The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-01-25
DISASTROUS FLOODS.
The Island of Kauai Submerged in
Many Places.


When the steamer kaala arrived yes
terday morning from Kauai, the most
important news her captain had 10 report
was, heavy floods on that Island. The
rain literally poured down III torrents,
the streams were swollen, and consider
able damage had been done to property.
Captain Hagland reported the bay OF
Nawlllwili full OF floating debris and it
was impossible To use steam, fearing the
propeller might come i'll contact with
some of it, SO they drifted out of the bay
The engineer SAYS he never saw it rain
SO hard before. Buildings were atioat
at Hanamaulu, while the taro and rice
patches were all washed away out OF Ma
wiliwii valley. The James Makee picked
up quantity OF debris out OF the bay.
The bridges between Lihue and Hama
maulu were all carried away The road
from the bridge at Nawiliwii TO the
warehouse was washed away, also a
small jewelers. store.
We are indebted to the Hon Henry
Waterhouse for the perusal OF a letter
from Mrs. w. I'll. Rice OF Lihue, giving
particulars OF the rain and floods. Mrs
Rice writes under date OF January 23d,
as follows: 1t began To rain on Tuesday
afternoon, the DIST. The Steamer ar
rived Wednesday morning, bringing
to US General Marshall, Miss Won
Holt, Mr.. knCdson and Mr.. and
Mrs. Gibbard two English tourists
The rain poured down by bucket
fuls; it was a kona without wind, a
quite unheard OF thing. When we looked
out We could see nothing but broad
and angry stream OF water, taking all
before it, Some of the men came up to
the house. Christian Olsen, a Norwe-
gian, and his family were compelled to
leave their home and seek refuge on the
hill above. On Wednesday there was
one or two peals OF thunder and We dis
connected the telephone. The thunder
passed Oft.
Later on we telephoned to different
homes; one would say, 81 never felt so
helpless i'll all my lite" another "All
our vegetable garden, trees and taro
have gone, and below is a roaring stream
OF water" another, "No one can cross
to the mill as the river is very much
swollen" another "Nawi.iwili bridge is
gone, two bridges and the impeachment
to another at kapaia have gone" At
the latter place Chinese store along
with $500 in silver and a number of
checks was washed away and two Chi
nese were drowned. A message came
through the telephone that Mr.. Splits
store at Nawiiwili had been moved
twenty feet by the bursting OF the dam at
the Lihue mill at II o'clock. The rain
had abated at 2 P. NJ. This dam was
built about forty years ago, General Mar
shall having a hand in its construction
Singularly enough the General was near
by when il broke, on Wednesday. 1t
had withstood many floods, before fin
ally giving way Mr.. Spitz lost his car
of saddles, also considerable grain.
Mr.. Wishard, the bookkeeper at Lihue,
went up to have breakfast at Mr.. Spitz's
The cook told him he had had nice
ham cooked, but the water had washed
it away, 80 he could not have any break
fast However, the cook said he would
catch some of the fish swimming in the
kitchen and fry them.
After the storm we went out to differ
ent points to look around. Saw Spitz's
gently that crockery on the shelves had
not been disturbed and none broken.
We feel very sorry for the Hawaiians
and Germans who have lost their taro
and for the Chinese whose rice is gone.
Trees, houses, pigs, fowl and cattle were
all carried down the angry stream.
They tell US that much damage has
been done at Koloa. The rainfall there
was II inches and it could not have been
much less at Lhue. 1t was more like
dreadful dream, but we can see the
beautiful places laid waste. There is
several feet of water in the Lihue mill,
but gang of men are hard at work and
grinding will be resumed on Saturday.
A steam pump was nearly lost from the
mill. We have learned that Mr.. Meals
workshop and japanese store at Koloa
we're carried away. Such rain storm
has not been known here for twenty
years We are constantly gathering
fresh reports.