight other than that
taken out by the railroad company
AS Harbor Commissioner McStocker
explaiend the positio nbefore meet
ing of the board of harbor commits
sioners yesterday afternoon, THE
only feature of the plans to be chang
ed is that feature which provides for
the convenience of the general public
in handling freight that is not con-
signed to the railroad company"
Although the matter of a change in
the plans was on the verge of coming
to vote several times this morning
before the board of harbor commits
Isioners. action was finally delayed
until this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.
James L. Young of the Lord-Young
Engineering Co., Ltd, argued that
the plans should be changed so that
the work on the wharf can go on i'm
mediately. He explained that the rea-
son the original plans are not salts
factory is due to the fact that the piles
necessary to sustain the wharf must
be fifteen feet longer than the piles
originally specified. In order to get
the longer piles, work would be de-
layed upon the wharf for about three
months. The Hawaiian Dredging Com
pany is also anxious that work on the
wharf go on at once because they be-
lieye a three months delay hazardous
to that portion of the fill they have all
ready constructed A storm might
rise, II. G.. Plummer of the dredging
company explained, and destroy the
half-finished fill.
Time Big Factor.
l.. A. Thurston, manager of the Hilo
Railroad Company, was present at the
meeting this morning and argued for
the change in plans, his, argument be-
ing that If the legislature is asked at
this time for an additional appropria-
ton it will not be so willing to make
ample provision for the construction
of sheds and other wharf accessories
when that matter comes up. Commits
Sioner Wakefield also fell into line for
the proposed change and declared that
the wharf should be constructed with
out delay in order that it might be-
come as soon as possible a paying
proposition. At this point in the dis.
cussion the matter was almost brought
to vote. Upon direct question from
Commissioner McStocker, however, H.
G. Plummer of the dredging company
stated that If it were not matter of
time, the original plans were certain
ly more satisfactory than the plans as
the proposed change would remodel
them. 1t was then agreed to let the
matter go over until this afternoon,
when a vote will probably be taken
upon it.
J. Morse, territorial wharf builder.
came down from Hilo especially to
attend the meeting. He bore out
plummers statement that the piles as
originally planned are not long
enough. He was also authority for
the statement that the wharf SIS to
be constructed will stand too high
above the water line. 1t bacame evil
dent from his statements that vessels
Of the Mauna Kea type will not be
1ble to use the wharf at all. Morse
alos testified that other vessels tying
ur to the wharf will be in danger of
having their superstructures jostled