The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-12-31
VIEWS OF PROMINENT CITIZENS
UPON IT.
"a Most Blundering Piece of Nom
sense" Says Professor Scott--Hack-
men Consider 1t Dangerous Spot.

| The Vineyard street tree matter is
exciting considerable attention all
through the city. The Star gives be-
low a number of interviews express
ing the ideas of prominent citizens up
on the subject. These are quite sufii-
cient to condemn the tree, which
stands where it does without any le-
gality, and, for which the Minister of
Interior stands really directly respon-
sible The Minister is sensible man.
and himself has no mawkish sentiment
in the matter. Let him do his duty,
as the law demands and cut down the
4 tree.
President j. b. Atherton of Castle
& Coolle-Go for the tree. | regard
it as a menace to the safety of the
public and the Government has been.
warned upon the point and should any
accident happen they would be liable
in any court of law.
j. 4. Kennedy of the Honolulu Iron
Works. certainly am of the opinion
that the tree should come down. 1t is
clearly an obstruction in the street.
and | know of no good reason why it
should remain.
u II. NJ. Won Holt-Not many nights
ago | was riding home in a surrey via
Vineyard street My Chinese boy
would surely have driven right into
the tree had | not caught hold of the
lines and prevented the collision. 1t
is impossible to see the trunk of the
tree at night while driving toward
Nuuanu. Were / living in the vicinity
of the tree | should certainly petition
for its removal.
Ed II. Adams-If we are going TO
! build streets, let us build them. If
the Government wants gardens all
right. For my part | much prefer the
streets
Professor NJ. NJ. Scott-It is the
) most blundering piece of nonsense |
, ever heard of. If pedestrian will
bump smack up against the monkey
pod how do you expect a carriage TO
/ miss it. take my meals on Nuuanu
| and invariably walk up Vineyard in
! returning to the High school A few
nights ago the electric lights we're out
and it was pitch dark. / took the
middle of the road and forgetting all
about the tree walked square into It.
: The tree mars the beauty of one of
: the prettest streets i'm all Honolulu.
and besides is dangerous to life. I
venture to predict bad accident some
, day if it is allowed to stand
Charles ID. Chase have driven by
The tree but once. At that time I COM
mented on it, stating that it was an
outrage that such menace to life and
, limb should be permitted to remain.
| f. A. Mott-Smith--I pass the tree
) every day and each time become
{ more convinced that the tree should be
' cut down. 1T would be extremely
, dangerous were the tree in the center
: of straight road. But this monkey
: pod is several feet from the center and
: situated in a curve of the street. Two
carriages cannot pass on the mauka
side of it.
Manuel Reis, well known hack
driver-There is not a haclSman i'm the
city who does not want that tree out
5 of the way. OF course we all know it
is there now for several of us have had
Y narrow escapes. But when driving at
t night time we have not got our minds
A on the tree all the time, and frequent
$ ly forget about it. The tree is located
t in the worst possible place. 1t is to
one side in "A bend of the street and
. very near to the intersection with
Nuuanu. We hackmen consider it one
of the most dangerous spots in Hon
: olulu, but of course If the Govern
ment is going to keep it there, am
sorry for | would like to see it cut
I down.
j. j. Sullivan, president of the Fash
> ion Stables Company-If | had my
5 way about it that tree wouldn't live
, another day.
j. NJ. Poepoe-It is a most foolish
thing to leave the tree there. / fail
to see any beauty added to the street
. by reason of the tree being there. IT
| is my desire to see it cut down and
the street cleared.
Jack Stelling-f can talk from expe-
rience. | had an accident myself on
account of the tree, and only this
week witnessed another one. A lady
was driving her phaeton down Vine
I. yard street from Fort street. She
went out of her road to go around on
: the mauka side of the tree. This was
the right thing for her to do. A bl-
cycle rider coming down Nuuam
from Kului darted around the corner
and being unable to turn short head.
ed for the mauka side of the tree. lie
could not see the phaeton at first
because it was hidden from view by
the big trunk of the tree. He saw II
when it was too late and was Obliged
to run into the tree and break his
wheel to prevent a collision with the
other vehicle.
Manager Charles Bellina of the Clul
stables don't think it is right foi
4. the Government to cater to the wish
es of a few people who want the tree
TO live, Vineyard is a public highway
and it should be free from obstruc