The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-08-03

To ne Edaor ofas Taeife Commercial Advertiser.

To ne Eiior Of hs Taelfe Commercial Advertiser.
KElIwA, Kau. July $50, 1873.
Sta la a letter 10 you which was published 10
the ADVERTISE Of June %. I expressed ths belief
that considerable supplies o. water existed 10 tho
forest belt around Hawaii. which would yet serve
for agricultural purpose I bad good reasons tor
believing that amoug those forests, whore rain al
most daily falls throughout The year. are reservoirs
Of water which will grove Of immense value 10 he
dry bat rich lowlan5s below them. I understand
that Nr. ChAs. y. Spencer has. during lhc present
month ofJaly. made a very important discovery
In partial confirmation o. this prediction. aud has
found several new springs about two miles back
Of Hilea, and az an elevation Of $500 feet above
The sea. from which a stream % water can be Oh.
tanned, sufficient 10 al = pipe three feet(sC Inehes)
In diameter Heretofore this water has all run 10
waste. being lost ia the porous rocks aud coll near
by. The springs are located 70 that TIE water can
readily be conveyed IN bitches o. pipes 10 either
the Hiiea, Honoapo. or NaAlchu plantations, a die
lance Of two. four aud six miles, aud serve for
dumiug aud irrigation on ala OF them. Taking into
consideration the great hight Of this fountain, the
daily supply from Il must exceed one million gel.
lous-and IL i considered the biggest BONANZA
ever struck on this island. The old natives have
long known Of these springs. buta superstition has
prevented their disclosing their existence. II the
Haiku water ditch IA worth one hundred thousand
dollars, what must be the value Of this discovery,
and the increased value Of the neighborng indus
tries which IL can be made 20 servef A lew years
ago no one would have dreamed Of any such hid.
den sources 81 wealth ard industry a. this and no
one shonld be surprised % hear Of more important
discoveries in sections OF Hawaii where water L. 30
much needed for agricultural and manufacturing
purposes. The water supply referred 10 IL sufficient
and can be used for a Eaw-mill. without lessenlng
the amount conveyed 10 the plantations.
The proprietor Of the Naalehu sugar mill. at
Waiohinu. has lately built a water lume of twelve
inch aume.boards, which commenced work on the
20th inst, and Is now In daily use conveying sugar
cane from the upland Gelds 10 the mill. a distance
OF two or three miles. as is done in the Hilo dis
trict. and as lumber Is often aumed In California.
IL will dispense with u great amount Of OK and
mule teaming heretofore required In cane carry.
ing, which Is one OF the most expensive aud vsxr
atious services on plantations. II was really a
novel sight to see this eighi-ineh stream spouung
from the hume, elevated twenty feet overhead, aud
depositing the stalks beside the powerful rollers,
which appear always hungry for more care 20
crush. while everybody was looking on delighted
with this triumph Of the perseverance, and enter
prise which have made IL n success, In o district
where water has heretofore been scarce. although
the supply in the mountains has been for centuries
abundant, but not utilized.
What / have written ought TO encourage renewed
search for springs In the forest belts OF all our 10.
lands, where IL rains almost daily. A these springs
and water reservoirs are generally hidden, they
can only be discovered with much labor and often
only Dy tAcaNallonso OF ne SOL ana fochti h0Nefu-
ment might assist Ia this search, and thus aid ia
developing our hidden resources. by Offering some
reward or bonus for any discovery that may de-
serve a reward.
[The remark Of our correspondent, that - no
one should be surprised TO hear Of more import
ant discoveries " Of water on Hawaii, reminds
us Of n source Of supply that has not yet nppar-
emily been thought Of. The two great mountains
Of that Isand-Maunh Loa and Mauna Kea--
rear their SUBMITS into the region OF eternal
snow, $4,000 feet above the sen level. In the
summer months and during the sometimes pro-
tracted seasons when there are no nins, these
appear from the seashore 20 be bare Of
snow; but the fact is, Gas will be testified by
those who have made the ascent in July) that
there are always 10 be found great bodies Of snow
in the rayines near the summit During the day
these snow banks are constantly melting. some
times forming considerable ponds where the rocks
are sufficiently compact 10 retain the water, bat
the great body sinks through the sand and clink-
and goes-where? May there not be immense
Of this snow water IN tho bowels OF the
mountains, yet to be tapped and utilised Some
three miles from the top Of Mauna Kea, NC once
came across a stream OF ice-cold water, several "A
inches 10 diameter. that necessarily spouted up
from the P~ahOehOe, and we were told by the ma
tiyes-by whom il was known as "wai o ka pee
Or hidden water-that IL was never known 10 fall
in dry seasons.-ED. p. G.. Al