The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-09-28

worn off before he is stabbed at night.
Strange as it may seem, the lava IS
not as hard on rubber tires.
In Honolulu, the capital and business
center. of the territory, motoring has
passed the stage of fad In 1900 a we'll
equipped company went into the BUSH
ness of conducting cab service with
electric machines. Its rolling stock was
of primitive type, exceedingly heavy,
and break-downs were so frequent that
the cars fell into some disrepute. were
shipped back TO Chicago, and there
later destroyed in a fire. A locomobile
hack service was maintained for
fine but was not commercially sue
cessful. Both of these experiments
were of service in installing the ma
chine in the good graces of the island
neople and in opening their eyes TO the
merits of the new vehicle.
There now is a preponderance of
gasoline machines, although the steam
wagons are constantly seen, one being
used regularly in mail-route stage
service. One of the earliest of the
steamers was a runabout brought home
for her own use by former Queen liz
Huokalani, some five years ago. Prince
David Kawananakoa is often seen
driving his own runabout or a dos-o-
dos. These first cars are mostly Loco
mobiles, but very shortly after their
Introduction the gasoline machine be-
gan TO appear, and now scores heavily.
Half a dozen Odds runabouts were
rather quickly picked up and touring
cars of the same build are under or
der by two or three business men. G.
M. Cook. president of the Bank of Ha-
wall. drives a Rambler tonneaus to and
from his mountain house. Orders are
also in for Ford tonneau cars. Alex
ander Young, formerly Minister of the
Interior, one of the prominent figures
in Honolulu's business life, has a
White touring car. which has made
local records for speed and hill climb
ing.
The roads on the island of Oahu
about Honolulu are, as rule, Of the
very first order. One of the most
superb drives in the United States is
up to the elevation of 1880 feet,
through the forest on the slope of Mt.
TantaIus, Immediately back of Homo
lulu At no point is the grade higher
that seven per cent, and most of the
five miles it is less than five per cent.
Five miles from Honolulu is the
greatest natural wonder within a like
distance of any city in the world, the
Nuuanu Pail. the sheer cliff at the
head of the one valley that affords pas
sage between the two sides of the is
land 1t was over this precipice of
close to 1000 feet that Kamehameha
the Great, the emperor whose skill and
knowledge won for him the title of
Napoleon of the Pacific" drove 1900
of his enemies to death. Around the
cliffs which border it, there has been
constructed modern road-which makes
of the trip the most attractive in the
vicinity. The five miles offer a very
plea SAINT half hours ride up a valley
that furnishes the principal water sup
ply for the city, and whose lower end
is dotted with fine country homes.
The gap at the head of the valley is
somewhat like funnel through which
the trade winds from the northeast
blow with great force. So constant
are the breezes, that going up the. VAL
ley, one sees many little waterfalls
thrusting themselves out from the face
of the cliff, only to be dissipated in
mist when the wind picks up the body
of water
The delights of motor transportation
are growing upon the Hawaiians, and
new orders are being fast placed in
the hands of makers for cars. A num-
Der of visitors who have enjoyed the
beauty of this tropical wonderland con-
template bringing over cars this fall,
and it is safe to assume that within
very few years it will be quite the
thing for the possessor of a machine
of any type to send it along when he
comes to the most perfect climate in
the world, to escape the northern win
ter. There is probably no more than
one stretch in the entire archipelago
where one is not in constant touch
with supplies of fuel, with charging
stations, and repair shops.