The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-04-25
First Conference Between Direc-
tors and Utilities Commits
d sion Brings Results
CONSIDERABLE HEADWAY :. E.
." is MADE ON FRANCHISE.
Corporation Ready TO Share Pro-
fits With City and Begin
Extensions Immediately

From the work accomplished at the
meeting of the Rapid Transit directors
and the public utilities commissioners,
yesterday, it looks as If an agreement
has almost been arrived at as to the
provisions of the new charter for the
traction company. r
The meeting was most amicable in
every respect and there was not n dis
senting voice to any of the proposals
made by Chairman Forbes as to mat.
tiers to be Incorporated in the charter,
except the matter of the company put.
ting up n bond to reimburse the city
for any damages which might accrue
through the acts Of the company. This
was objected to, as 1t was said that
a"bond was only necessary where the
company or individual was not resp0n-
sible for the protection Of the city or
public. The Rapid Transit representa-.
tives also asserted that they would be
ready to start preliminary work on the
proposed extensions Of their road as
soon rs the charter was finally agreed
upon and to start actual work soon
after it passed in one Of the houses of
congress. '"'
Would Share Profits At Once
Regarding the proposed payment to
the city government Of two and one.
half per cent of the gross earnings of
the company, the directors said that
they would be willing to pay this to
the city on the earnings of the present
year, if the charter passed congress
during this session. They were a little
doubiOus about starting work on ex
tensions as soon rs the draft of the
charter to be submitted to congress
was agreed upon, as they had no assur,
ance that they would not be treated
the same in this case as they. had been
in the case of the Frear charter.
'tIn the latter case" said Attorney
D. H. Wilmington, ga certain gentle
man now in Honolulu went before the
committees of congress and approved
the franchise and on its return to Ho-I
nolulu wrote obiecting to it and It was
held up. We don't want to take this
chance again.
The intended extensions of the pres.
ent service will contemplate the ex-
pPnditurc Of about $500, 900 and with.
out assurances of the charter going
through, Director Richard Ivers could
not see his way clear to advise the
company to go ahead with more than
preliminary work. The purchase of
material would be part of the work but
a. the material would be useful In any
event this much might be done. The
cost of the installation Of the track and
overhead equipment would be about
S2j 900 a mile
Extensions Under Consideration
The company has under considera.
ton at the present time the extension.
of the service to Fort Shafter, up Ka-
lIhi valley, either from King street or
along School street; the double track.
ing of King street for its entire length,
and POSSIBLY the extension Of the Ka.
lmuki division running to Fort Ruger.
Mayor Lane, who was present at the
meeting as private citizen, said he
wanted to know if there was any pro-
vision in the'propOsed charter requiring
the tracks to be laid in any certain
portion of the street, to be designated
10y the supervi 1OTs and he was inform.
ed that the manner of laying tracks
was in the province and under the con
troll of the public utilities commission
nnd that that body now stood in the
place of the superintendent of public
works. The Mayor was anxious to
know of the provision, as he feared
that at some future time there might
he conflict Of authority between the
city government and the utilities com.
mission. 81 Z
The matter of the jndeterminate
charter was discussed. President L. !
Tenney Peck of the Rapid Transit said !,
that he was in accord with the prihci. |
re of that kind of charter and that |
there were several already approved |
by congress, of utilities in the Terri |
tory, in which the charters were made
indeterminate but mot giving the com
anies any exclusive franchises. This |
was so Of the Honolulu Gas Company |
and the Hawaiian Electric Company.
Internal Combustion Engines
The provision regulating the power
to be used was discussed casually and
it was decided that the charter as il
was at present would not need TO be
changed. The company will be given
the right to use any power except
steam and animal, Internal .combus
non engines were spoken of as
source Of power, should anything hap
pen to the power house. II was asked
If 1t was the intention Of the company
to have a supply of them on hand and
from the answer given il was inferred
that possibly some of the motors will
be installed for use in the freight cars
Of the company and possibly for use on
tho belt roarl along the waterfront now
in contemplation. ."
In the discussion on the kind of road
to be constructed 1t was made clear
to the commission that the Rapid
Transit did not favor the incasing of
its TRACKS in concrete as il made them
too hard 10 get at for repairs. This
was not desired on the part of the pub