The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-03-10
Heavy Rainfall On
the Northern
Coast.
MANY BRIDGES
CARRIED AWAY
More Than Seven Feet of Precipi.
tation Recorded in Hamakua.
hilo Again Submerged.

storms which ragged from the last
day Of February. and which when the
Rinau left Hawaii Saturday, showed
little evidence Of clearing, have done
great damage to the northern coast of
the big island. The memory OF the old
est inhabitant fails to bring up par
aIIeI to the rainstorm, and the damage
will not be known in it's fun extent for
some time.
The storm center seems to have been
the KohaIa mountains. and from every
side there gathered great clouds which
poured down their burden. Mauna
Kea, covered with snow to a greater
extent than usually seen. also turned
the rain laden clouds down upon the
cane fields below, and the deIuge, which
realized its record about Paauilo. where
the gauge Is reported TO have register
/ ed $3.50. at an elevation OF 1900 feet.
swept things before IL into the sea.
Every stream which drops into the
ocean. Is running banks full. and there
are numberless little waterfalls along
the cliffs
Hilo suffered a repetition OF the
breaking away OF the floods from the
river banks. and roads and bridges
are wrecked. All along the coast the
torrents have damaged bridges. and
the general destruction OF the highways
exceeds that OF any previous storm in
many years. the reports indicating that
there are only three bridges standing
between Hilo and Kukuihaele, while at
waipio there has been general. and IT
IS believed. absolute washing away OF
the bridges and culverts-
The greatest story OF destruction
probably will come from the WaipiO
valley. Reports which were brought
down by Admir- III Beckley of the Kinau
are that there was n wall Of water re-
ported to be 10 feet high, which swept
down that valley. submerging the rice
and taro fields. and cutting of the
inhabitants from every kind of COM
nunIcation with the outside world. eX-
cept that which could be carried on
by boats and RATS There have been
no reports of loss OF life. but the dam
age done to property will be immense
as IL appears probable from the reports
that the growing crops have been de-
That there has been immense destruc-
ton TO fumes and bridges IL shown by
the wreckage which strews the entire
northern coast Of the island. Admiral
Beckley says he has never before seen
such a mass OF wreckage as that which
can be dIscerned all along the coast
The debris Is OF every nature. there oe-
ing great trees as well as sawed iuH-
ber and while the reports are not spe-
cific except in the case OF the Honokaa
and Hakaiau plantations. which latter
Is reported 10 have already ordered
$50 600 feet OF lumber to replace hunes'
II fs believed that there has been con-
siderable loss from the washing out OF
the trenches along the entire coast
The greatest damage to the cane
which has been reported as yet - %
the fields which have been recently
planted. where the cane was washed
out but the reports at hand do not ten
OF any serious destruction 20 the helds
1s growing cane. There viii be with
Dut doubt some loss from the stOppaSe
Df grinding. as most Of the mills De-
tween HiIO and Laupahoehoe had 70
suspend operations for some time one
n the Incidents reported by Admiral
geckIey from that coast Indicative Of
The destruction OF the roads anG
bridges. was that Messrs- Give ana
George Davies who had been at Lau-
DahOehoe. being bound for Hamakua'
!, short distance away. where the drive
-ouId be made usually in an hour or
20. were compelled to take the kinau- /
being taken aboard in a box. and land
"a at their destination
There was also considerable loss =
.aused by the washing away OF the Z
merchandise warehouse al HaAalau I
,iantation: the sugar warehouse was a
cot touched. but the general warehouse J
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