Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-02-10
HOSTETTER'S
STOMACH BITTERS
MAUI ROADS ARE IN
VERY BAD CONDITION

Wailuku. Feb 7.-Super!ntendent of
Public Works Henry L. Cooper is ex
pectcd on Maui next Wednesday morn
ing. and Wailuku citizens will be very
much disappointed If he should fail to
turn up. A meeting of Waikiki cit
liens will be held in the Court House
on Monday evening TO devise ways and
means SO that the Superintendent
might not waste his valuable time
while making his official tour of in
spection of the actual needs of Maui,
and of Waiuku district in particular.
The Superintendent will be shown
the road to Maalaea Bay, and plans will
be devised and suggested as to the best
practical way Of repairing that much
used thoroughfaTe so that every little
rainstorm and kona would not again
block traffic between here and its rival,
Lahaina. The pail road for about ten
miles Is in fairly good condition and
does not need extensive repairs. The
portions of the road that would battle
road engineers are the Maalaea, Uku.
mehame and Olowalu sides. During
heavy storms the freshets coming down
In mighty torrents from lao mountains
often deyastate the Maalaea road be-
yond Waikapu, and Sheriff Baldwin,
as chairman OF the Road Board. and
Road Supervisor John KIM have been
unable to keep this road in serviceable
condition at such times. They have
been hampered in their endeavors to
give the public the best service pos
sible within their power on account OF
the low state Of road funds
Treasurer A. n. Kepoikai, as mem
ber OF the Wailuku Road Board, is fully
aware of this fact. He has frequently
Travelled between here and Lahaina
and knows the utter uselessness o!
human efforts TO give the public good
service with the scant means at their
command. The Ukumehame and Olo-
walu sides also worry the minds OF
road boards. During the freshet last
December, the Ukumehame and Olo-
walu roads were rendered impossible
for three days on account OF the heavy
freshets rushing down from the noun
tains with mighty force that not only
cane fields for miles were inundated
and covered with mud and debris, but
the entire road was flooded and holes
ten feet wide and six feet deep were
made in several parts of the road.
The conditions were so bad that At
torney Jas. l.. Coke nearly fell in a
swOon while attempting TO cross 1t last
December In Il buggy, and the remem-
hrance of that event will linger long
III his memory. The Waihee and Wal
ehu roads also need the attention OF
the Superintendent of Public Works.
Makawao district will also request his
most careful attention for Kaluanui
and Kaheka are always six inches or
more of mud during rainstorms, and
what makes these roads worse Is the
fact that heavy oX-carts laden with
wood and other products of that dis
trict. go back and forth almost daily.
Citizens of Lahaina will have very
little to ask in way OF improvements.
Its roads are in fairly good condition
as 1t rains very little there. Kula, Ha-
ma, Kahikinui, Kahakuloa, and Koo-
lau districts would also desire the close
inspection of the Superintendent The
needs of Maui will need the attention
of the Superintendent for whole
month, but If he comes up with the idea
of making flying trips, he will not
know one-fourth of the actual, press
ing, and urgent needs of this island.
But half a loaf would be better than
none.
Those who live in town and never
go outside its limits have no idea OF
the rough travelling experienced by
their brethren on the other islands
The writer used to think that Homo
lulu roads were terrible during rain
storms, but they do not hold candle
alongside the unspeakable condition o:
our roads. The road from Wailuku Ia
Kihei is also another terrible road tn
travel, especially at night, and several
of the visitors from Honolulu will re-
call II with perfect horror for on more
than one occasion were hacks in which
they were travelling, disabled owing to
the rouGhness of the road. Superinten-
dent Cooper will learn all these and
more when he gets up here.