The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-22
MORE HOTEL
STREET CURB
Widening of the
Thoroughfare
Begun.
LANDMARK GOES
WITH THE WORK
King KaIakaua's Stable Rooms
and Coachman's Quarters
to Be Removed.

Hotel street is being widened The
work of setting back the curbings and
demolishing structures which are in the
way of the progress of the street, began
yesterday morning, and will be pushed
until the thoroughfare is one width all
its length. The men of the Department
of Public Works have the curbing which
lined the former front of the barracks
grounds up and trenches dug for its re-
in the corner of Richards and Hotel
streets, Is torn down
The tearing out of this structure means
the passing of a landmark. For twenty
five years the building stood there, used
| in turn as a storehouse for the harness
and other stable equipment of King Ka-
lakaua and lodgings for his stable en-
ployes, marked by scenes of hilarity and
of violence, decaying until its demolition
was almost made necessary by its age
and shaky walls. This old building will
be best remembered as the scene of the
killing of Charles Hiram by a South Sea
Islander, John Bolabola
Hiram was the coachman and favorite
horseman of Kink Kalakaua, whom he
| served for many years He was tall and
handsome a man of skill and daring,
and his killing was most remarkable. He
had incurred the enmity of one of the
others employed in the royal stables, and
| there was q story which had some cur
rency then, that there was woman at
the bottom of the action of the Fijian.
| At least, without word of quarrellins,
| one evening just at dusk, after Charlie
| Hiram had emerged from his rooms on
the second story Of the old house. as he
was upon the landing ready to descend
the stairs, he was stopped by a rifle ball,
which was followed very quickly by a
second, and both piercing his breast, took
his life The murderer was convicted
and sentenced to death by Justice Dole,
but not executed.
The destruction Of this house was nee
essary as the walls stood on the line
established for the new curb, and there
had to be limit for the construction OF
the sidewalk The setting back of the
curb along the front of the government
reservation, Waikiki of Miller street
will result in the cutting down at once
of the great shade trees which have
stood there for a generation, as they are
left a half dozen feet outside of the curb
1t is understood that the improvement
will be followed by the making of side
walks along all public property; so that
there will be an example set for all those
who own lots along the most used
streets.
After this Improvement there is left
of the obstruction along Hotel street
which is the most notable and dangerous
only the stone wall, in part the boundary
of the property of the Coney estate. This
has been the eyesore and endangerine
obstacle to the perfect enjoyment of a
ride upon the electric cars. The move
, of the Department of Public Works is
taken to mean that there will be no de-
lay in the matter. The negotiations fol
the exchange of this property for lot
in Miller street, which have been going
on for some days, have not reached any
conclusion as yet, and Superintendent
Boyd leaves today for Maui, without &C
comprising any settlement
The delay which will be inevitable ow
ing to the absence of the Superintend
ent. will give to the owners of the prop
erty chance to further weigh the otfel
of the government. Superintendent Boyt
is not going to permit long waits once
he gets back from his trip TO Maui. II
the event of the heirs of the estate no
4 agreeing to any transfer in considera
ton for the cutting off of the corner IL
Z question. Mr.. Boyd will at once follow
Z the only course which is left open t.
1 him, the summoning of road jury
I which viii have power to condemn tn
I lands and establish a price for the piec'
taken by the government. Superintend
ent J. H. Boyd said yesterday that h
J would do this at once he returned, if tn
owners of the lands did not come t
2 some amicable understanding with hin
as there could be no further delay.
Once the award has been made, as wa
done In the case of the widening of Der
3 etania street, the Public Works Depart
ment will lose no time IN taking dow
the obtrusive and offensive wall, and vii
have a sidewalk laid along the street