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 a measure OF
enlightened public spirit, and to push for
an early expenditure OF the $1,000 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 a 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, 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 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 eiecting 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-
walton OF this area which forbids most of
US to frequent it as we would delight to
do, is also its chiefest attraction. One
IlACiC eve QuLbC iDOhC blIlS lOMCl S.JllClC
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
magnifcence, stretching into the dim
distance. By the ascent OF Punchbswl,
one gains in large measure that pre-
cious boon OF change OF scene and CHM
ate, which is the best medicine FOR worn
bodies and tired nerves. 1t certainly is
a great thing that the possibility OF max
ing SO radical a change OF air and scene
and one SO invigorating, can easily be
put within the reach of the people OF
Honolulu in few minutes drive. 1t is
now, to most persons. practically mac
cessible. Only those who least need it
are likely to face the rugged climb OF FIVE
hundred feet. The weary and feeble
who would be most benefited by the
change are debarred. To such especi-
ally, the drive to that grand outlook will
be an inestimable benefit.
As matter OF financial economy, we
hold that the proper and efficient i'm
provement OF Punchbowl should take rank
above that OF any other park or similar
public improvement for the comfort OF
the city. Such improvements add very
largely to the value OF real estate in their
vicinity. Good administration of the
public finances demands a reasonable
expenditure for such purposes, as well as
Tor those OF mere utility so-calleG.