Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-05-29
Claims That Wharf is Danger
GUS Answered in Specific
Instances Mentioned

manner by f. Mosher, pilot and har
! bormaster at that port. whom Chair
man Charles X FORBES OF the harbuF
board styles an able master and
, competent navigator. The reports
cover a period from October 81 to Ia,
present ttme and are dealt with ia
. the following paragraphs,
AS stated in the StarBHlletin on
Saturday, both the Mat8Cn Navigation
Company aad the Americana allan
Steamship Company have practically
abandoned use OF the new $500, 0lj
wharf. claiming that IL Is unsafe be,
cause or an nndeitow in the adtaC rat
waters. T.. :..
liarbormasttr Makes Statement.
or the docking OF the Virginian on
October %, 1917. pilot Mosher state
in part:
THE Virginian went alongside the
wharf at G:30 a. IN. Wind was mod.
crate from northeast, moderate swell
setting in with falling tides worked
all day and there was very little
ranging during the day; finished
loading at 1:30 p. m. without any
trouble, but on the rising tide about
midnight a swell began To set In ana
the breast line TO the wharf being too
tight, caused the vessel TO bump
against the wharf pretty heavily, and
the hinges on Virginian's side cut two
OF the stringers on the outside some,
II the bow breast TO wharf and stern
breast to wharf had been eased off a
little when they were finished load
ing there would have been no trouble
Il think ! went on board at $3.50
a.. m. Of the 23rd and had all lines
Stacked up from the wharf and from
that time until leaving wharf at o.
m. ship never touched wharf at any
time, although the seas were break
ing clean over the breakwater the full
length and would say that from
midnight of the 22nd TO the time Of
writing this have never seen a worse
surf or undertow in Hilo Bay At the
railroad wharf impossible to lay on
either side OF II. Kilauea had to pull
out at 3 a. m. on the 23rd. The Keyo
Maril and j. ID. Alters both dragged
their moorings and had to be re.
moved twice, SO you will see that
there has been some very rough
weather at HiIor
D.kotan and Virginian Experiences.
On December IA Mosher states that
the American-Hawaiian boat Dakotan
lay "all day In an easy position; did
not come against wharf at any time;
experienced slight undertow, not
enough TO move steamer any at all"
On December 20 the Washington
ian went alongside. There was "con-
siderable swell on with undertow
also, but as soon as ship was made
fast with the large moorings and off
shore lines hove tight, the vessel lay
steady throughout the day"
Alosher states in the report of De-
cember 81 that the Hilonian was light
and moved about considerably, as
there was heavy swell setting In,
SO much that the schooner Prosper az
the railroad wharf could not work
The pilot suggested in this report
that the wharf be fitted with large
rope tenders. A few weeks later the
Maui used the wharf when there was
an undertow present and vessels at
the railroad wharf could not work be-
cause OF the rough sea. Mosher says
the Maui lay comparatively still.
or the Hyades on January q, last
year, the pilot reports that there was
mo swell but a slight undertow:
moved ship with large hawsers and
after heaying buoy lines tight she lay
steady. This ship, having large
guard on the outside, it was very dif-
ficult 10 keep her cIear of wharf at
times, but experienced no difficulty
in landing cargo at any time during
her stay at wharf" .. =.
Georgian Instance Detailed. ..- H.
The description OF the trouble with
the Georgian, which is one Of the in
cidents said to have caused the Amer
ican,H Hawaiian TO abandon use of: the
wharf, follows in part: s.. .:
Strong north wind with heavy
rains. Ship lay easy until tide began
to set in at about 10 a. m. Sea get
ting up quickly and at noon ship be-
gan ranging badly. Carried away iron
rings IN cement or concrete dolphin
on ~. Il. corner of wharf. Also pull
ed No. 5 bit out almost entirely. Went
on board at captains request and
found ship very uneasy. SO much so
as to make il bad to work. Vessel also
parted 14-inch hawsers Saw that the
weather was getting worse all the
time and as the captain did not want
to stop any longer at the wharf, un-
nloored and steamed over to Hilo bay
and anchored. A very high swell from
north setting in with gale blowing
from north. Vessels also had to quit
work and haul out from Hilo
Railroad wharf also. The cause of the
vessels ranging and rolling was an
undertow from around end of break
water as il was smooth at wharf as
regards sea"
OF other times and vessels the pilot
reports sometimes slight undertow,
sometimes no undertow at all
Difficulties Are Denied.
He states that on March 16 the Hy-
AIDES lay all day al the wharf and that
there was no difficulty in keeping the
ship in position at any time. The wind
was from the north and there was a
heavy swell outside. This was also
true of the Francis Hanify's, loading