Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-28

some ten miles In length, connecting sew
eral good streams in Koolanl with their
small plantations in Haiku and Paia. This
was the beginning OF the very considerable
fortunes which these two gentlemen sub
sequently realized. This work was done In
1916 and was only made possible by
the prior experience of California miners
in conducting water through huge siphons
many Thousand feet Of such iron siphons
in that first Haiku ditch, thirty inches in
diameter. The heaviest canyon SO crossed
was $50 feet wide and $50 deep. This was
ond Haiku ditch Of much larger capacity.
built by Claus Spreckels to supply water
to the extensive lands OF his great ''Ha-
waiian Commercial Company" stretching
some twelve miles further to the south
west. This new ditch traversed the same
district at a lower level taking the sur
plus water Of the streams from the upper
one. But 1t pushed farther to the east
ward. tapping several heavy streams. This
was an immense and costly enterprise for
those days. Thirty miles of ditch, with
fifty million ga daily capacity, deliv-
cred the water at an elevation of $50 feet
on the great Waikiki slope. These two
bitches were built before the later very
profitable discovery that a large part of
the meandering ditch and of the costly
siphoning could be avoided by tunneling
between the canyons.
The Tunneling Process.
This process of tunneling has been most
successfully employed in the 'Lowrfe"
ditch Of 1900. which delivers the water at
an elevation of $50 feet, and still more
thoroughly in ten-mile extension Of the
same lately completed. This taps all the
heavy streams of the Nahiku rain belt,
which would have continued inaccessible
but for the tunnels. That Nahiku district
consisted of close succession of perhaps
f0y ,oVr yny,0 fNnk IL
are thirty-eight tunnels on the work. aver
aging each 1000 feet long, the shortest be-
Ing 300 feet, the longest 2,710 feet. The
country was so steep and precipitous that
little dftchfng could be employed. 1t was
necessary to make four and one-half miles
of wagon road and eighteen miles of stone-
paved pack trails to facilitate the trans
portation of supplies. About 1000 barrels
OF cement and 10000 pounds Of giant pow
der were used. Ten mountain streams
were intercepted.
The tunnels are all in solid lava rock.
eight feet wide and seven feet high. with
daily capacity of s5.000.0OO gallons. Four
and one-half miles Of concrete lining, six
inches thick. are used to prevent seepaRe,
The whole work occupied eighteen months
Japanese labor being chiefly employed.
the country traversed by this ditch is ex-
tremely romantic. The tropical vegeta-
ton Is wonderfully luxurfant in its wealth
or ferns and climbing vines, In recesses
almost untraversed by man.
The Honokahau Ditch.
On West Maui. a separate mountain Of
the same island, has Just be5n completed
the splendid Honokahau ditchl This takes
the water OF the great Honaifahau stream
at the extreme northern poiflt Of the is
land, deriving it's water from the ever
cloudy summit of the lofty mountain. ana
delivers 1t ten miles south at. 700 feet ele-
walton. It Is thirteen miles, long. on a
fnfaf to a.
feet Of 36-fnch siphon pipes and three ana
one-half miles of tunneling. mainly near
the upper end. which is tefribly broken
country. It has cost $i85.0OQs It's capac-
available for sugar cane several thousand
acres OF excellent land. Tits ditch is the
property Of Mr. H. p. Baldwin.
The HanApepe Ditch.
The same gentleman in 1850 built the
Hanapepe ditch on the Island Of Kauai.
1t has 7.O40 feet of 40-inch riveted steel
siphon pipe. lob feet of tunnels, 14.618
feet OF wooden fumes. 6Ox4O inches, and
ten miles Of ditehihg. 1t carries 100000
gallons daily. delivering water at $50 feet
elevation. But larger ditch called "Olo-
kele, from the same Hanapepe stream.
which has just been comnleted. delivers
water at an altitude OF LOIS feet, and has
daily capacity OF over 6OOO0 600 gallons
It involves eight miles Of 7x7-foot funneIs
and ave miles Of ditchinK. II a the new
tunnel method which has made IL practice
pc. ne nas. cost nas been about Sa600oo This
gives Makaweii plantation the best gravity
supply OF water on the islands. ana nnaIes
e nearly y not quite the most valuable
Or the great Island Of Hawaii. which IL
ecarcely ANYTHING has been done 81 way az
irrigation The Kohnla unfnr syafeis a
me north enc Ct the island q likely soon