Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-12-21
DILLINGHAM;
MAKES ANSWER
TO GOVERNOR
Denies That Dredging Company
Was Party to Any Arrange.
ment Between U. S. and
Territory


Territory
The Hawaiian Dredging CO. was
not a party 10 any arrangement mace
between the United States engineers
and the territory regarding the dredg'
ing out Of the substructure or the Ola
marine railway" declared Walter F.
Dillinsham this morning when he was
asked If he had any statement to make
in response to the charge made before
the harbor commission yesterday that
the territory had been "gouged out
OF approximately $4,000 by the carry
ing out OF a contract for this partic'
ular dredging.
Continuing he said
Whether the United States engi-
neers are giving the governor and the
haroor board square deal or whether
or not the marine railway foundation
should be excavated at the price con-
tracted for sand and mud are matters
of opinion.
That the governor and the harbor
| board we're forced TO reconsider and
make good their promise to the fed
eral government by removing the
| marine railway foundation is a matter
| of fact. .
| Before concluding his statement
with these remarks, Mr.. Dillingham;
reviewed the negotiations leading up
| to the final dredging out Of the ma
rine railway structure. He said:
"If your account of the meeting OF
the harbor board held yesterday was
correctly reported, feel that the
Star-Bulletin should have word
about the facts under the camou-
flage.
Governor Pinkham promised the
U. S. engineers several years ago that
the territory would remove the marine
railway foundations. Later. in 1915.
Superintendent Of Public Works
Forbes asked the dredging company
what it would cost to do the work.
On Mr.. Alex Lyle's history Of what
constituted, the Foundation we estimat-
ed and bid $4,000. Lord-Young Sc
cured the contract at about $4,000 and
were later given an extra on the work
Of 5000.
"The governor then announced to
the U. s. engineers that the territory
had done its part. The engineers at.
tempted to force the dredging COM
pany to finish the job on the theory
that the marine railway site was
within the limits Of our federal con-
tract for digging sand and mud.
Says Governor Erred
"At the request of the engineering
office we made a survey Of the ma
rine railway site, the result of which
satisfied US that the governor in his
statement to the engineer office, to
the effect that the marine railway
foundation had been removed, was in
error. Il
Thinking to save our governor from
an embarrassing dRrl from Washing
ton, l took the data and placed it be
fore Mr.. Pinkham, explained the facts
which had been developed and asked
him what he wished me to do.
He said: 4 can't keep track Of all
the details; give the. records to Mr..
Wheeler FORBES assistant), and
will see him
After a delay of two weeks, Mr..
Wheeler said the governor and the
harbor board refused to consider the
matter.
"The particulars were then placed
before the local U. S. engineer, in writ
ing, by him forwarded to Washington,
and in reply the following message
was turned over to me by the U. s.
engineer office in Honolulu, as coming
from the chief Of engineers in Wash.
ington:
":From the correspondence and
statements, this office is convinced
that neither the specifications nor the
contract contemplate the removal by
the Hawaiian Dredging Co., Ltd, OF
the substructure of the marine railway
in Area F, covered by said contract
"A later contract of ours covered
the removal of the marine railway
foundation. The deal was with the
IL. s. engineers. The arrangement
, between the federal government and
the territory we were not party to
Whether the U. s. engineers are Civ
ing the governor and the harbor board
q square deal or whether or not sub
|. marine foundations should be excavat
! ed at the price contracted for SAM
} and mud are matters of opinion.
, That the governor and the harbo
board were forced to reconsider ant
to make good their promise to tn
3 | federal government by removing tn,
!. marine railway foundation is a mat
ter of fact"
In the meeting of the harbor boar
! yesterday afternoon it was decided b,
vote to pay the sum demanded Of tn
, territory by the federal government