The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-11-23

The people Of the big island are just
Iy proud Of the several telephone lines
now in successful operation there.
Until recently the residents OF kona
and Kau were somewhat out of the
world, in the matter OF telephone con-
nection with the windward side of the
island. Now that the new Kona-kau
line has been completed almost cir
cult OF the island of Hawaii Is possible
. by it's connection.
At 4 80 p. III. Wednesday, November
6th, Manager l.. >. Aungst and assist
ants Joseph Pritchard and Bert Stone
connected the new line at the Vol
cauo House with the Hilo end, there
by making it possible TO carry on con
versation from Kailua, KOna, to ko-
haIa, distance of 245 miles. Work
on the new line was commenced on
the morning of July 18th from hal-
Iua. the Volcano House being reached
three months and half later. 1t re-
duires much diligence and hard WORK
to build aud equip the route, especl-
aIly through the KOnas, where hard
volcanic stratas were met with, max
ing il necessary to drill and blast
holes. Not the least of the many
obstacles met with and overcome by
the constructors was the heavy forest
through KOna, the line having to be
virtually hewn for quite long dis
tance From Kau tine work was not
so difficult, but in many places a great
deal of blasting ami cutting had 10 oe
done i'm order to erect poles. Ten
miles from NaaIehu a stretch OF lava
flow several miles in length had TO be
crossed To accomplish the Work OF
erecting the line over this barren
stretch-nOt the least sign OF Vegeta-
ton being apparent-was, indeed,
Iaborious task, but with determine
ton which marked the construction
from beginning to- end the work was
successfully carried out.
ON the whole the line was the moSt
difficult ever constructed on the ISL
and. and necessitated the expenditure
of several thousands of dollars, 10 say
nothing of the severest exposure en-
couutered by the builders.
The length of the new cOmpanyS
wire. from Kailua to the Volcano
House. is about 10 miles, and so per
feet is its construction that converse
ton eau be carried on from the two
noints named without raising the
voice above the ordinary tone.
There will be two central oihces
at Naalehu and Kailua. Joseph Prltch-
ard will be in charge of the former
and Manager Aungst the latter.
Wires radiatiug from these centFfs
will connect ranches, coffee plauta-
tions wharves, business houses and
Driyate residences. Already there are
a large number of applicants for
,phones, and when the IN
struments are placed in position
the line will be in working order
for the respective places along the
route. At present Naalehu, hau,
HonuapO and other places can De
reached by connections independent
of a central office; but when every
thing is completed, the different suo-
scribers can be reached from the res
nectiye central offices. The instru-
Inents TO be used are the latest I'M
proved long distance phones. Ihese
are manufactured in Germany, ana
have been proven TO be the best oil the
kind i'm the world. = sufficient num-
her have been ordered by Manager
Auugst for his and the other com
panies on the other island, ami when
the new phones shall have been put
M there will be nothing lacking To
make the telephone service on Hawaii
most perfect in every detail.
In honor of the completion OF the
new line and connection at the Vol
canO House, that most excellent OF
hosts, Col. Peter Lee, furnished a
splendid lunch TO Manager Aungst,
his assistants and your correspondent.
Not 10 be outdone in hospitality
and in celebration of an extremely
aTduous task, Manager Aungst order
ed the lemonade and soda" Al
ADVERTISER representative, VINO was
speudiug a vacation at that famous
ho-teIry, the Volcano House, was
given tine distinction of first using the
new line, conversation being held
with party AZ kailua, 10 miles dis
tant The sound wa clear aud dis
tiuct. \ few days later Manager
Aungst cOnversed from kaiiua to 40
hala, via Volcano House, 245 miles
away, the ttlk being overheard by IN
teIeste persons at the Volcano House
and HilO.
This article would not he complete
without some reference to Mr.. Aungsi
and his very capable assistant, Joseph
Pritchard. Both are well known tC
readers of the ADVERTISER, having
formerly been manager and chief line
man respectively OF the Mutual Com
many in Honolulu. No better mel
Than these can be found in any cOun
try when it comes TO constructing an'
operating telephone lines. Beside:
being most capable electricians, the,
are as we'll affabIe and trustworthy.
The Richelieu.