The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1856-09-04
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY. i.

IHCRSDA I. SEPI 4.
Our Rs,LARKs in last week. issue on the necessity
Of procuring an abundant supply of water for the
wants Of the town and Of the shipping visiting the
port, has led to some discussion on the justice or in
justice Of taking the water from the Nuuanu stream
for that purpose-some maintaining that if all the
water Of that stream was taken,i it might during some
months of the year render the lands now irrigated by
it utterly worthless, at least to the present occupants,
who are mostly natives, engaged in eultiyating taro.
The Importance Of this subject of supplying the town
Of Honolulu with water induces US to revert to it.
One of the chief benefits derived from a public
Journal is the agitation Of measures of general inter
est, and the discussion which necessarily ensues
among those who are to be benefited or injured by
such measures. Heretofore, in too many instances,
laws have been enacted without any public discus
sion of their merits. 1t seems to have been u studied
policy to do everything in the most quiet way, on the
principle that the public have nothing TO say about
what concerns them most. Hence an immediate
amendment or repeal has been demanded as soon as
the injurious or unequal working Of the enactments
is seen, much to the wonder and chagrin of those
who promoted tie passage of the laws. Witness the
operation of the Honolulu free school act, and of the
act transferring the bureau of Public Works from its
proper place in the Home Office to the Department of
war. JOufIlillSM IN HONOLULU HIS HeISl0IOTe Oeen
little else than a bowling and scraping to curry favor
with those who for the time may have pOwer-a mere
e~ulogfz;ng of my lord so-and-so for his wonderful So
gacity and foresight in doing what nobody but he ever
thought Of. But the public have a pulse and a heart
that tlrobs and beats as does the human heart, and
their interests have too often been overlooked. when
they should have been sought out and made para
mount.
W. eL.Tl ,o-o- lnr-1,-J- oIvcoa@a n,.,r
which will be likely to do more injury than good.
Perhaps the takingof Nuuanu stream into pipes at the
present time would be a clear injury, by driving a
large portion of natives from their lands and causing
trouble which may be avoided by the adoption of some
other equally good plan. And yet We ave no doubt
that taro growing will eventually be removed beyond
Nuuanu valley.
Dur attention has been called to the large spring
at the foot of the rocky hill back of Palama, which
bounds Nuuanu valley on the North. This hill is
very appropriately called by the natives Kalaepotaku
Che stony point.) The spring is called by them
Wailuakio. Our curiosity led us to visit these foun-
tains there are several in the vicinity which few
foreigners We think, know anything of. The basin of
the principal spring is perhaps twenty by forty feet
in size, from which two streams fow-one towards
the sea, the other towards the town. The quantity of
water discharged must be from one hundred to
two hundred gallons per minute, and is as pure as
any spring water around Honolulu. The elevation
above the sea Is nearly the same as that of the stone
bridge near the reservoir, and if the water is car
ried in a direct line to Nuuanu street, it will inter-
sect it about opposite Mr.. Melcler's residence, or near
~ in the line of the proposed new street from Liliha
to Nuuanu streets. On inquiry of the natives, we
learned that the spring belonged TO his Excenency
the Governor, whether as his private property or held
by virtue of his Office, we know not. To take half OF
the water flowing from this spring would be no injus-
tice TO the land owners in that neighborhood, as at
least that portion of the water flows waste into the
sea.
Besides the above spring, that of Kapena in the
Nuuanu stream, in rear of the premises of Governor
Kekuanaoa can, without injustice to any one, furnish
a portion of the supply for the town. This is a large
and fine spring, and not quite so distant Is the former.
Ten-inch pipes laid from the above two fountains to
the place where they would meet in Nuuanu street
(near the residence of Mr.. Melchers,) and sixteen
inch pipes from thence to the town, would give a full
supply of water needed for the next ten or fifteen
years, provided the fountains continued flowing as al
present. One great advantage In having two sources
to supply the water needed in town, would be the les;
risk of its being cut off by accident or by the foun-
tains becoming temporarily dry.
As to the practicability of carrying out the above
suggestions, or whether the plan indicated is the bes
and most feasible, we, of course, are not to decide
That must be left to engineers but this we say, tina
it appears practicable, and that at no very great out
lay of money beyond the cost of pipes. Of reservoir
we have had enough for the present, or until th'
great benefits derived from the existing one are shown
clearer than we can do 1t.
The present pipes if taken up are just what ar
needed to supply the town of Lahaina with water
for which an appropriation Of $4,000 was made b.
the last Legislature, and the chief expense in furnish
ing that port with water would be the labor of put
ting down the pipes. On looking over the last appro
priation bill, we find the sum of $1,000 per yea
voted FOR repairing reservoirs in Honolulu, for ny
drants and water pipes.'' under which specification
perhaps an increased supply of water can be furnished
We have heard it suggested that an Artesian vel
would be found to supply the town. 1T is barely pos
5 sible that such an experiment would meet with sue
cess, but we are incredulous. The geological forma
ton of these islands is considered by those who a.
, conversant with the subject, as unfavorable to tn
success of an Artesian well, the back and elevate
country being Of too limited extent