HOTEL ON ATOLL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20110, 2 December 1939, Page 8

HOTEL ON ATOLL

CANTON ISLAND BASE PARTS SHIPPED IN SHIP LUXURY IN MID-PACIFIC An indication of the problems in providing all the amenities of modern civilisation on an isolated atoll in the Pacific is given by a description in the latest issue >of Pan American Airways’ magazine of the manner in which the erection of a 24-room hotel at Canton Island for air passengers on the San Francisco-New Zealand route was faced.

Owing to difficulties of construction work on the spot much of the hotel was fabricated before shipment lrom America. In the middle of September the freighter Thor I. landed at Canton Island 80,000 ft. of timber, three truckloads of asbestos-concrete composition, 5000 bags of cement, 97 windows, completely 'assembled with sashes set in their frames, doors ready to hang, beds, dressers, tables, lamps, rugs, desks, mirrors, chairs, pictures for the walls. As ships do not call regularly at Canton Island it was necessary to forget nothing, and the vessel carried the entire hotel in her holds.

Equipment included blower ventilation, an air-conditioning system, radio set and even a motion picture projector, pool tables, athletic equipment and high chairs for infants. Food supplies included 10 tons of frozen meat and poultry packed in ice, and other stores sufficient for nine months. Only fresh vegetables, fruits and milk were not shipped, as these will be carried by air from Honolulu.