The Hawaiian gazette., 1893-06-06
Magnificent Arenue of Foliage.
The Modest Sum o, Ten Thousand Dol
lars viii Complete 1t Through
to the Volcano House.

much attention now from the officials
of the government, and during my
recent visit to the volcano 1 obtained
the following information regarding
the work done. 1t may be ofinterest
at this time. when one can look for
ward to the early completion of the
work. As is we'll known the Volcano
road, as well as the Punchbowl road,
was started through the energy of
Mr.. l.. A. Thurston. The road was
originally surveyed by ]. NJ. Lyd-
gate. He followed the line of the
old volcano trail from Hilo though
the maximum grade was seven per
cent, the survey was extremely
crooked. 1t was a mistake, as is
we'll known now, to follow the old
trail, as the line goes too much to
the south and does not rise as it
should, as at four miles from Hilo
the elevation is only $50 feet; at
eight miles $50 feet; at ten miles
$50 feet and at twelve miles $50 feet.
The elevation OF the Volcano house
is 1870 feet, and the distance from
Hilo by road is thirty one miles.
This would give an average gradient
of 100 feet to the mile, so that at
welve miles the road should really
be 1900 feet, or twice as high as it is
now. But it was claimed, as an
aftertheught, perhaps, that by going
so low, it made it possible to start a
branch from the Volcano road to
Puma at about nine miles from Hilo
The survey was made in 1888, and
construction was started Immedi-
ately, under the supervision of John
Marlin, who built twelve and one
quarter miles of road, at an average
cost of construction of $3.50 per
mile, exclusive of prison labor, and
about $4,000 with prison labor.
There are quite q number of pecu
lisrities abont this portion Of the
road which are very noticeable, and
first in Importance is the great abun-
dance of most excellent road mate
rial which lies close at hand along
the entire roadway. This should
have insured q more economical
construction of the road, as l have
been informed that a similar road
can be built at any time by contract
at S250O per mile. Another striking
peculiarly is the absence of cuts on
this portion of the road, as it was
built entirely above the natural
ground, on the principle that one
can by the eye note inequalities of
the ground, and readily even them
off by filling in. But considering
the fact that MIR. Marlin was not an
engineer and i'll addition being
handicapped by poorly marked line
he built a very good road, although
he failed to give it enough crown.
There was an intermission of near
ly year in the work on the road.
This was in IS9091. It was during
this period that Mr. William w, Bru-
ner, civil engineer, was employed
to properly stake out the unfinished
road, in order that the government
could let the work by contract The
road was afterwards finished to a
point 15i miles from Hilo, at an ele
vation of 1916 feet. Half of the road |
was now built, but only one-third of |
the mountains height was reached.
To emphasize the situation, from the
md of the then finished road the line |
If roadway was graded to the pahoe-
noe, distance of about a mile, on a
descending grade of total fall of |
,ver fifty feet.
This piece of road Mr.. Bruner in |
sisted should be cut out, as it only
served to leUgthen the road to its
The result was the
lew survey of the road opened up
he Olaa forest to settlement, and in
addition it shortened the distance to
he Volcano house by l. miles. The
opening of this vast stretch of ex-
remedy fertile land is the best fea-
ure of the road, as already over 1000
Icres of land on the line of the road
way have been leased at figures of
!. so and 50 per acre per annun, and
he road still unfinished! 1t is esti-
mated that in six years time the gov
will receive an annual rental
f over $4,000 from the lands of
)laa.
The alignment Of the road through
he Olsa forest is magnificent; there
5 one stretch of over four miles
nth but one turn, and the line
f roadway is a beautiful avenue
nth the densest tropical foliage.
his road has been built for the most
art extensively, as it was necessary
0 purchase portable track and cars
or the transportation of the road
The average depth of soil
J about four feet, and, taking the
Monthly rainfall of II or more inches,
is an extremely difficult place to
uild substantial road. All road
Material had to be quarried for; but,
1 every place possible, the material
Tas taken on the line of the roadway
y deep cuttings. This cheapened
le transportation, bettered the
rade, improved the alignment, and :