The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-02-18
RENOVATION
TO Be MADE
Supt. Boyd Plans
Change in Wash
Houses.

The Improvement of the public wash
houses az recommended by the Board
af Health. viii bee made as soon AZ the
necessary arrangements can hoe entered
into by Superintendent Boyd. An In
vcstigntion Of the premises has been
made by Assistant Superintendent
Campbell and Engineer Gcrc. with this
end In view. and as soon as the report
and recommendations are In the hands
OF the Superintendent OF Public Works
whatever changes that may be ncces-
sary viii be made Superintendent
Boyd stated yesterday that there was
some possibility of the wash houses be-
ing removed from their present loca-
ton In Iwilei. but the absence OF "A suit
able place now owned by the Territory
makes this unlikely. II may. however
be necessary TO make some change
while the present place is being reno
waited.
This is a work that requires consid-
cradle attention. said Superintendent
Boyd yesterday. "and the improve
ments suggested by the Board of
Health cannot be made In such hurry
as they probably wish. / admit that
the public wash houses are not In as
| good condition as they might be, still
/ do not think they are as bad as re-
! ported by Inspector Keen. This de-
partment is not responsible for all the
| things reported by the Board OF
! Health; the Chinese washmen are
! simply tenants Of the government and
! their rooms are rented to them. 50 that
| they are responsible for keeping their
| places clean, Just as well as any other
tenant would be, who rented from a
private individual.
"The wash houses probably ought Ia
be moved, but the government has no
other suitable location to place them
1t may be necessary to change them
for a time In any event while the Inn
provements are being made, but We
| hope stil to be able to do the work at
different times 50 that II will not in
convenience the tenants to any great
extent. The timbers have rotted away
and IT Is hard to get at them, for they
are sunk several feet in the ground.
1.-THE present location can be mucl
improved upon, and the entire place
will have to be renovated. The place Il
constantly filling up and the tide doe
not carry away the refuse water as l
used to do; at high tide the water 4
left standing in the trenches, and tn
present arrangement Is far from salts
factory.
Il do not think the government
should abandon these public was
houses, for II II did it would mean
monopoly for any laundry in the city
and prices would go sky high. BY al
lowing these Chinese wash men the Us
of the wash houses and It's accompany
ing privileges | believe the prices o
such work has been kept at a reason
able figure, and for that reason II 70
no other the public wash houses shout
be maintained.
Nothing further will be done in tn
matter until the report Is receive
from Mr. Campbell and his recommen
dations will then be acted upon. TIL
Department of Public Works, thong
perfectly willing to take Its share of tn
responsibility, Is not wholly to blam
for the condition OF the wash houses
and the Board OF Health should er
force some OF its regulations nor
strictly against the occupants. Prof.
ably one mistake in the construction {
the building was the second stor
\ which Is used as sleeping apartment
by the Chinese, but they have not sui
fered by reason OF IT. i have not hear
either of any sickness in families who's
| washing IL done by these Chinese, an
though probably considerable improve
ment can be made, conditions at pres
ent are not alarming. However, "
..-,.~s....