The Hawaiian gazette., 1870-12-14
Streets and sidewalks.


No doubt there has been a good deal Of eursing
of streets during the late weather, ct may be-
too Of the road supervisor, POSSIBLY of the
weather itself, though we hope it has not gone SO
far as that.
Our streets, however,-and it may be said in
good laith-are not so bad as some would think.
In fact. there are few places, which have not yet
attained the dignity of pavements, where che
streets and roads leading in aud out of town are
better than they are in Honolulu. A cobble-
stone pavement would certainly not be an i'm
/ proyemeut. Let any one who has Travelled recall
the places of no greater size than this which he
has visited. and the places where the aggregate
Of wealth is no greater, and he will ind that, TAX
ing the whole year round this town will bear IA
vorably,a comparison ID bis respect The locality
Is favored also. The earth frequently hardens in
good weather nearly to the frmness of an asphal-
tum pavement, and dries quickly after wet weather.
The abundant supplies of black sand and of old
coral stone are favorable to the formation of good
roadways. abatng, perhaps, the detriment to weak
eyes from the impalpabe dust of the latter in
that the ground is never demorazed by the
breaking up of frost, nor roughened by the savage
freezing Of ruts and ridges, and any one will see
that We are not badly off in the way of roads
What does impress a stranger unfavorably,
however, is the lack of good sidewalks Saving
the Valley road and occasional fragments of walks
cared for by enterprsing and public-spirited per-
sons, there is scarcely decent sidewalk in town.
Not only pedestrians, but those who have occa-
sion to ride much. experience the Inconvenience
of this, as " Paddy's sidewalk, viz. the middle of
the street is shared by both parties without dis
tinct understanding as to the rights of either.
One of the underlying causes Of thus. and it is
with reference 70 it that we call attention to the
subject at this time, is the tendency of land
owners to crowd their especial possessions into
the street. Either there is an old title not foot
of which viii be parted with. except on the most
exhorbitant terms and the utmost unwillingness.
or else the street wall is showed little by little
into the pubIe domain. We have no intention
to call up any particular instances, but merely to
mentie the general fact. Landowners often
~ '"''' '"O S'ASCS - hSoi ~ uiuNH tlt-
ment Of the value of real estate as the land
actually enclosed. A foot or two less on a lot /
makes much less difference to the lot than it does
to the highway. At the same time, small lot /
on wide and attractive street is really more |
valuable than large one on a narrow and uncom-
Portable road. The change then, or the giving up |
OF few feet of land even when legally entitled to
it, is not necessarily a loss it is positive gain
if it can only be seen as such.
We trust that we have placed this subject in a
just and true light; and that people will come to
realize that the oftcomplained-of lack of side
walks is in most cases a compelled lack from
sheer want of room and that filching from the
street is no more than flching from themselves.
Another troublesome matter is, the necessity
of accommodating the walks to the Honolulu
style of-we hardly know what to call them
street verandahs or sheds. Every one knows
what an uncomfortable dripping takes place at
the limits of these outside of which it is impos-
sible for a walk ioextend. Suggesting comfort and
shade on sunny day, shelter on a rainy day. they
are still on a cramped scale that cramps every
thing else with them. We hope some time to es-
cape from this cat run" style of street conslruc
tiCn,-this Renaissance Of the Indian trail style
Of travelling. But generous public must CO.
operate. or the matter will continue in Stofu guo