The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-01-26
THE PAIL ROAD.

River project and Frightening pros
poets for its success, as well as the
general improvement in road admin
lstration all over the country makes
the condition and prospects of the
direct means Of communication be-
tween Honolulu and the windward
side Of this island a timely subject
for consideration. If we admit the
probability of the first fifteen miles
Of the steam railroad being con
structed within the time its projec-
tors propose, its extension beyond
Pearl River is a matter belonging to
the more distant and very uncertain
future.
If, again, we suppose the road to
be continued to Waialua, and even
around through the two Koolaus, no
one probably expects that its bust
ness viii justify the expense of such
engineering as would be involved in
tunneling the mountain or climbing
its almost perpendicular side to con
meet with Honolulu by the way Of
either the Nuuanu or Kalihi valleys.
Communication with that portion of
the KOolau side where most of the
population is to be fonnd, and where
the best capabilities for future de-
velopment exist, if undertaken by
rail via Waialus, would involve
journey of from fifty to seventy
miles to reach points which are
within ten to twenty miles of Homo
lulu via Nuuanu valley and the Pail.
This latter route then is the one
upon which we must, for as long a
time as we can reasonably forecast
the future, depend for our ordinary
means of communication with the
entire KOolau region from Kahuku
to haneohe, a distance along the
coast of nearly thirty miles. The
construction of a good practicable
carriage road, one on which one or
two horse teams with ordinary vehi-
cles can be driven either up or down
with ease and safety, by persons Of
ordinary skill, has been for years
crying want. No probable extension
OF the steam railway is likely to rem
der this need any the less urgent.
The way in which this important
matter has been trifed with for
years forms by no means the least
disgraceful of the many disgraceful
chapters in the past administrative
history of the country. The re-
peated large appropriations, never
expended, or squandered on sense
less projects, the positive and reiter-
ated promises made only to be
broken, and the patience of the peo-
pie whose interests and convenience
were contemptuously ignored, are
all matters still fresh in our mem
cries.
We consider that the Legislature
at its last session failed very decid- /
edly in its duty, in not appropriating
the full amount estimated as neces
sary to build this road complete,
especially as they had an Admins /
tration to deal with which could be
trusted to carry out the measure in I
good faith, and spend the money for
the purpose intended. Instead of
the $4,000 estimated as sufficient to
complete the work, the sum of
$4,000 was voted. How the Gov
eminent propose spending this
money we are not informed, nor in
deed do We know that any decision
has been reached in the matter. As
what is required is not an improve
ment in the present road, but the
of a new one on quite a
different grade, the best plan would
seem to be to commence such a road
upon what our engineers decide to
De the best route, and carry on the
work as far as the appropriation
asts, trusting to the next Legislature
TO appropriate the balance. 1t seems
probable that the expenditure of the
$4,000 viii render it possible to esti-
nate more accurately than could
otherwise be done the amount re-
luired to complete the work. If
his plan is pursued and the next !
shows that appreciation {
# the practical needs Of the country
which we may reasonably expect, we
ought to see a good road completed
inside Of two years from the present
ime.
I,.ornno--l n II :