The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-04-18
A CEMETERY SITE

CONTINUED from Page One.)
and that riffs or chasms extend 10
great depths in THEN. immediate neigh
borhood. These may be parry flied
by the alluvium from the surface OF
the cone, but whether partly or wholly
filed with this earth they afford ready
drainage TO the reservoirs OF water
which are now utilized TO supply the
town aqueducts. | have for this reason
always considered The Makiki cemetery
very badly placed, but while a few
graves may not pollute the water sup
ply to an intoierable extent, it is TO be
feared that a hundred acres packed
with rotting corpseS in the very fun
mel Of this volcano will in time menace
the public health
The ancient Romans allowed no
burials within the city walls and in
this tropical climate We shall do well
TO borrow their wisdom If we can
also initiate them i nthe use of crema-
tion it will be the wisest course. But
while a crematory should be built by
the Government for the use of those
who prefer that way of disposing of
the dead, the sentiment of those who.
choose lingering decay and corruption
IL
to dust must be regarded, and surely
ground can be found we'll removed
from the town where lovers of the old
way may make their graves without
leaving legacy Of corruption and dis
ease to their successors.
+ AS to the reality of the danger from
Inflammation to the purity of the water
supply there can be little doubt: as
to its extent there may be question,
but after the explanation Dr. Day has
made of the unsanitary condition of
Honolulu NO chances should be taken,
and nothing should knowingly be done
that may in time become dangerous to
health.
Yours respectfully,
VIM. T. BRIGHAM.
The investigations of Dr. Maxwell
were presented before the meeting in
the following report:
Honolulu, April 1st, 1899
Re: Punchbowl being used as a
cemetery.
Dr. Maxwell-Punchbowl is exactly
like all these lateral craters, Diamond
Head, craters on Maui and Kauai, that
is the name they bear, and the assures
are yet in very clear evidence especial
ly GA the sides of the crater. / have
been able to trace to my own salts
faction that they have a very deep
connectiCn,-h deep is not exactly
known, with the more profound depth
Of the crater. Have you ever observed
a white deposit ON the sides of the
crater? the same is the case on the
craters ON Maui and Kauai; this is
the case where there has
I.oeo1 |,f,r ai FOL To
have demonstrated that this white ma
terial has been brought up by steam
from very great depth and simply
deposited there and that is an evidence
"a proof that these assures or open
ings which are on the surface are com
nected with the interior depth Of the
crater and all the lava strata; there
fore, any material, organic or other
wise, which would finally be borne
down by the rains, would be carried
DOWN a very considerable depth.
Now if any materials are BORNE
down to the surface by the rainfall in
this way they must come into contact
with the waters flowing from the alti-
tudes and which are the source of our
water supply. The chief pumping
plant today is Immediately under
the wells from which we
draw our water, the supply is from the
that water reaches this
level between the lava strata
and these lava strata are in close con-
tiguity with Punchbowl. Of course no
man can be absolutely certain, but
upon geological grounds there is no To-
cation where l should apprehend with
almost absolute certainty danger to
our water supply more than by the
- Ill
It is very undesirable to have a
C enetery-a city OF the dead, SO to
say, above the city of the living, and
at an altitude where the
drainage from that locality shall come
directly under the habited city TO the
sea. No water should be used which is
in direct line if possible with the
drains Of that especial locality. 1 do
not know of any contamination of loca-
tions or conditions which | should be
so much afraid of as Punchbowl-im-
mediately above our water supply.
Mr.. Dole-You think it would affect
the reservoir from which our artesian
water comes?
Dr. Maxwell-That is where the dam
ger is l am not stating this from
any social standpoint or anything that
might be construed in that way, but
certainly there is risk of coutaminat-
ing our water supply-that is my main
My idea is TO select a loca-
ticn where the drainage is as direct as
possible TO the sea and where, you
have few or no human habitationS be
tween that place and the sea. 1t does
not do to rely upon the soil to absorb
this organic matter-the rocks will not
absorb anything: it is the soil alone
that does that and the soil may not be
sufficient to absorb the great amount
Of debris that will naturally be car
ried away from a location CT this ma
ture. Just as an eXample,-it is claim
ed by people, who have given very lit
tie thought to the matter, that the sea
water coming in below by the rock
strata. the rock strata are able to re-
move the salt from the water; why no