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Mr. BATHRICK. Why would it not be a good idea to recognize his service?

The CHAIRMAN. We are very glad to hear this report, and the committee desires to place on the record an expression of its appreciation of the kindness and public-spirited cooperation of Mr. Damon. I have been on Mr. Damon's estate, and it is an Eden; it is a beautiful estate, and he has magnificent water there.

Admiral STANFORD. I think your action is a very gracious recognition of a very generous act.

Mr. ROBERTS. You say that there are 900,000 gallons obtainable now. Is that the maximum of the supply?

Admiral STANFORD. That amount could be largely increased by pumping the well.

Mr. ROBERTS. That is the natural flow?

Admiral STANFORD. That is obtainable from the well without artificial assistance.

Mr. BATHRICK. If that water were cut off at any place in the 3-mile stretch, it would pretty nearly wreck the navy yard?

Admiral STANFORD. That is the sole source of supply for the navy yard. It is expected to have a tank of comparatively small dimensions at the yard which will serve as a distributing tank or reservoir, but the contents of that tank would not serve for any great period of time.

Mr. BATHRICK. Would it not be a good plan to erect a larger tank to provide in case of insurrection or warfare for the possibility of having that supply cut off?

Admiral STANFORD. I think the construction of such a tank would be impractical. The only way by which a supply could be conserved would be by means of a reservoir, which is hardly practical because of the topography of the naval property, which is not suitable for reservoir purposes.

Mr. BATHRICK. Suppose there was an insurrection or we were at war with some power who had confederates on the island, would it be very easy for them to wreck that water-pipe system, and would it be difficult to protect it?

Admiral STANFORD. I think not, because the Army have fortifications in that vicinity and it is contemplated to have a considerable force always on duty.

Mr. BATHRICK. On the whole 3-mile stretch?

Admiral STANFORD. It is an island, and the island is small.

Mr. BATHRICK. This is on an island?

Admiral STANFORD. Yes, sir; the island of Oahu.

The CHAIRMAN. The island is about 5 miles east and west by 40 miles north and south.

The next item is, "Boat landings, and so forth, $5,000." What does the "and so forth" comprehend-simply the improvement of the boat landings?

Admiral STANFORD. In submitting these estimates, there was an effort made to use the same phraseology as used in the printed letter which was made a matter of record several years ago.

The CHAIRMAN. What do the boat landings embrace?

Admiral STANFORD. Landing stage, and the brow connecting the landing stage with the wall.

The CHAIRMAN. That is the total estimate?

Admiral STANFORD. Yes, sir.

Mr. ROBERTS. Will $5,000 be needed for the pier or float or whatever it is you use for the boat landing?

Admiral STANFORD. The coping of the sea wall is several feet above tide level, and launches and small boats must secure alongside of landing stage having deck low enough for use from these small craft.

Mr. ROBERTS. Then, there is a gangway on the wall?

Admiral STANFORD. A gangway is required to connect this float with the coping of the sea wall.

Mr. ROBERTS. Will it take $5,000 to provide one landing?

Admiral STANFORD. The float will be of permanent construction. The brow is rather expensive to build and the mooring device for holding the float must be so arranged that the float can rise and fall with the tide and the wave action.

Mr. ROBERTS. Does this contemplate more than one float?

Admiral STANFORD. I do not know just what was contemplated when the item was first considered. This is a building program or schedule that was followed as having been previously tentatively approved and we have been trying to develop the station on the lines as provided by the schedule.

Mr. WITHERSPOON. Was that appropriation made last year?

Admiral STANFORD. Yes, sir; when the general building scheme for Pearl Harbor was adopted.

The CHAIRMAN. In January, 1911.

Mr. WITHERSPOON. How have they been getting along up to this time without it?

Admiral STANFORD. The station is now in a constructive stage. It is not in use or operation as a repair station. The sea wall is just being started. There was some delay in that work because of the uncertainty as to the definite location of the dock and it was not considered wise to proceed with the sea wall until after the limit and location of the dock was absolutely determined because the sea wall must have certain relation to the dock.

Mr. ROBERTS. Can you give us any more definite information as to whether you contemplate one or more of the boat landings?

Admiral STANFORD. Two landings will probably be required. The CHAIRMAN. The next item is, "Two officers' quarters, $24,000." The original estimate was $93,000 for eight officers' quarters. We have heretofore appropriated $69,000, leaving this $24,000. What grade of officers and what character of buildings, and so forth? Admiral STANFORD. The quarters will probably be assigned to officers detailed as heads of departments who will probably therefore have the rank of commander or captain, as officers of those grades are usually assigned as heads of departments at the principal stations: The quarters under construction are two stories high, concrete and wood being the principal building materials.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the cost of concrete over there compared with here?

Admiral STANFORD. Cement costs over $3 a barrel. The stone costs $2.50 a cubic yard. Sand costs about the same. Those costs are approximately from two to two and one-half times as much as would be the case for the materials in this location.

The CHAIRMAN. You have to import your rock and sand?

Admiral STANFORD. The rock is obtained by crushing volcanic lava. Screenings from the rock crusher are sometimes used for sand and also a coral sand, called waianie, obtained from the beach. Waianie sand is not safe for use in sea water because of its composition and the danger which would be involved if sea water and cement were brought into combination with it.

The CHAIRMAN. Is sand available for constructing officers' quarters?

Admiral STANFORD. Yes, sir; coral sand can be used for quarters, because there is no contact with sea water.

The CHAIRMAN. With an abundance of lava rock in the islands and the sand available, why should the sand and rock cost from two to two and one-half times as much as here?

Admiral STANFORD. The price given is that required for the broken stone or rock which is being used by the dry-dock contractor who has established a quarry at a distance of about 16 miles from the dry dock. This quarry is a very expensive one to work, because the materials vary so greatly within short distances, and also because the natural deposit contains a large percentage of what they call "puca puca." This "puca puca" is lava having numerous large air bubbles or cavities which make its use in concrete undesirable because of the great amount of mortar or cement which these cavities would require, and because of the weakness of the stone under crushing loads. "Puca puca" is carefully removed before quarry stone is sent to the crusher, and labor costs are high. The peculiar quarry difficulties and the large transportation costs combine to make broken stone and screenings very expensive.

The CHAIRMAN. How is the labor cost in the islands compared with the United States?

Admiral STANFORD. I think common labor is paid about $1.75 a day. It is difficult to obtain good common labor because of the great demand. This demand arises from the plantations and the numerous physical developments which are in progress in the islands. Labor is very scarce.

The CHAIRMAN. Is it higher there than here?

Admiral STANFORD. I think it is higher, not only because of the daily wage but because of the comparatively low efficiency of the employees. They are not the same grade that can be obtained in this country. Most all of them are foreigners.

Mr. ROBERTS. Is there any other building material available? Do you use stone or brick there? Can they be obtained at a reasonable cost?

Admiral STANFORD. I think that all brick would have to be taken to the island from the States.

Mr. ROBERTS. Do you know whether, as a matter of fact, much brick is used?

Admiral STANFORD. Very little, I think. Stone is used to a considerable extent.

Mr. ROBERTS. How does that compare in cost with the concrete? Admiral STANFORD. In certain places stone is preferred to concrete, where the forms required for the concrete would be elaborate and expensive.

Mr. ROBERTS. Are the officers' quarters under construction to be built of concrete forms?

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Admiral STANFORD. The navy yard quarters are not. The quarters being constructed for the marine corps are of the poured type. Concrete and stone are used in the yard quarters for artistic as well as for constructive reasons.

Mr. ROBERTS. What are the walls of these quarters, wood with concrete ornamentations or are they solid concrete walls?

Admiral STANFORD. They are wood, principally.

Mr. ROBERTS. Is any concrete used in connection with the foundations?

Admiral STANFORD. For the foundations and for certain areaways. Mr. ROBERTS. But the walls of the building carry no concrete? Admiral STANFORD. No, sir.

Mr. ROBERTS. A wooden house?

Admiral STANFORD. A wooden house on concrete, with stone ornamentation.

Mr. ROBERTS. Where does the wood come from?

Admiral STANFORD. Nearly all from the States. There is a certain wood for flooring that is obtained from the island of Hawaii, which is very hard and beautiful.

Mr. ROBERTS. We have appropriated $69,000 for six officers' quarters?

Admiral STANFORD. Yes, sir.

Mr. ROBERTS. That is considerably less than the rate you are asking here; that is less than $12,000 for each house. You are now asking for $12,000. The six already built for $69,000 cost under $12,000. Are these houses to be any different from those already built?

Admiral STANFORD. They should be identical with those being built.

Mr. BATHRICK. The houses are built without any cellar?

Admiral STANFORD. Cellars are not generally used; the quarters under construction have no basements.

Mr. ROBERTS. Have you let contracts for those quarters?
Admiral STANFORD. For the six; yes, sir.

Mr. ROBERTS. Did you get a bid of $69,000?

Admiral STANFORD. The bid is just within the appropriation. In inviting proposals bids were received under several different items, so that in case the bids should be greater than the appropriation eliminations could be made, whereas if the bids were materially less than the appropriation, features which were considered desirable might be added within the limit.

Mr. ROBERTS. Do these quarters have to be heated?

Admiral STANFORD. One room in each house is provided with a fireplace because there is a short period in the year when the thermometer is between 65° and 70°, which is a very trying condition considering the prevailing high temperature.

Mr. ROBERTS. How many rooms will there be in these quarters? Admiral STANFORD. There are 10 rooms and 3 baths in the commandant's quarters, with separate structure having 4 rooms and bath for servants. The other 5 quarters each have 10 rooms and 3 baths, but no separate outbuilding for servants.

Mr. ROBERTS. Can you tell us the dimensions of the buildings? Admiral STANFORD. I can bring a set of blue prints to-morrow morning if you like.

Mr. ROBERTS. I wish you would.

Mr. BUCHANAN. You said that labor was high—that is, in Cuba?
Admiral STANFORD. At Pearl Harbor.

Mr. BUCHANAN. Due to the inefficient labor?
Admiral STANFORD. It is not generally efficient.
Mr. BUCHANAN. That is the native labor?

Admiral STANFORD. It is a mixed labor. For instance, I visited a sawmill where they were employing about 125 men, and I was told by the superintendent that he had 13 different nationalities on his pay roll.

Mr. BUCHANAN. When I visited Panama-I was there only a short time the labor, in my judgment, was not of the best, the little time I had to observe, but I was impressed with the fact there that one good American laborer would do as much as three of the men working on the canal, natives of that part of the country. Of course, they had some American workmen there. What is your observation in regard to the labor you speak of?

Admiral STANFORD. In Honolulu ?

Mr. BUCHANAN. Yes, sir.

Admiral STANFORD. I should think that they would be more efficient, relatively, than the ones you observed on the Isthmus.

Mr. BUCHANAN. As a matter of fact, I asked one foreman if my idea would be about correct, and he said it would. He was an American foreman.

Admiral STANFORD. It would be my judgment that the labor obtainable at Pearl Harbor might come within 25 to 35 per cent of being as efficient as the best character of labor that can be obtained in this vicinity.

The CHAIRMAN. The next item is, "Torpedo boat slips, $50,000." The original estimate was $100,000. This is the first appropriation you have asked?

Admiral STANFORD. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. How many slips do you contemplate placing there under your program?

Admiral STANFORD. It is proposed to construct four piers, each about 350 feet long by 25 feet wide.

Mr. ROBERTS. Are they slips running out from the quay wall? Admiral STANFORD. Yes, sir.

Mr. ROBERTS. Have you considered the sort of construction which you are proposing at Charleston?

Admiral STANFORD. There is no tidal current at Pearl Harbor, so the conditions are very different from those that obtain at Charleston. Experience at Charleston will, however, have weight in the design of the Pearl Harbor piers and the defects in the former will be avoided. Mr. WITHERSPOON. What are these slips?

Admiral STANFORD. Slips are formed by building piers about 350 feet long and 25 feet wide, and separated by a distance of 150 feet; the space or area between two adjacent piers forms what is called a slip. Mr. ROBERTS. And makes the berthing space?

Admiral STANFORD. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. The next item is "Ice plants and miscellaneous improvements, $50,000." That is included in "contingent funds, including ice plants, etc., $100,000"?

Admiral STANFORD. Yes, sir.

Mr. BUTLER. Will that appropriation complete it?
Admiral STANFORD. That is the idea, sir.

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