The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-04-07

WHEN THE journalist, who from week TO week
and year to year is ever intent upon suggesting,
discussing or commencing measures for the gener-
al good of the country and people, meets unex-
pectedly with a sign which, however small, in
dicates the initiation by government of a new
enterprise pro bono PubhcO, a bright ray of hope
of still greater things to come at once illumines the
sanctum. Our hopes of better things coming
have been often disappointed and our suggestions
thrown aside by former administrations; but
under the present, we feel justified in taking
courage and indulging in hopes of a better time
coming when We perceive ever so small a sign of
the good time coming of official enterprise and
activity. That small sign we perceive in the
little red flags which the other day were observed
on the vacant lot opposite the Theatre, indica-
ting the line on which Alakea street is to be
Strengthened, and we surmise, widened. A
small commencement, certainly, but by the light
of our magic lantern we see in the future u gen.
eral Strengthening and widening of the streets
of the city, and thereafter as a consequence a
better Icirculation of air and better general
health. Illumination of the streets by gaslight
should soon follow, resulting IN the better secu-
rity of life and property. We hear that the
first movement IN the desired direction will be to
widen Alakea street from the harbor to Bere-
tania street, by an addition of twenty feet.
Alakea street, it will be remembered, is now as mar
row and crooked as were the ancient cowtrails in
Boston. That narrow thoroughfares must be
unwholesome and likely to breed and harbor
pestilential airs in a warm climate like ours,
does not need demonstration, and is proved by
experience the world over. 1t is a fortunate
circumstance that as yet the houses on most of
our narrow streets stand so far back as to afford
sufficient space for the needed widening. Were
these streets already lined with three and four
story brick buildings-as some day may be the
case-the widening of the streets would be so
costly as TO be out of the question.
The present, then, is on every account the
best time to move in this matter, and we are
glad to think that government are awake to this
fact. Let the good work thus begun be
still further carried on by Strengthening Hotel
street, and continuing it through Palace walk
and the whilom Printers Lane on as far as
Thomas Square. And there other are parts of
the town where not only do streets need widen
ing but new ones to be opened--if only
for the purpose of affording security against fires.
Wide and straight streets (and happily those
that need widening run from the valley toward
the harbor, and open to either the trade wind or
the sea-breeze) will act like tunnels, through
which the winds will sweep the pestilential ex-
halations of city life, either towards the noun
tains or out to sca-a preventive against epidemics.
No better mixture was ever invented for the
health of towns and cities then the pure air of
heaven, and a plenty of it.
With wide streets there should soon follow
g~as-light, always cheaper than any oil, as well
as more secure and better in all respects. We
hear that a company in San Francisco stands
ready, if inducement offers, to supply our city
with gas. We have heard that not infrequently
some of the not plentiful street lamps now used
have been stolen in localities where hoodlums
congregate and prefer darkness rather than light,
because their deeds are evil. Gasight could not
be stolen, and a broad and straight street well
lighted would prove a better protection against
evil doors than ever so many policemen in a dark
and crooked thoroughfare. We hear occasionally
some talk about the heavy expense of our police
for Honolulu; but it is not generally known that
a considerable portion of the appropriation for
the department is expended for lamps and at
tendance.
We trust that government will prodeed with
the work thus inaugurated on Alakea street, of
laying the foundations of the future Paris of the
Pacific.
In OUR issue of last week, we published a
communication from a correspondent, signing
himself CIV. IL. j." referring to our previous