The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-12-24
sE1tire City Block Opposite Cap
itol viii Be Included In Federal
Building location Selected BY
the Treasury Department
,HEWAlIaN OPERA HOUSE
WILL BE DEMOLISHED
Postoffice and Customs House
WIN Be Abandoned When New
-Edlflce Is Erected To House
All officers of United States

MI OllIVCl y VI OlhNOu SloNOo
1.-TWO hundred thousand dollars is
3t the price to be paid by the United
- States FOR the Irwin site for the
federal building. This was stated by
Is. /. Spalding, upon inquiry by The
Advertiser last evening The land 10
be transferred to the government will
include the entire block bounded by
Capitol Square, Militant, Queen and
Richards Streets. The interests of w.
T. Rawlins and the j. ID. and Claus
gSpreckles estates in the block are in.
rlnded in the land purchase.
The news of the acceptance by the
government of the last price made by
those having charge of the sale came
in a Marconigram to collector of Gus
toms Malcolm Franklin yesterday and
will end forever the seven years of
backing anu filing by the people inter
ested in having the building placed in
other locations. With the fede al build
4 ing occupying the makai side of Capt
tol Square there Will have been a goo
start made towards the much desired
civic center. Mr.. Franklin was mott
fed of the decision Of the treasury de-
partment by assistant secretary of the
treasury Byron r. Newton who came
here several months ago for the pur,
pose of deciding on the best site He
went over the several propositions
which were submitted but expressed no
opinion as to his choice.
over a Million Available
There is an appropriation Of 81 ,325.-
900 for the purchase of the, site and the
erection Of the huildihg now ayailab Q.
The limit of the price which was TO
have been allowed by the government
for the purchase of the irwin site was
$275,000 but now that it has been &C
quired for SIS, 900 less this additional
money will be used for the building.
1t is thcnght that the plans that
were accepted by the treasury depart
-ment for the building proposed to have
been erected on the Mahuka site and
which were drawn by York & Sawyer
of New York, on competitive invitation
will not be acceptable for the building
on the new site and that new plans will
have TO be drawn. If this is so it is
more than possible that the same firm
will be employed for the work as there
.
sury department to change its architects
after accepting their plans and virtual
ly employing them to superintend the
other building.
10 The erection of the federal building
on the Irwin site will mean the remov,
al of the Opera House; the abandon
ment of the present pOstOiiice and Gus
toms house and the removal of the diff
ma Fall IEaE,. 20 h. 4. a.
1t is estimated that now that the lOea
ton of the building is definitely set
tied, it will be at least three years be
- fore the building is ready for occu
lpaney.
Contingencies May Arise
u The determination of the government
to locate on site other than the Ma
hnla lot will bring up lot of matters
that will have to be settled 1t is un
derst0Od that the sellers Of the MahukG
site attempted to have the government
turn it back to them at the price paid
for II although it has greatly enhanced
in value since the sale; but hill was
put through congress IN which the sale
aof the Mahuka site is provided for al
an upset price of $IG5,0OO. From thC
=
paid back to the owners of land whiel
was given for the extension of BishOI
street from King TO Merchant. A fsca
agent for the distribution of this money
has been provided for in the bIll but
Us yet no appointment has been made
and the time set for the sale of thu
MahuiSa site has not been fixed.
~ The owners of property along For
street between King aud Merchant
streets who were put to a great deal Of
expense in fighting the condemnation
brought by the United States to ac
quire their property may possibly have
o claim for Remuneration N<ow that th'
aite has been changed dad -ie-iis-under
stood that an effort will be made to ge'
relief for them through congress anC
; that steps 10 that direction have al
ready been taken.
Satisfaction Expressed
J Great satisfaction was expressed
about town yesterday when the new
bec1me known Nat the federal site haf
been tletinitelN Sied, and the opinion
was that no matter where the place Sc
leeted is 1--WE are going to have Oul
building. q"
Governor Pinkham was especially
elated over the news. lie has been 3
s consistent worker for the civic center
idea and gave his views on the matter
y Of the selection of the Irwin site sew
eral days ago IN this paper. lie will
use every endeavor TO have the work
OF placing other public buildings on
the property facing Capitol Square
His choice for the new municipal build