The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-12-21
'H|LO BREAKWAIER
MAglNGM0nEyFLy
Congress To Be Asked To Con-
tinue Contract and Provide
Funds For Work

Il. A. Thurston and william Me-
Kay, who were appointed by the pres.
ident Of the Hilo board Of trade as a
committee Of two to look into the
matter OF a further appropriation by
congress for the Hilo breakwater,
have reported TO the board. The com
niittee says that investigation brought
out the fact that the contractor for
the breakwater extension had added
the following tonnage on rock to the
structure since the end % June last |:
July, Ais tons; August,1t pol; Sept.
ember, s.4Ol tons and n october, up
to the twenty FIFTH Of thbt month,
$50 tons. r. 30 %t.r 7"
The big storm towards the end Of
October interrupted delivery of rock
but some was brought froh the Waia.
kea quarry. The contractor assures
the committee and the board of trade
that he viii be delivering approx
mately, 10000 tons of foek each and
every month in future. If the deliver.
les continue at the tate mentioned,
the present appropriation for the
breakwater will become exhausted
before the congress which succeeds
the present one can appropriate funds
for the further extension of the
work..
No recommendation has been made
to congress by the chief Of the United
States engineers for an appropriation
for the Hilo breakwater ut the pres.
eDt session of congress, and this will
mean that the extension of the struc.
ture will have to stop short for lack
Of funds unless something is done by
the present congress to appropriate
further money for the purpose. The
reason why there has been no fur.
Their appropriation is that when the
resident engineer in Honolulu report.
ed on the Hilo breakwater last year,
the work had not proceeded far en-
ough to warrant the conclusion that
he present extension would be finish
ed and the appropriation exhausted be-
for the current period ended. Now Il
is seen that the contractor will finish
his section on time and exhaust the
appropriation with the exception of a
small balance. IL is imperative that
the present congress appropriate fur.
ther sum so that the next contract can
Ne gone ahead with without delay.
The procedure in these federal mat
tiers is to have the United States dis
trict engineer recommend further ap-
preparation. In June last, when he sent
his report to Washington, he omitted to
suggest any further appropriation as
there seemed no prospect of the mon.
ey then available being expended on
the work. The district engineer nevcr
sends any subsequent report in unless
directed TO do so by the department in
Washington, so the necessity arises
to institute proceedings through the
district engineer that win result in
a, move being made in Washington to
eaIl upon the district engineer to send
in another report regarding the status
Of the HilO breakwateT and the ur-
gent necessity for q further appropri.
alton by the present congress.
The committee which made the re,
Por to the board of trade members ad-
dressed their communication to Col. e.
s. Cromwell, who at the time the letter
was written was in charge of the U.
:. Engineers, Hawaiian Department
and who was located in Honolulu.
Since then Colonel Bromwell com.
mitted suicide and the board of trade
committee has been waiting to see who
will succeed Cromwell and then for
ward the new man the letter.
The committee will also ask the en-
gineer department for information
| regarding the extension of the break.
water and express a wish to be inform
ed as to whether the present contract
may legally be extended or whether the
law requires that a new advert isement
calling for tenders for the work must
be published.