ALTAMAHA, OCONEE, AND OCMULGEE RIVERS, GA. COMMITTEE ON RIVERS AND HARBORS, January 14, 1916. The committee met at 10.30 o'clock a. m., Hon. Stephen M. Sparkman presiding. The CHAIRMAN. Gentlemen, this is a hearing on behalf of the representatives of the Altamaha, Oconee, and Ocmulgee River systems, of Georgia. Mr. Wise, will you kindly state the order in which these gentlemen will make their statements before the committee? Mr. WISE. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, there are a number of gentlemen from Macon who desire to be heard. Before starting, however, I wish to say that Mr. Walker has just informed me that he can not stay here. He is very much interested in this subject, and would like to make a statement. He has to go to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Mr. Crisp also finds it necessary to leave, and he is very much interested in this matter. STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES W. WISE. Mr. WISE. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I do not myself care to be heard at any length on this proposition this morning, because I want these other gentlemen to have as much time as possible. You are very familiar with this subject. With the permission of the committee I will read a telegram or two which I have received. Here is one from Mr. Thorpe in which he states that he was unavoidably delayed in reaching Washington, and sends his hearty good wishes for a good showing and deserved success. Mr. Thorpe is councilman of the city of Macon, Ga., and it seems that he is prevented from being here by reason of a delayed train. There is also a telegram from Mr. Gilham, who made a statement at a previous hearing before the committee. He can not be here at this time. I desire to call attention to his statement, made before the committee at a previous hearing. I desire now to call the attention of the committee to a very interesting telegram, which I am about to read, from Mr. R. C. Corbin, commissioner of transportation, chamber of commerce. His telegram reads as follows: On behalf of the 186 shippers, members of our organization other than those appearing in person before the Rivers and Harbors Committee to-morrow, we appeal for an appropriation for the permanent improvement and maintenance of the Altamaha system of rivers commensurate with its rapidly increasing value the rate of 2 cents per net registered ton for the amount of tonnage reported. The CHAIRMAN. Then a mistake was made in this report. Mr. FORBES. No, sir; I do not think a mistake was made there, but I do not believe they figured the sailing vessels that call at Honolulu. The report of the Engineer Department contains the statistics for the year 1912. The CHAIRMAN. Has the tonnage fallen off or increased since January 1 of last year? Mr. FORBES. It has increased The CHAIRMAN (interposing). Which has it done, increased or fallen off? Mr. FORBES. It has increased. The CHAIRMAN. The report says that the commerce of Honolulu has been increasing and now amounts to about 1,652,000 tons. Mr. FORBES. As I said before, those are the figures for 1912. The CHAIRMAN. What you mean to say is, it is correct as far as it goes, but it does not give it all? Mr. FORBES. That is it; correct as far as it goes. The CHAIRMAN. What is the class of vessels or freight left out? Mr. FORBES. Sailing and interisland vessels. The CHAIRMAN. He doesn't say anything about sailing vessels here. Mr. FORBES. No, he does not mention sailing vessels. The CHAIRMAN. He just uses the tonnage alone. Mr. FORBES. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. Very well; proceed. Mr. KENNEDY. You spoke about having 1,000 vessels there during the year. Does that include interisland vessels? Mr. FORBES. Yes, sir; all the shipping, both foreign, domestic, and interisland. Another very important feature as to why we should have this and I believe I argued the same measure when I appeared before you before-is the fact that all of the Government vessels, irrespective of their kind or their purpose, occupy our wharves and our harbors, free of cost and to the amount of approximately $62,000. All vessels, Federal and Government vessels of every crass, have free use of our wharves and our harbors in the Territory. Honolulu is the only port in the entire north Pacific, within a distance of approximately 5,000 miles north and south and 8,900 miles east and west, in which a pound of food, a gallon of water, or a ton of fuel could be obtained by vessels destined for any port in either of these directions. This is by far the largest area on earth dependent upon a single port. Only 97 acres, including all spaces between wharves, is the area of the Honolulu Harbor. In 1908, when the American battleship fleet went around the world, only five could enter at a time to coal. The others had to anchor outside and lay in the open roadstead, as has been the case with our merchant vessels calling at Honolulu. The CHAIRMAN. Will you point out on that map there, Honolulu Harbor [indicating map on wall]. Mr. FORBES. This is the harbor in here [indicating]. The CHAIRMAN. Now, what relation does Kalihi Harbor sustain to Honolulu Harbor? Mr. FORBES. This is the proposed channel [indicating]. This line is a 10-foot contour line. If we can have this first unit of 1,000 feet back, 1,000 feet wide, it will give us an area almost equal to the area that we now enjoy in the harbor, and it would take care of some 10 or 15 vessels. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Forbes, let me read a part of the report on the Kalihi Harbor (reading): The improvement by the United States of Kalihi Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii, is deemed advisable to the extent of providing a channel 800 feet wide and 35 feet deep at mean lower low water, extending 1,000 feet from Honolulu Harbor along the "Reserved Channel." Now, what is the "Reserved Channel?" Mr. FORBES. This map is the Geodetic map, I believe, and is an old one. The map that has been prepared by the Board of Harbor Engineers very clearly shows the Reserved Channel. The CHAIRMAN. Just show the lines here that you propose. Let you, doesn't that map show it? me ask Mr. FORBES. This map does not show it. This map does [exhibiting map]. The CHAIRMAN. All right. Now, where is Honolulu Harbor? Mr. FORBES. This is Honolulu Harbor, right here [indicating], and is dredged to approximately 35 feet right in here. The hatched line that you see is the first unit of the "Reserved Channel." The CHAIRMAN. Now, where is the "Reserved Channel" on this map? Mr. FORBES. Right in here [indicating]; right back of this hatched line. The CHAIRMAN. Where is Kapalama Basin? Mr. FORBES. Right over in here. The CHAIRMAN. That "Reserved Channel' runs in here? Mr. FORBES. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. And according to project No. 1, as shown on the accompanying map? Mr. FORBES. This is it here. The CHAIRMAN. Proceed. Mr. FORBES. This project, gentlemen, as I stated, as proposed by the United States engineers, is 800 feet wide, leaving 100 feet on each side undredged adjacent to the Federal bulkhead line. The CHAIRMAN. We can get all that, Mr. Forbes, from the report. What we would like to hear you on is the importance of the harbor, and of the improvements. Mr. FORBES. Well, as I stated before, having 1,000 vessels arriving at Honolulu without adequate berthing and anchorage space, we feel the grave importance and the great necessity for this improvement, so that our vessels may find anchorage and berthing space when they arrive, instead of having to lie outside in the open roadstead, where they roll and pitch at the mercy of the sea. The Maru vessels of the Japanese line use the wharves known as Piers 6 and 7. The Great Northern, or the Hill line, is now making a port of call at Honolulu, and in backing out of these slips they ferquently strike this sea wall or sand island. There has been considerable damage to vessels' propellers coming in contact with that wall when vessels turn about to go out. This project shows the removal of part of that wall, that vessels might back out and have the necessary area in which to maneuver. the rate of 2 cents per net registered ton for the amount of tonnage reported. The CHAIRMAN. Then a mistake was made in this report. Mr. FORBES. No, sir; I do not think a mistake was made there, but I do not believe they figured the sailing vessels that call at Honolulu. The report of the Engineer Department contains the statistics for the year 1912. The CHAIRMAN. Has the tonnage fallen off or increased since January 1 of last year? Mr. FORBES. It has increased. The CHAIRMAN (interposing). Which has it done, increased or fallen off? Mr. FORBES. It has increased. The CHAIRMAN. The report says that the commerce of Honolulu has been increasing and now amounts to about 1,652,000 tons. Mr. FORBES. As I said before, those are the figures for 1912. The CHAIRMAN. What you mean to say is, it is correct as far as it goes, but it does not give it all? Mr. FORBES. That is it; correct as far as it goes. The CHAIRMAN. What is the class of vessels or freight left out? Mr. FORBES. Sailing and interisland vessels. The CHAIRMAN. He doesn't say anything about sailing vessels here. The CHAIRMAN. He just uses the tonnage alone. Mr. FORBES. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. Very well; proceed. Mr. KENNEDY. You spoke about having 1,000 vessels there during the year. Does that include interisland vessels? Mr. FORBES. Yes, sir; all the shipping, both foreign, domestic, and interisland. Another very important feature as to why we should have this and I believe I argued the same measure when I appeared before you before-is the fact that all of the Government vessels, irrespective of their kind or their purpose, occupy our wharves and our harbors, free of cost and to the amount of approximately $62,000. All vessels, Federal and Government vessels of every class, have free use of our wharves and our harbors in the Territory. Honolulu is the only port in the entire north Pacific, with in distance of approximately 5,000 miles north and south and 8,900 east and west, in which a pound of food, a gallon of water, or a to fuel could be obtained by vessels destined for any port in either these directions. This is by far the largest area on earth depende upon a single port. miles on of of nt If Only 97 acres, including all spaces between wharves, is the area o the Honolulu Harbor. In 1908, when the American battleship fleet went around the world, only five could enter at a time to coal. The, others had to anchor outside and lay in the open roadstead, as has been the case with our merchant vessels calling at Honolulu. The CHAIRMAN. Will you point out on that map there, Honolulu Harbor [indicating map on wall]. Mr. FORBES. This is the harbor in here [indicating]. The CHAIRMAN. Now, what relation does Kalihi Harbor sustain to Honolulu Harbor? Mr. FORBES. This is the proposed channel [indicating]. This line is a 10-foot contour line. If we can have this first unit of 1,000 feet back, 1,000 feet wide, it will give us an area almost equal to the area that we now enjoy in the harbor, and it would take care of some 10 or 15 vessels. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Forbes, let me read a part of the report on the Kalihi Harbor (reading): The improvement by the United States of Kalihi Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii, is deemed advisable to the extent of providing a channel 800 feet wide and 35 feet deep at mean lower low water, extending 1,000 feet from Honolulu Harbor along the Reserved Channel." Now, what is the "Reserved Channel?" Mr. FORBES. This map is the Geodetic map, I believe, and is an old one. The map that has been prepared by the Board of Harbor Engineers very clearly shows the Reserved Channel. The CHAIRMAN. Just show the lines here that you propose. Let me ask you, doesn't that map show it? Mr. FORBES. This map does not show it. This map does [exhibiting map]. The CHAIRMAN. All right. Now, where is Honolulu Harbor? Mr. FORBES. This is Honolulu Harbor, right here [indicating], and is dredged to approximately 35 feet right in here. The hatched line that you see is the first unit of the "Reserved Channel." The CHAIRMAN. Now, where is the "Reserved Channel" on this map? Mr. FORBES. Right in here [indicating]; right back of this hatched line. The CHAIRMAN. Where is Kapalama Basin? Mr. FORBES. Right over in here. The CHAIRMAN. That "Reserved Channel' runs in here? Mr. FORBES. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. And according to project No. 1, as shown on the accompanying map? Mr. FORBES. This is it here. The CHAIRMAN. Proceed. Mr. FORBES. This project, gentlemen, as I stated, as proposed by the United States engineers, is 800 feet wide, leaving 100 feet on each side undredged adjacent to the Federal bulkhead line. The CHAIRMAN. We can get all that, Mr. Forbes, from the report. What we would like to hear you on is the importance of the harbor, and of the improvements. Mr. FORBES. Well, as I stated before, having 1,000 vessels arriving at Honolulu without adequate berthing and anchorage space, we feel the grave importance and the great necessity for this improvement, so that our vessels may find anchorage and berthing space when they arrive, instead of having to lie outside in the open roadstead, where they roll and pitch at the mercy of the sea. The Maru vessels of the Japanese line use the wharves known as Piers 6 and 7. The Great Northern, or the Hill line, is now making a port of call at Honolulu, and in backing out of these slips they ferquently strike this sea wall or sand island. There has been considerable damage to vessels' propellers coming in contact with that wall when vessels turn about to go out. This project shows the removal of part of that wall, that vessels might back out and have the necessary area in which to maneuver. |