The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-02-25
HE ADVISES
4 CLEAN Up
Boyd Reports on
IWiIei Wash
Houses.

The report upon the public wash
houses at Iwilei was the principal feat
ure of yesterdays meeting of the Ex-
ecutive Council. 1t was submitted by
Superintendent Boyd being the report
and recommendations of Engineer Gere
who is acting Assistant Superintendent
of Public Works, upon a visit made re-
Gently by Mr.. Campbell and himself.
The council referred the matter back
to the Superintendent of Public Works
for such action as he sees fit, and Mr.
Boyd viii probably begin upon the i'm
proyement of the wash houses as soon
as the proper arrangements can be
made. The report of Engineer Gere
differs considerably from that of In
Spector Keen who visited the place for
the Board of Health, and Mr.. Gere lays
al least a portion of the blame upon the
Board of Health's shoulders, while stat
ing also that the conditions there are
not nearly as bad as the report of Keen
indicated. In substance the report sub
mitted by Mr.. Boyd was follows:
! The wash houses are two in number,
each 360 feet long, having % rooms to
each house. The main part of the build
q
! fourth inch to the foot fall, to the drain,
which carries off the water.
/ The floor of the sorting and drying
room is raised eight inches above the
/ concrete floor. and 1 failed to find any .
! place where it was in any way decayed
or Objectionable. Owing TO the peculiar !
method of washing by Chinese the wash :
| room during washing hours is dripping
wet.
To preserve the wooden walls as much
possible all side wall mates
upon a course of brick work and the par
titions We're cut clear of the cement
floors. 1 failed to find any rotten parti-
tions walls. Dirty they certainly are
with the slime of the suds. Likewise
were the under sides of the tables and
tubs, but they We're not dirty a. Mr..
Keen reports.
The government leases the bare rooms
and the furniture and fxings are the
property of the tenant. The consumption
of water of each room is about 500 gall
Ions per day, and all this is discharged
by the concrete drain. Mr.. Keec's con-
tention that they are not flushed is alb
surd. The drains and floors are suppos-
ed to be scrubbed with clean water every
Saturday. The means for obtaining light
and fresh air are ample.
Like Mr.. Keen, L found the upstairs
portion dirty.
To quote again from Mr.. Keen's re-
port: ~ find also upon the Waikiki side
of this building filthy stream of water
filled with all sorts of filth from Tin cans
TO dead dogs"
/ failed to find the dead dogs. The rem
edy for this state of things 1 consider is (
in the hands of the Board of Health as
the ditch in question is outside OF the
leasehold of the government.
I wish to state, however, that when the
wash houses were built the ditch was
an open way, and free of the objection
able features now in evidence, but owing
TO the dredging operations at rne west
end of the harbor, the mud has filled In
from one to two feet makai of the wash
houses. This makes the proper drainage
of the district somewhat of a problem
L wish TO call your attention to what
Mr.. Keen failed to report, VIZ. That the 4
Board of Health in its wisdom has seen
fit to the ground just Eva of the b
wash houses for a dumping ground for
garbage, manure and filth of every de- 81
and so piling it up that where i
before there was a hard coral roadway q
draining away from the house, now 4
there is a soft spongy garbage heap
draining right to the wash house doors
so that it has been necessary for the y
various occupants to ditch during the
storms to keep the nasty water from b
der the buildings. n
The ground upon which the wash 2
houses stand. and the yard between is =
made ground, of white coral from three
10 four feet deep which was thoroughly
rolled into place with a heavy roller The
sutterways each side, but has lost this
and is nearly straight in sections,
but has a good fall to the sea.
/ must say that the yard is much clean
er than the average householder back
Yard. but l believe it would be materially
improved by giving it new crown with
nacadam.
The plank scattered over the yard he q
ong to the tenants and seem almost y
necessity in making work in all weather r
possible.
BitUmen paving of course would be ad-
nirable, but it is out of the question, he
,ause of its cost.
The buildings are not in great need OF
'aint together with a wholesale house
leaning would do much toward putting
hings into shape
The water closets should be removed (
% at least 80 feet from the ,nakai end
II wash houses and a walk built 10 them
his would cost in the neiehborhood OF -
800 a,
MaCadamizing the yard would amount
o about $500 Painting and whitewash-
ng approximately 500; making total or {.
ne monthly appropriation for expenses
u government wash houses i S45S2S or
MS amount the department is onlv ex-
bending about 1915. Two firenen one at =
90 and the other at so per month. COL
ector SO, comprise the salary list. the -
balance being for coal. oil. etc
The fremen being Chinese therA Is no