The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-02-08
ALL RUSH NOW
Public improvements Going On
AGAINST Time.
DOWN In THE AALA DISTRICT
New Ground and Health Better.
New Ground and Health Better,
Wharf Being Built-For Busy Sea-
SON" Fish Market Slips.''

Superintendent RoweH is pushing
public works in every direction now
with more vim and effect than at any
time during the busiest biennial period
the department has ever had. A full
score of separate pieces Of work are in
progress and every effort is being
made to do as much as possible before
the time for use of appropriations
made by the last Legislature expires
Mr.. Rowell can find but a few minutes
a day now for attention to strictly
office matters and has been stealing
from his sleep for weeks to labor on
estimate of current work and future
plans and on his report to the Minis
ter of the Interior This report is
also of what might be termed burning
interest to the Minister of Finance.
1t will cut quite figure in the budget
calculations.
Some work is still being done in
the vicinity of st. Louis College, where
Nuuanu stream was changed. The ap-
pearance of that whole section is much
altered and certainly vastly improved.
There has been some delay in finish
ing up, but the work was large one
and parts of it have of necessity been
of the slow character. The improve
ment-of- -Nuuanu stream was primarf-
ly a sanitary scheme and what was
intended at the cholera season has
been accomplished and results have
been shown. A large territory that
was before practically without drain
age now has a species of sewerage
that at least wards off common dan
gers and that has reduced the mortal
ity figures of the neighborhood. The
pretty drives up and down Nuuanu
stream, with perhaps the Aala park
for Palama children will come in time.
New, clean earth has filled up a lot
of stagnant and disease breeding pools.
One of the most important jobs now
in hand is the new wharf to parallel
Sorenson'S wharf, near the old fish
market. 1t was the purpose of the
Government to provide this additional
dock fully eighteen months ago, but
against securing title to the land. Fin
ally deals were closed with the Bishop
Estate, S. G. Allen and John Cassidy.
Within two weeks after the papers
were signed work was started up. The
material had been on the ground for
several months. In fact the storage
of piles had postponed the extension
of new Queen street beyond the Homo
lulu Iron Works. Now that thorough
fare will be opened up. This new
wharf was given considerable promi
nence during the controversy between
the Government and Mr.. Dillingham;
on harbor matters. Captain King,
Minister of the Intreior, said yester-
day that work on this new wharf, the
same type as several built during the
past three years, would be rushed so
that it could be used before the pres
ent sugar season had ended. Plans
for further harbor and dock work
will go to the Legislature.
The big dredger is still working
away on what are now called the fish
market slips The machine will be
kept there Indefinitely unless there is
radical shift in policy or unless she
is taken off for few days to do some
emergency work When heavier blast
| ing may become imperative at the
slips the dredger may be sent for the
time to the sand spits in the channe
edge near the lighthouse. That is one
of the possible Interruptions.
These two fish market slips Of
wharves should be pretty we'll at tht
stage of completion before the enc
of 1898. As a feature Of the presen
harbOr they will present a sample o
what a greater harbor will really be
| It is the plan to have near the nev
fish market slips into which the larges
ocean steamers can glide direct from
the roadsted. This work will possibl.
make a change in the town that few
Ipeople have foreseen. The importanc
Of both Alakea and Richards street
will be greatly increased. Values vii
advance in that part of town and tn
retail trade will drift in that direc
ton. This is the opinion of men VIII
have given the matter attention an
who have invested money that way.
The amount of road work that i
now being done is surprising in bot
| nature and extent. There are force
on the highways from Diamond Hea