The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-04-18
A CEMETERY Site
Meeting Held Yesterday to Dis
clSS The Question.
PUNCHBOWL NOT SUITABLE
Cemetery Committee Asks for Time Reports
of Prof. Brigham and Dr., Maxwell
Geological Formations.

A meeting of delegates from the EX-
ecutive Council, Board of Health,
Queens Hospital, and Oahu Cemetery
Association was held yesterday after
noon at the offices of the Hawaiian
Investment Co. to discuss the seleetion1
of a cemetery site. 8
The meeting was called to order bys
President Dole who read the follow
ing report of the Cemetery committee:
The Committee on Cemeteries have
examined the land lying mauka of the
Oahu Railway between Kalihi Bay and
Pearl Harbor. The land, although
suitable in every other respect for
cemetery, has an insufficient depth of
soil, the soft rock of that region COM
ing to the surface in many places and
being close to the surface over the
whole area, which circumstance rem
ders that region impracticable for the
purpose. The Committee also eXamin-
ed the location at Kahauiki mauka OF
the road on the Honolulu side of the
Moanalua boundary; this land is suit
able for a cemetery as to it's topOgra-
phical character and the nature and
depth of its soil. 1t is however very
desirable land for residence purposes
and is objectionable otherwise from
being Immediately on the windward
side Of the public highway; it is also
too far from town for funerals to be
conducted economically unless the new
electric tramway should reach the
place and afford convenient and cheap
facilities.
L. 4
the crater of Punchbowl and find that
the soil is entirely favorable and that
the locality is reasonably convenient
of access. There is a sentiment against
the use of this locality on the ground
that it is a place CT public interest
and beautiful and extensive views and
should be reserved for a public park
or recreation ground. Your Commit |
tee, however, upon consulting DIR. |
Maxwell and Professor Brigham, who, |
from their studies in chemistry and |
geology, are perhaps the best fitted |
of anyone here for giving an opinion |
on the subject, feel that they cannot |
recommend this locality. Their view
is that the crater of Punchbowl is OBJ
jectionable for the purpose, to a far
greater degree than any other locality
in Honolulu from the danger of con-
ply, from the fact that the shaft of
the crater and numerous old steam
cracks of which there is abundant
evidence lead down without doubt to
the artesian basin and are not likely
to be sufficiently closed UP to prevent
drainage from the surface, in case the
cemetery should be established there,
from reaching down and contaminat-
ing the arteSian water below This
evidence of these two gentlemen,
whose reports ON the subject are filed
herewith, is conclusive, and your Com
mittee would therefore request further
time for making new Investigations.
Honolulu, II April, 1899.
SANFORD B. DOLE,
H. M. Won HOLT.
This report is also approved by DR..
Day and J. w. Smith, members of the
Committee. Mr.. Cleghorn made a
minority report, favoring the Punch
bowl locality.
The report of Prof Brigham was
next read. 1t is as follows:
Honolulu, H. l., April 3, 1899.
Hon. S. B. Dole.
Dear Notwithstanding that a
plan for the conversion of the crater
Of Punch bowl into a cemetery is under
will you allow me to call
the attention of those having the mat
ter in charge to one or two points
which indicate danger to the COM
munity if such plan is carried out.
The destruction of this fine park and
breathing space, for any such purpose,
would be regrettable but not necessarl-
ly dam gerous to public health were 1t
not for the following facts which must
not be ignored when the welfare of the
living is at stake. Punchbowl is vol
cano which in common with Diamond
Head, Salt Lake and others has forced
its way through the layers of lava and
coral rock long subsequent to the form
alton of these older beds. 1t is probable
that the disturbance of these beds by
rending and upheayal has
damned up the Subterranean streams
from the mountains, and so giving rise
to the pressure which is shown IN the
flowing wells. Whether this is so or
not, it is very certain that these vol ]
canoes are ON line of diSlOcatlon, .
Continued on Page Two)