The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-04-12

number of cars, making these cars go
at dangerously high rate of speed
i'm order To make connections. Since
the installation of the system. the fol-
lowing persons have been killed
Manuel Peters killed Nov. A. 1901;
Yuen Lum killed July 10. 1902; Masa-
io killed April 20, 1903; Kozai killed
April a. 1903; George Parker killed
Sept %, 1905 Pelapela killed Sept 20.
1908. w. H. Kaleikuiwa killed May %,
1904; Liwai Mal<nnei killed Dec. s, 1904;
An Lin Tai GRID killed March S. 1905;
Wong Chez killed March % 1905
"This list does not include the large
number of persons MANNED and other
wise disabled, where the result was
not fatal
"The distressing spectacle of "a
hearse being run into by a rapidly
moving car i'm broad day light on one
of the principal business streets, the
hearse upset and the body of the de-
ceased thrown into the street before
the gaze Of relatives and friends is
fresh i'm the public mind.
These matters became so fragrant
that the Superintendent of Public
Works directed a letter to the COM
pany on March %, 1905, which l quote
March %, 1905
Honolulu Rapid Transit & Land Co.,
Limited, City.
Gentlemen: l beg to call your at
tention to a report made by one Of
the engineers Of this department rela
tive to the speed at which cars are
being operated i'm the city of Homo
lulu, and wish to refer to certain pro-
visions made in your franchise under
Section SAP of the Revised Laws of the
Territory, i'm which a limit of speed of
miles per hour is established for ear
tain districts of the city and a maxi
mum speed of u miles per hour al
lowed
From the enclosed schedule of OBJ
servatons, you win note that in each
case the legal speed limit was exceed
ed. and I would ask that you take i'm
mediate steps to conform TO the laws
of the Territory in regard to this
matter
"Wm you kindly acknowledge re-
ceipt of this communication.
Yours respectfully,
superintendent Of Public Works
"To this letter was attached a mem
orandum which l hold in my hands
showing twenty violations of the speed
limit, where the cars were running
from twenty-four miles an hour down
to fourteen all on the main streets Of
the town on March 20, between the
hours of II a. m. and $3.50 D. IN.
"The answer of the company was
the killing of Wong Chez on Liliha
street on the 27th day of March.
"The matter was then called to the
attention of my department and the
result was that in very short space
of time we obtained evidence of over
fifty violations of the speed limit, the
speed at times, running as high as
twenty-eight or thirty miles an hour
in places where twelve and eight miles
are allowed by the statute.
"The plea that the cars were max
ing up time is a specious one; if the
company's managers have not suffi-
cient ability to prepare a schedule and
furnish cars which will give the pub
lie adequate service without making
up time at this tremendous rate of
speed i'm our principal streets, then
would suggest that more competent
men be employed to handle the run
ming of cars on the railroad.
q see the Advertiser claims, in its
editorial of yesterday, that the Rapid
Transit has always been eXonerated
from the charge of cOntributory negli-
gence. ct said by every coroners
jury. Ed. AdvD If the Advertiser
will go over the judgments of the Cir
cult Courts it will find that in prac-
tically every case in which suit has
been brought against the corporation
for negligence, large damages have
been obtained and collected from sale
railroad, not to speak of the large
number of cases settled out of cOur
by the company. The whole editoria
of the Advertiser, while presumabl!
intended for a plea that the Govern
ment should allow the corporation L
violate its franchise when and wher
it pleases seems to me to show tn
utter incompetency of a system whicI
admits that it cannot properly serv
the public, unless it is allowed to vic
late its franchise, and the need of
better system or a new franchise"