The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-03-15
EXPERT ROBINSON'S REPORT.

I
! ing a scar upon it. Some algarooa'
that now cling here and there to th'
Steep banks, Indicate that few other:
planted close to the trail, if humoree
! little at first, would doubtless grow
sheltering the hot, sunny path ano
softening lis outline For the rest
if there must be planting of any kmo
on the slopes, let the wild morning
glory climb the sleeps and try the
n1esen bryanthemun vines which
live and prosper on very little soil OF
moisture, and both flowers too modest
TO seem to be attempting to deck the
dead volcano.
Within the crater the rich soil and
the protection from strong winds offer,
when water shall be obtainabfe, an
admirable site for horticultural and
forestry experiments. My recommend
alton world be to give the care of this
area Ito the Forestry Department,
which must soon outgrow the cramped
experimental grounds on King street,
or to any similar association, that, in
creating here, where the view is shut
off, an attractive and interesting gar
den, would take over in this way the
care of the greater part of the grounds
and at the same time do work that
would be of value to county and is
lands. This would leave only the rim
for strictly scenic-park purposes,
where you would need to do little more
than make trails, so reducing largely
the cost of maintenance. A shelter al
so should be erected, but my advice
would be to put it below the rim, that
it might not show from any point In
town, thus defending the height from
artificial excresences.
AS to the approaches to Punchbowl,
if the hill is to be used, it is important
to make them adequate. A long step
toward this would be the extension
OF Prospect street. At about it's pres
ent grade it should be carried around
the west side of Puuchbowl, following
the irregular contour of the hill and
so constantly presenting new and at
tractive views, until, passing above the
little cottages, it strikes into Punch
bowl road. Carried then, at the other
end, over the gully, it would reach
in very short distance the east end
Of Punchbowl road, forming with it
complete circle around the hill anG af-
fording direct and attractive access
from every part of the city. The ex-
tension of this street is so important
for it's park connection that I urge it
in this portion of my report rather
than in that which dealt with the OPEN
ing of streets and tracts.
Diamond Head is so far from the
city and there is SO much pressing to
be done nearer town, that I recon-
mend no immediate expenditure there
beyond that involved in opening suit
able misunderstanding. that there is no
need to urge the reservation of the
area.
One other very small tract I should
like to see dedicated to public enjoy
ment, and I will have done with my
recommendations for parks of this
kind-the kind which is of most sig
nifcance to Honolulu. This is the
rocky Hill back Of Oahu College. 1t
offers a surprisingly beautiful view, isS
the natural park for the College Hills
tract, and with it's accessibility from
Manoa road is in touch with a much
larger section of the city. It's pic
turesquely rugged character requires
no tampering with landscape designs,
and thus practically no expense.
al The SOLie Wtidt detailed discussion
Of these reservations, the list doubt
less seems long, and more formida BILE
than it really is in the expense in
volved. In running over the list, you |
have to remember that the Pail, much
Of Tantalrs. all of PunchbowI and all
Of Diamond Head, are already out of
the market so far as building sites
are concerned; that the Pail requires
absurdiy little further expense to re-
alize it's most obvious opportunities,
and none at all for maintenance; that
the plan suggested for the Tantalus re-
serve would make it a Territorial park,
and as far as the Territory is con-
cerned of no expense: that that pro-
posed for Punchbowl would relieve the
county of care OF all except the slopes
aud rirn-Which want to be left pref
y much alone: that no immediate ex-
rense is contemplated at Diamond
Head; and finally that the public al
ready has free access to the Rocky
Hill ir the College Tract. This leaves
only as items of considerable expense,
the development of the Pacific Heights
oark-Where every dollar of expendi-
tUre will give large returns,-and the
extensions of Prospect street, in which
the gain to the community is double,
since it secures convenient access to
a park, and a drive that in itself is
beautiful. /
Taking the list, then, in the aggre-
gate, consider what a chain of scenic
reservations this would be-all the
pest vantage points seized and held
forever for the public, that never
should the beautiful views which ma
ture has spread before Honolulu and
It's guests be taken from them and
fenced away. From Pail to Diamond
read. and back through Kapiolani
Park, Main avenue and the Beach road
10 the waterside parks, water entrance
and Union square there would be a
sfdle OF majesty and beauty OF which
the city never could be robbed. That
N itself would be a park system worth
having, the like of which it would be
nard to find, and remarkably practical
aft osv