The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-08-14

l think he told me the same story on
my previous trip 10 Hilo. ---
With the exception of the first few
miles out of Hilo, the Volcano road is
in excellent condition, and before this
appears in print the road will have
been completed TO the door of the
hotel. The 'busses have been going
from Hilo to the Volcano House direct
for some time in spite of the fact that
the road is not finished for short dis
tance-about one mile and a half from
this place but, as l have previously
stated, the road will be finished very
shortly. Riding in a Concord bus all
the way is a decided improvement
over the old plan of taking to horses
about nine miles. The ride is now
very comfortable, and ladies can un-
dertake the journey without fear OF
death from exhaustion.
The hotel has been crowded for over
a month, and Peter Lee wears smile
that could not be measured with a
yard-stick. People are coming and
going constantly, but the attendance
at the dining tables remains the same
always crowded. At this writing
about thirty people are here, and
visits to the crater are of frequent oc-
currence. Madame Pele is still in a
very active condition, and the night
scenes "beggar description" IS the
circus posters read. The lake has not
changed very much since last ac-
counts, but it is evidently sinking
slowly. The wall of the crater is very
shaky at different points, and, at in
terVals, portions fall in, causing large
clouds of dust to ascend Peter Lee
has discovered n safe resting place,
and he will soon commence work ON
house to be used as a shelter for
people who visit Hawaiis great won
der.
The weather here has been delight
full for some weeks, sunshine all day,
with occasional showers at night. IL
is such pleasant change from Homo
lulu, with its heat of the past few
weeks, that a short stay at this eleva-
ton is better tonic than DIR. jays Gel
cry and Iron tonic ever dared to be. One
cannot disguise the fact that Peter
Lee knows how to run hoJel. He
leaves nothing undone to make a
strangers stay most agreeable one.
He is ably seconded by Ah Hee. The
latter is a very intelligent Chinese
who has not received the public recog-
milton he deserves. Hee has been here
for some years. He meets you on your
arrival at the door, and carries your
grip to the best room in the house, for
all are "bestn in his estimation; he
waits on the table at meal hours and,
when not otherwise engaged, rear
| ranges the rooms, carries water, at
tends the sulphur baths and, when
the fires are low, All Hee can be seen
fitting about with fresh fuel. Not be-
ing satisfied with the few duties men
toned, he must go over and help in
the laundry. When he sleeps no one
Knows, for he is the last one you see
at night and the first one to greet you
in the morning. Ali Hee is really in
dispensable.
From Peter Lee it is learned that
the Wilder Company contemplates a
change for the better in their time
table. / t is their intention to have
the Kinau leave Honolulu at an early
morning hour, instead of the after
noon, as at present. If this change is
made, passengers will have out one
night at sea and then arrive at Hilo
about sundown the next evening.
Then again, it. is said, that another
change for the comfort of the compa-
ny's patrons will soon go into eff
feet. 1t refers to that dreaded spot,
Laupahoehoe. At present the Kinau
arrives there at night and makes a
long stop owing to the large amount
of freight that is usually landed there.
She comes to anchor in the trough of
the sea and the incessant rolling is
enough to make a good sailorman wish
he was ashore. On our trip up we had
about eight hours of this misery with
Hilo but two hours and half away.
1t is said that the steamer will make
but a brief stop at LaupahOehoe on
the up trip, to land mail and passen-
gers, and then proceed TO HiIo, re-
turning to the former port the next
morning to unload the freight. If
this is so it is good new and, as Bert
Peterson remarks: "Oh, let it be
soonn'
FRANZ L. HOOGs.