The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-02-23
SEEKING A SUITABLE SITE FOR A
CEMETERY.
Trip Made Yesterday on the Oahu Rail-
road-Several Tracts Examined-Sen-
timent in Favor of Incineration.

being given to the cemetery site ques-
ton led yesterday to a tour of inspec-
tion of the various proposed sites, ly-
ing in the direction of Eva. The Oahu
Railway company placed a special
train at the disposal of President Dole
and the committee of the board of
health, the executive council and the
oahu Cemetery Association. The rep
resentatives of these various bodies
who took the trip were: President Dole
A. S. Cleghorn, George r. Carter, DR.
n. B. Emerson, DIR. c. b. Wood, DR.. c.
b. Cooper, DR.. f. r. Day, Dr. j. S. Nc
Grew, John Phillips, David Dayton,
George W. Smith, John E. Bush and
j. w. Mcdonald. Representatives Of
the various newspapers were also in
the party.
In making the tour President Dole
suggested that besides the considera-
tions of distance from a growing city,
suitability of soil and surroundings,
natural aspect of location and availa-
bility for landscape gardening effects
were to be thought of, convience of ac-
cess was an important thing. The cem-
etery should be located so that the eX
pense of funerals would not be in
creased, for the poor as well as the
rich would be inferred there. In this
connection he said that Mr.. Dilling-
ham, on behalf of the railroad compa-
ny, had offered in case a site reached
by the railroad should be selected,
that he would erect mortuary chapel
of neat and suitable design capable OF
accommodating one hundred people,
and would make arrangements for
funeral cars and funeral trains to
carry the caslet and thirty persons to
and from the cemetery for minimum
rate of $12. Larger numbers and more
elaborate corteges would be provided
for at corresponding rates,
The speed of the train when it reach
ed MOanalua was slackened so that
inspection of the landscape and as
pect of the country could be made
from the car windows. At Halawa a
stop was made and the party got out
and made a closer inspection On the
return stop was made at the point
in Moanalua a mile or so beyond Min
lister Damon's residence, which has
been suggested. Here such investiga-
tions of the soil and natural suitability
as could be made under the circum-
stances were conducted.
At Moanalua station the party got
out and walked to Kahauiki, which is
mauka of the government road and this
side the considerable rise Just before
Moanalua is reached.
President Dole explained in a general
way the ownership and existing leases
of the various tracts as well as the rel
each.
While no formal consensus of opin-
ion was secured as to the several tracts
there was much interchange of opinion
on the subject. The Halawa lands
| were generally thought suitable so far
as soil and natural prospects were con-
cerned as well as the water conditions,
| it was apparently felt by nearly all
| that ultimately it would be surround
ed by cane fields, by which it's natural
| pleasing aspect would be spoiled and
it would be given an inharmonious en-
| virOnment.
The Moanalua site with as pleasing
| natural aspect was free from this lat
! ter objection, but there was a question
as to whether the soil was deep enough
| there. President Dole will have thor
ough investigation on this point made.
Kahauiki appealed to every one as
presenting the most beautiful natural
| aspect. Between the road and the foot
| of the hills mauka there is about sew
enty acres of gently rising unbroken
! land. And upon this open a number
of small valleys between the hills which
| give additional available area. The
practical objections offered to it We're
that in all probability it would very
soon be desirable and sought after as
residence property. Besides it is not
reached by the railroad and it's dis
tance from the city would add to the
present expense of funerals. One point
of the tract does touch the railroad,
but the ascent from the railroad tc
the main body of the land is so great
and the grade so sharp that practically
it is not available from the railroad
If the rapid transit lines touch the
| tract this objection will be in a meas
| ure overcome.
President Dole made the suggestion
that it might be advisable instead OF
one cemetery to provide two or more
in different directions from the center
of the city to meet different conditions
of convenience and preference.
The craters of Punchbowl and Dia,
mond Head were suggested as possible
locations, having much to recommend
them.
A fact worthy of note in connection
with the trip was that while its pur
pose was to select a cemetery site, tht
largely preponderating personal senti
ment of the members of the party wa'
in favor of incineration as a means o
disposing of the dead.