The Hawaiian gazette., 1903-02-03
BIG CROWD
RIDES OUT
TO BEACH
First Day on the
New Line to
q
Waikiki.
(From Mondays daily)

For the first time in the history of
Honolulu the chief pleasure ground OF
the city was really open to the citizens
yesterday. The historic Kapiolani park
has always been the pride. and some
thing of the glory of Honolulu. Odd
times, every citizen has been there.
and all are familiar with its shaded
walks and rustic bridges and fair places
that invite to rest in a restful land.
But it has always been something of a
task to reach the park-always.- that
Is, until yesterday.
Yesterday was another day, for Ho-
nolulu and. Kapioiani park, and from
early morning until the last car went
10 the house at night the crowd walked
through the park, or sat on the grass
in the shady places, or stood and sat
about the band stand, listening while
Berger and his bandsmen sent strains
of sweet music to echo back from the
rugged gorges of Diamond Head or to
mingle with the softer music of the
singing of the surf upon the distant
reef.
For yesterday the Rapid Transit
Company began it's through service on
its line to Waikiki, clear to the base of
Diamond Head, and did the biggest
days business perhaps in the history
of the corporation. Almost every res
ident of the city was carried over the
line, at some time or another during
the day, and some of the residents We're
carried more than once. 1t was the
thing to do. The cars ran all day on
both lines so crowded that standing
room was at premium. and it seemed
that the crowd waiting for each car
at the Punahou transfer point was as
big as the crowd that filled the cars
coming and going on the King street
line. Everybody in Honolulu went to
the beach yesterday. The Moana. the
Waikiki Inn., the Annex, all the beach
resorts. felt the impetus of this travel
backward, and the park was full of
people all day. There have seldom
been more swimmers in the surf than
could be seen from the beach at any
hour during the afternoon, and II any
man Of prominence in the city was
sought he could almost certainly have
been found at that end of town. Homo
lulu felt, indeed, that Waikiki had at
last become a part of itself and the
jewellers by the surges knew that their
long isolation was at an end They
were In the city as much as the jewellers
in the town itself. for these swift cars
passed their doors at short intervals,
and they had but to step aboard to be
whirled along. the most remote Of them,
to the corner of King and Fort streets
within a short half hour.
Large as the crowd was 1t was ad-
mirably handled by the Rapid Transit
Company. To be sure. the cars We're
crowded, but that was more because
the people who wanted to go to the
beach were impatient to get there and
would not wait for the next car than
because there were not cars enough.
And then perhaps It was, not antic-
pated that everybody would want to go
to- Waikiki. The service was good. 1t
will be better when trailers are put
on the cars on Sundays. Having such
a pleasure ground as Kapiolani park,
the people Of Honolulu waited only for
1t to be made more accessible to show
their true appreciation Of 1t. 1t will
continue to grow in popularity with
each succeeding day that +, the cars
are run over the new line.
Also. It is a place to which the strang-
err can be taken to show him what Is
possible in the way of rustic beauty in
a land where all things grow out OF
doors, and then the tram ride to Wal
kiki minus the old mules, will be an
experience that will give a better idea
of the city Ind It's surroundings. per-
haps. than can be had in any other
possible way Likewise. 1t will be an
experience that will not be costly. Your
tourist NAV belong to the class OF car
riage people at home. 1t does not fol-
low that he likes to pay for carriages
when abroad. He will pay for them
II he can get about In no other way
but he carries home with him more
pleasant memories OF those places that
have been made cheaply accessible.
Fpr that is human nature. and the
tourist Is as human as the balance OF
mankind.