The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-05-05
FILLING IN LOW LANDSWAS A TIGHT RACE.
GROUND NEAR KAUMAKAPILI IL
RAISED.
Harbor Dredging Deposited on Land
That is Often a Swamp-Chinese
Eager to Build.

Filling in operations are being COM
menced in the block bounded by Bere-
tanta, kukui, River and Nuuanu streets
The entire block is composed of irreg-
ular levels from that of Nuuanu stream
to the highest point on which the bricks
of the burnt out Kaumakapili church
still remain. The land was swept by
the plague fire being in the very hercest
part of the blaze. Since then all of the
northeastern corner has been built up
in stores and dwelling houses, the form
er occupied by the miscellaneous mer-
chandise and sorekeepers of the Orient.
The kukui street front suffered des-
tructiOn once more by fire some few
days since. Now, with the exception of
the few stores facing on Nuuanu street
the land is desolate of houses
a party of Hawaiian squatters, form
er holders of a home on the block before
the fire, have built a little shack under
the shade Of a tree that kept it's life
despite the fire and has since thrown
out fresh and vigorous growth. The
family residence built of odds and ends
of wood and tin, nestles close to a rocky
bluff the time worn hooks Of which
have been utilized as kitchen, larder
and tool house. On the corner of Nuu-
anu and Vineyard, some Japanese
workmen are slowly, very slowly, lay
ing lho foundations of a brick building
that is to be erected some time this
year Where they have been digging
their spades have thrown up Vitrified
scraps and relics of the fire Japanese
vases, sometimes entire in shape though
looking like Pompeian curios. The
men apparently work by the hour, only
two or three are on the job and they
work disconnectedly and so slowly that
the mortar used for the foundation
stones is in danger of drying before one
stone is superimposed upoon another.
Lantana and castor oil plants with
their broad leaves, have covered a great
deal of the lot with verdure one or two
rapidly growing trees and shrubs also
helping to cover the nakedness of the
burned ground
Eva of the Kaumakapili ruins, the
ground slopes rapidly down towards the
stream and a great portion of the block
is level with River street being regular
ly turned into a swamp with every
heavy rainfall. Footpaths made by
Chinese and japanese taking short cuts
to the stores, temples and gambling
houses along River street have been
tracked into regular pathways. 1t is
this strip which is being raised by the
go rnmert to a better. level, equal to
that Of Aala Park that is to be across
the stream. The rest of the block has
more than sufficient dirt in the higner
land to fill in the lower levels
A long spur of the portable track of
the main track from the dredger dump
to Aala park has been curved into the
block and the little locomotive brings,
two car loads at a time of harbOr
dredgings to where they are side-dump-
ed on the ground and levelled by la
borers. The end of the present line
anita a n ipr1inn pH
when the putting engine has exhausted
its spurt the fireman sticks a spare
sleeper behind the driving wheels while
the cars are dumped. Already quite a
number of car loads of the superfluous
harbor bottom have been spread on the
ground and the rise in elevation is ap-
preCiable.
Ultimately the Bishop estate will cut
a road through the land over the site
of the church, practically continuation
of Maunakea street. The Chinese lease
holders are anxious to build upon the
land but do not wish to commence oper-
ations until the level is established