CANTON ISLAND

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 136, 6 December 1939, Page 13

CANTON ISLAND

AIR SERVICE POST

BUILDINGS AND SUPPLIES

A MODERN HOTEL

(From "The Post's" Representative.) HONOLULU, November 8. A 24-room hotel has been erected at Canton Island, astride the Equator, to provide accommodation for passengers on the trans-Pacific clipper plane service between California and New Zealand. The hotel arrived in sections in the vessel Thor I. The cargo included 80,000 board feert: of redwood ' timber, three railway truck loads of asbestosconcrete composition sheets for wal^s and roof, 500 bags of cement for floors, a ventilation and air-conditioning system, and a fully-equipped bar for the enjoyment of the guests. The hotel lobby will be ornamented by a glass globe of the earth and a modern, 14-tube radio, with attachment for records, a sound motion " picture projector, two billiard tables, gymnasium equipment, and a varied assortment of games. The 97 windows of the hotel were completely assembled, with the sashes set in their frames and the paint already applied. Similarly, the 24 doors for the guests' rooms were ready to hang, as were the doors for the entrance. The cargo also included 48 steel beds (two to a room), together with dressers, tables, lamps, rugs, desks, mirrors, chairs, and pictures. The hotel store will be stocked with clothing, medicines, drugs," and sundries. The Thor carried ten tons of frozen meat and poultry, packed with dry ice; and other food supplies, sufficient to last nine months. Fresh milk, fruit, and vegetables will arrive regularly by air from jhere. , Material and equipment for the erection of the airport buildings arrived, several months before. Extraordinary high tides and heavy tropical rains impeded the work of unloading and landing, through the reef; by means of lighters. The base was completed in three months with but one, untoward incident—the loss of a lighter j in the surf. Landing the heavy power plant units, to provide electricity and radio communication with the outside world, was a tough job. Last to be unloaded were thousands of drums of gasoline,, a nine months' supply for. the clipper planes. After the construction steamer North Haven had left the island the personnel of 42 men had frequent visits from the Coastguard cutter . Taney, which brought fresh supplies, mail, newspapers, and camera film. Two outstanding events in: the life of the little community were the turning on of the■•■ electric lights, and the establishment; ■by means) of the same Diesel power plant, of radio 1* communication. Permanent direction finder towers were built, to guide the clippers across the South Pacific. Over 500 dangerous.coral heads, studding the lagoon, were blasted away to] provide a safe landing, turning, and take-off area. A main and alternate runway were created and marine buoys and markers were laid, completing this portion: of the work. Today there are a score of permanent structures, ready to serve .and facilitate this'■"■operation of the clipper planes, including a dock, houses for station staff and flight crews, warehouses, shops; power plants, airport operation office, radio and meteorological stations. . j