Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-08-31
OF new
PIERPLEASING
TOLUMBERMEN
Harbor Commission Will lnves-
tigate Further: Delay Follows
Illness of Supt. Forbes

in the near future the board OF har-
/ Dor commissioners will confer as a
committee OF the whole concerning
the various harbor-improyement and
pier-ccnstruction propositions for
which the legislature will be asked to
make appropriations.
At the board meeting Tuesday the
commissioners voted to take up the
various propositions with Chairman
Forbes, as committee of the whole.
Forbes Is now in the hospital suffer
ing from tonsilitis and appendicitis,
so that he has not been able to begin
work drawing up plans and specifi-
cations for one of the most important
harbor projects, that of 100000
llumber-unloading wharf makai OF
Pier 2, the Channel Wharf. < ~
illness Delays Start +.
Forbes made the first announce
ment Of this big project last Saturday
in the Star-Bulletin, and said he
would start drawing plans for the
work this week. His sudden attack
of illness has prevented him from do
ing so, but as soon as he is able to
return to work he will take up the
matter at once.
According to Col. c. J. Mccarthy,
one of the members of the board, the
proposed lumber pier should make
lumber considerably cheaper than it
now is. The pier, as stated Saturday,
will be 800 feet long by 300 wide,
large enough to permit three schoon-
ers to discharge at once.
One of the factors which has kept
the price of lumber higher in Homo
lulu is that of the time needed to I'M
load lumber schooners. Under pre-;
sent conditions they are unloaded by
antiquated methods, largely by hand,
and the expense and time involved in
getting the lumber off the vessel and
onto the wharf is all charged against
the retail price.
Equipment to be Modern
when the new pier is completed.
provided the legislature grants US an
appropriation of 100000, it will be-
equipped with modern Iumber-convey..
or systems capable of unloading a 1
carload at time from the vessel
and loading 1t aboard cars or trucks. |
The board plans to have room for
trolley and railway tracks alongside !
the pier. so that the lumber can be
hauled by rail to the yards, If the deal
ers think this method of hauling
would be cheaper than the present
trucking system.
The new wharf will reduce by more
than so per cent the length of haul |
for lumber dealers having their yards |
in the Kakaako district Those firms |
having their yards in the other end
of town. near River street, will not
be required to use the new pier un.
less they desire to, so they will not |
be put to any more expense than at |
present, as they can have their yes.
sells discharge at piers near their |
yards
lumber Dealers Pleased
Lumber importers are all interested /
In the proposed lumber pier but are
their opinion until they
learn more of the details. Their yards /
are scattered more or less all along
the waterfront and unless they are at
that end of the harbor where the new
pier is to be constructed the only
saving will be made In rapid discharg.
ing and there is some doubt OF much
saving even there.
: Lumber vessels are chartered for
20 long time, including loading on
he coast, the voyage down and dis.
charging while here. II the vessels
ire discharged inside the charter time
he benefit is entirely on the side of
he owners. The only advantage to
asst discharging would oe the short
ening OF the charter, but a certain
ime has to be allofed Tor delays and i
he saving therefore would be very
mall.
The lumber dealers, however, all
gree that centralized lumber pier,
I handled right, would he Of benefit
IS it would do away with the clutter
ng up of regular merchandise
vharves and assure a place to dis.