The Hawaiian gazette., 1903-01-27
PUBLIC
WORKS ON
HAWAII.
Cooper Gets Back
From Official
Tour.
(From Mondays daiiy.)

Henry +. Cooper, Superintendent Of
| Public Works, returned on the ClaudiGe
yesterday from his tour Of inspection OF
public improvements on the Islands Of
| Hawaii and Maui. II was called home
| by imperative letters" said MIR. Cooper
last evening. before | had time to COM
plete my inspection OF public works on
Maui. But i made a trip around Ha-
| wall, landing at Kailua. / passed
through the North and South Kona dis
tricts. Kau, Hilo. Hamakua, Puma and
South Kohala. leaving the island at Ka-
| waihae. one result OF my trip will be
| the construction of several sections of
the belt line road around the island.
The contract has already been let for
| the four miles OF the road running north
| from Huehue.
"The widening and top dressing of
| the road from Magure's to Huehue,
six miles, viii be undertaken at once.
The road south from the boundary line
of South Kohala. now being construct
ed under the supervision of Eben Low,
| will be rushed to completion. A short
piece of road on the main road from
Kalahiki TO Honokua will be undertake
| en- as soon as the survey can be made.
This will save long detour on the
road down to Hookena.
Another important work will be the
completion of the road from Pahala,
I'm Kau, to the Volcano House. In Pu-
ma, the road from Pahoa to the railway
Will be let by contract as soon as
tenders are received from Hilo. AT
Hilo a reservoir site has been secured
for the new water works. and work on
| 1t will begin on Monday. A contract
viii be awarded for a fill at Pukahae
culvert on the main road in South Hilo.
I'm Hamakua, the Alualoa road will
be offered for tender as soon as the
notes of the survey can be transmitted
to Honolulu. The estimates for the
coming biennial period have been dis
cussed with the road boards in the vari-
Gus districts, and the amounts for the
more important public Improvements
have been agreed upon. Alfred d.
Cooper. who accompanied me as
stenographer. took notes at meetings
with citizens and the various official
| bodies.
II find that in the main the roads
1 of the islands visited are in fair con-
dition, and | believe that the road
! boards have exercised excellent judg-
ment in the expenditure of public funds.
1t will be the policy Of my department
in future to construct important new
work by contract.
From Hawaii / went to Lahaina, and
spent the oath investigating the water
1 supply there, and inspecting the new
water works. 1t will be necessary, how
ever, TO visit Maui for the inspection
of the more important public works.
1t Is also my intention to visit Kauai.
/ will go to Maui, probably, one week
from next Tuesday, and to Kauai the
following week. / may, however, be
compelled to submit my estimates to
the Governor before completing my in
spection of these islands. on account of
the sitting of the Legislature being so
close at hand.
Il found that the. question OF the new
county government bill was being pref
ty generally discussed on Hawaii, and
that the matter of the location OF the
county seat of the proposed county OF
North Hawaii, as between Kailua and
Waimea was exciting some interest.
| There is similar question at issue
on Maui as between Wailuku and La
hama. My time was so short in Ha-
wall that l will be compelled to visit
that island again after the session of
the Legislature, and l will also go to
the other islands-unless It should be
provided in the proposed new county
government bill that its provisions be-
come operative at once. believe IT
is of the greatest Importance to get the
opinions Of the people. and to give them
an opportunity to discuss the expendi-
ture of public funds.
i The volcano OF Kilauea Is not active
at present, but there are some signs
of activity. notably in the great heat
| that comes from the large cracks
around the boundary line OF the crater.
Dense volumes of smoke are being
thrown off from Halemaumau, and
there Is slight glow visible AT night.
Bright points Of light could be seen In
the bottom OF the pit, even by day
light. but these We're far down and diff
hcult to make out. A great number OF
cracks in the old crater are throwing
out steam, also"