The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1889-01-01
THAT ROAD UP PUNCHBOWL.

A good many OF our citizens are dis
posed to regard any expenditure for the
improvement OF Punchbowl as an ex-
travagance. We regret to see that our
evening contemporary seems to join in
this view. We should like to unite with
him in what seems to us q measure of
enlightened public spirit, and to push for
an early expenditure of the IS 900 appro-
priated by the Legislature for drive
way to the summit. We know of no city
SO peculiarly favored as Honolulu in the
possession of an elevated tract of some
three hundred acres right in its center,
which is impossible to utilize for business
or for residences. Nature has conse-
Grated Punchbowl hill inviolably, to i'm
provement and adornment as park for
the recreation and lefreshment of the
growing population whose streets and
dwellings are clustering far around its
base. The groves already climbing its
rugged buttresses foretell the forest
wealth which is to adorn the network of
paths yet to be cut over the whole OF the
now naked rock slopes.
What both literally and metaphor
cally lifts this high above all other city
parks, is the elevation OF large part OF
its area from four to five hundred feet
above the city. People are so used to
seeing this wonderful hill in their midst |
that they entirely overlook its capabil- |
tiles. No doubt a good many OF our citi- |
zens regard Punchbowl as deformity |
and nuisance. They seem to think |
that Nature committed very trouble |
some blunder some thousands of years
ago in ejecting such an unsightly pile of |
brown cinders to render useless so large |
a share OF the valuable plains OF Homo
lulu, otherwise worth half million, more
or less, for town lots. But this great ele-
vation of this area which forbids most of |
us to frequent it as We would delight to
do, is also its chiefest attraction One
there gets quite above this lower sphere
Of strife and care. The atmosphere is a
new one, fresh, invigorating The world
lies glorious at ones feet-nay verita-
BILE new world of plain, glen, mountain,
green mead, blue ocean, bay and silver
strand--a wide panorama OF beauty and
stretching into the dim
distance. BY the ascent OF Punchbowl.
one gains in large measure that pre-
;ious boon of change of scene and clim-
tie, which is the best medicine for Worn
bodies and tired nerves. It certainly is
great thing that the possibility OF max
ng SO radical Il change cf air and scene
md one SO invigorating, can easily be
'ut within the reach OF the people of
honolulu in few minutes drive. 1t is
low, to most persons, practically mac
essible. Only those who least need it
re likely to face the rugged climb OF five
undred feet. The weary and feeble
Tho would be most benefited by the
hange are debarred. To such especi-
lly, the drive to that grand outlook will
e an inestimable benefit. {
As matter of financial economy, we
old that the proper and efficient i'm
of ofPunchbowl should take rank
bove that OF any other park or similar
ublic improvement for the comfort OF !
lie city. Such improvements add very
rgely to the value OF real estate in their T
cinity. Good administration OF the
lblic finances demands a reasonable l
Ipenditure for such purposes, as well as
r those OF mere utility so-called.