The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-07-18
PUNCHBOWL HILL.
Honolulu's New Promenade anu
Park.
THREE MILES OF CARRIAGE ROAD
The Finest View to be Obtained in the
Pacific.

The Finest View to be Obtained in the
Pacific.
Just back of Honolulu, scarcely a
mile distant from the Government
House, is Punchbowl Hill, a brown
unattractive old crater overlooking
the town, and forming a prominent
land mark from the sea. The idea |
of utilizing this hill and making it
accessible as a pleasant resort for
our resident and transient population
has long been a dream with many;
but how to accomplish it without
large expenditure was riddle which
none would undertake to solve.
Shortly after the accession of King
Kalakaua to the throne, some fifteen
years ago, he undertook to transform
this barren crater bowl into grove,
by planting algaroba, monkeypod, Gu
calyptus and other trees in it, en-
ploying for this purpose his soldiers,
who carried the trees in boxes up the
steep hill. Many morning, in the
early dawn, the King and his soldiers
might be seen trudging up and over
the summit, where they spent whole
days and often camped out at night.
In this way several hundred trees
we're planted, watered and cared for
till the winter rains came on, when
they became we'll rooted and
hourished. Many Of these trees died,
but some are still living and have
grown stout and rank, and now
, promise to survive future droughts
and storms.
The attention of the last legislature
was called by the Minister Of Interior
l to this matter OF improving Punch
{ bowl, and after a great deal of OPP
position and ridicule of the project,
a small appropriation of $4,000 was
grudingly voted to provide carriage
3 road to the summit, which many
t thought would be so much money
wasted, if spent. Very few believed
that anything could be accomplished
!. with the small amount voted, or that
decent road could be built. In
order to avoid all risk of failure, the
services of a competent engineer
were sought, and Mr. w. w. Bruner
who had lately arrived, was engaged
r to lay out the road, which has been
done, and the route proposed by him
was adopted and followed. The con
tract for making it was let to native
. named Nathaniel Kaiaikawaha, who
i has had considerable experience ir
q road making, and took hold of the
% work at once, which he has continued
y faithfully to the present time.
With the view Of ascertaining wha
> had been accomplished in opening
- this road, we started out on horse
y back a few days since, accompanied
, with Mr. W. E. Rowell, Snperinten
8 dent of Public Works, for ride vi
{, the hill. The new road will branch
. off from Punchbowl street, a shor
distance beyond the Mormon church
and winds around to and over tn,
:. ridge in the rear or mauka side o
~ Punchbowl, entering the crater a
t. what is known as 1.-The gap" on tn
-, - south east side, opposite Diamon'
10 10 Head. Throughout this section O
w the road, from Punchbowl street t
+ + the gap" the ascent is very gradua
III from 2 and 7-10 to 4 and 10 per cent
"a averaging little over three feet ris
~ in every hundred, and it nowher
- exceeds four and 40 per cent. Tn
~ road will be twenty feet wide, with
~ retaining wall on the outer side, an
.? - parapet or protecting wall risin
10 three feet above the roadway, wher
needed, which will render it safe fc
carriages, hOrsemen, or Pedestrian
going up or returning.
On entering the gap, a good an
ed almost level road of three per cen
grade encircles the crater, skirtin
of its rim, from which fine views of tn
NJ country beyond are seen, while i
al the center of the crater. and belo
b. the road, is the grove before referre
as to, planted by the King. The are
ed of the crater enclosed by the road
X about forty acres, all of which ca
N be planted with trees.
st This grove probably contains, nov
n two hundred trees, which may
be increased from year to year, till som
no day the entire crater shall be thickl
d. shaded. Following the road, til
n visitor reaches the site of the oil
Sc battery, with several cannon lyin
he around, and the guardhouse perche
lrt up on the rocks, where the flag sta
I'd still stands, though erected SON
be twenty-five years ago. Just belo
ee the house, a plateau is being levele
off to serve as carriage stand. Tn
will be forty by one hundred fee
At this point visitors can dismoul
and take in the panoramic views [
90 be seen in every direction.
TO The road is being constructed q
tirely round the small hill on whic
IN the flagstaff stands, and on the out,
n side it runs along the edge of tt
= steep precipice, where one can loo
ms down two or three hundred feet int
90 the ravines below. After leavin
ne the carriage stand, the drive O,
ut from the crater passes through tt
IL grove, over smooth winding roa
the grade varying from three to 81