The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-10-28
OUR STREET CARS.

Honolulu has a street car service
Just about its size. 1t is well-con-
Quoted service on the whole, in spite
of what chronic GROWERS may say.
Better kept animals are not to be
seen on any other street railway.
One complaint seen in print is that
the cars are not kept clean. In an
swer to this, it might be asked what
can be kept clean on the dirty streets
of Honolulu. The seats are clean,
aud the floors cleaner than the side
walks. There might possibly be
some improvement in this respect
by requiring the drivers to sweep
the cars at the end of each journey.
Sometimes, when anything particu-
lar is going on, the cars are over
crowded. This is complaint against
cars in the largest cities, respecting
regular traffic as we'll as extraordi-
nary occasions. AS this article was
about to be begun the writer's eye
accidentally fell on the heading of
an article in an exchange, which on
examination was found to be cen
sure of the same evil in New York.
There have been occasions noticed
here on which cars have been jam
med by guests going to or coming
from private parties that had pub
licity enough to be well-known to
the tramways management. Still,
unless in such case the manage
ment has definite information as to
the hours when the people are going
and coming, it would probably in
volve much trouble and expense for
nothing to put on extra cars.
There is one great fact beyond
doubt. The street cars with all
their faults are one of the greatest
improvements gained by Honolulu
in the past twenty years. Before
their advent it was most expensive
business to get about. Those who
walked to save frequent hack hire
lost time and expended strength
which are now saved by the handy
cars. 1t is doubtful if much
more frequent service than the
present one could be supported
by the available traffic. Homo
lulu is a slow town for its popu-
lation, and will always be more
or less so. Slowness is not an un-
mixed evil in the tropics either.
The position here is and always
must be different to that of the con-
tinental towns, where railways are
many times an hour delivering and
receiving throngs of people. There
are many days here when at high
noon a cannon shot could be fired
down our principal streets without
hurting anybody. Possibly electric
power could be used with profit
on our street railway instead Of
horses. The matter has been under
the consideration Of the company
for years, it having obtained the
necessary legislation three years ago
Electric cars have as yet, however
not attained degree of perfection
to satisfy either inventors or thu
public. 1t will not hurt anybod,
here to wait awhile for further pro
gress in that respect before putting
up more street Instructions in tn
shape of supports to electric con
ductors We have now four sepa
rate electric systems encumberin
our streets, in many places too nal
row for even the small traffic frt
quenting them.
There is really more insensat
spite in the attacks made on on
tramways than anything else. Tha
spite becomes an outrage on tn
part OF the authorities when the
allow if not encourage soldiers an
policemen to interfere without tn
slightest necessity in the regula
operating OF the cars and to obstruC
and harass the employees OF tn
company on every possible occasion
The disgraceful scenes lately wi
messed on the lines would not l.
possible under anything but fare
OF government.