The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-07-19


YES My idea was that the (
people of Honolulu should own
the Water Works themselves.
did not want them. / have a great in
terest, OF course, in having an abundant
supply, but l did not want to own or
control the Water Works myself. have
enough to attend to without that. My
plan was to have lists opened, taking
subscriptions OF stock from $50 upwards,
so that every inhabitant in the commu-
nifty might have direct interest in the
Water Works, and thus insure its being
efficiently carried on as q business enter
prise. l thought, "a the Government
was not in position at present TO eX-
pend $3.50, 900 on the water scheme, that
the people themselves, from their pri-
vate resources, could furnish the money,
and operate the Water Works for
their own profit and benefit. | wanted
none of the stock for that matter, but
would have been willing to subscribe for
some if it had been needed to make up
the capital, but not otherwise. / spoke
of this, and urged it as the best plan TO
adopt, and it was from this, suppose
that the story got about that Claus
Spreckels wanted to own the Water
Works. l was perfectly disinterested III
this matter. | wanted the people to get
plenty of pure water. | wanted them to
own their own water supply when the
Government could not help them, and
that is all there is to it,
WHY COLONEL sPRECKELs CHANGED HIS
OPINION
"From what you have said Colonel
Spreckels, you seem to have changed
your opinion regarding the water sup
ply"
Eyes, have. | think the Govern
ment can do the work from its own re-
sources, and give the people abundance
of pure water at very little outlay"
"Then you do not think a cor
poration or a loan OF a quarter OF Il mill
ion necessary"
81 do not. [ never was more sur
prised in my life than to find out exactly
how this thing stood, and astOnished
that the people have been kept on a
when they might have had plenty OF
pure water all the time
"WIll you please explain what you
mean?"
eyes. When Mr.. Gibson became
| Minister of the Interior | went to him
about the water supply, as had done to
his predecessor, and instead of putting
me off, he invited me to examine the
source OF supply and satisfy my own
mind as to the necessities of the case, he
having been informed by Superintendent
Wilson that it was possible to double the
supply at moderate outlay. He in
structed the Superintendent of Public
Works, Mr.. Smith, and the Superintend-
ent of Water Works, Mr. Wilson, to ac-
company me any time | found it con-
venient to go. l lost no time, and chose
| Friday morning last, and it was that
Grand which the "Bulletin" magnified
into proof of my grasping scheme. The
Minister also gave me every facility fol
examining all plans and maps of the
water system"
''You found a disposition to afford
every information on the part of the
Minister"
eyes. and to assist in every way"
THREE MILLION GALLONS A DAY AvAILA.
BILE.
''What is your judgment of the case
now? You say that you do not consider
a corporation or company necessary"
81 do not. / examined the source Of
supply last Friday. Accompanied by
Messrs. Smith and Wilson, I went tc
where the crystal water runs over the
rocks before it is carried into the ditch
that leads to the reservoir 1t is as pure
and sweet as water can be at this point,
but before it gets to the reservoir it is
filthy, being charged with earthly mat
ter and polluted by cattle and the drain
age from the houses along its course.
only wonder the people have not had
more typhoid fever from drinking sucl
filthy stuff
ID tACAC iiA &c supply IIISIc
about three million gallons a day
is available now, according to the Super
intendent's estimate, and this is as dry
time as he has seen. About one-third o
it is running to waste"
Gould it all be utilized ?"
yes, easily. Itwould take about $40
for masonry to divert the water at the
rocks into fifteen-inch pipes, which the
Government have upon the ground, and
convey it in pure state to the reservoir
When it now reaches the reservoir
through the ditch, it is unwholesome
COST OF UTILIZING THIS WATER SUPPLY
''Have you formed any idea OF the
cest OF utilizing this water supply?''
eyes and the experts who were Will
me agree on the point. In the frs
place, the Government will have to buy
very little if any pipes. They have pris
Oners, who could dig the trench and lay
the pipes, and these are on the grounC
for the main. The survey for the pipt
line is already made to the present reser
voir, and this line would be followed