The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-08-04
7 III e
TUESDAY August Att
RAvAGEs OF THE LATE STORM.

our news columns contain very
full details of the ravages of the late
storm on Hawaii and Kauai. It Is
hardly necessary to say that the loss
comes at most inOpportune time,
when the Legislature is out of session
and the Treasury is without funds
to meet such an emergency. The
country now has an opportunity of
testing the practical value of the
measures adopted by the Opposition
to embarrass the Government, by
preventing the negotiation of loan.
IF this resource had been available,
the Government would have been
justified in using the loan fund to
replace the bridges and culverts
washed away, and also render the
roads passable. Thanks to the Oppo-
sition, however, the general internal
traffic of the country will be rendered
extremely tedious, expensive and diff
fcult for an indefinite period.
The Government will do the very
best it can under the circumstances.
The smaller bridges will be replaced
as speedily as possible, while ferries
will be established without delay on
th5 larger rivers. A ferrybo for the
" liIua river, Kauai, has been al.
raIdy ordered. The wash-outs and
It's on the various roads will also be
ioDked after without delay; but of
curse money is the great want when
an unforeseen contingency of this
kind occurs.
The extent of the destruction of
Government property, in the shape
Of roads, bridges and approaches, is
rot presently known; but on the
Stand of Kauai, the most northerly
# the group, it cannot fall short of
100000 in round figures. The three
large bridges of Waimea, Wailua and
Hanalei, with their approaches, cost
ing over $50, 600 less than two years
ago, have been swept away and the
timbers and iron work lost. A good
deal of the timber of the Wailua
bridge has been washed ashore and
may ultimately be utilized. The
loss in small bridges, OF Kauai, may
be stated at $4,000 as the lowest
figure, and it is estimated that at
least $50, 900 damage has been done
to the roads, but no reliable reports
regarding the extent of injury to
the roads have been received. Gen
eral reports, however, lead to the !
foregoing estimate.
The island of Oahu, escaped with |
comparatively little damage. Be- |
tween $4,000 and $4,000 probably |
would cover the loss of Government !
property. The Nuuanu Valley road |
stood the storm flood very well; but |
the Waianae road is ssimply impas-
sable.
From Maui no reports have as yet !
been received Of the effects of the
storm SO far as Government property |
is concerned, and it is assumed that |
the loss has chiefly fallen on private
individuals and companies.
The loss on Hawaii has been very |
great. 1t is pretty fully reported In
our news columns, although no esti-
mates is given of the amount of dam
age to the roads. 1t speaks we'll for
the honesty of the work done for the i
Government last year by the Road
aggregating $4,000
in bridges and approaches, that it
stood the test of the storm thorough
ly. The only damage to this work
was to a pier of the Waikomalu
bridge, situated twenty-one miles
north Of the town of HiIo. A float
ing tree or log, carried down by the
flood, struck and damaged it.
Doubtless the total loss, when de-
tailed reports have been received, will
largely exceed the figures noted in
this. article and our news column.
Just how the public damage is to be
made good we are not prepared to
say, but we may repeat what we said
above, that the Government will do
whatever is possible of accomplish
ment with the means at its dis