The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-03-20

that large results must come h re from II
moderate expenditures, l recommend II
the development at this point of the
show" park The view must always |
be its surprising attraction; but the
uneven grades invite terraces; lawns
and flowers can easily be obtained, and
outlooks are suggested by many a knoll
and projection with its opening Of diff
fering views.
Should the park be located here, the
road that climbs the hillside should be
made an adequate park approach. Trees |
so planted along its bord rs as not to |
interfere with the view will not only |
make pleasanter the way but win do |
much to give beauty to the hill. As !
to a railroad to the summit, it ought |
not to follow this drive. A short cog
whe or balanced car road could be
run up the precipitous Nuuanu side
without marring the slope seen from
the city, or at easier grade ana offering
better access to the houses that may be
built on the heights, could follow the
green ravine in front. Thence its eX-
tension around head of the valley,
to give popular access to Tantalus, as
was once proposed, should be accom-
plished with no great difficulty and
with the unfolding of wonderful pan
Drama of views Such work would be
a making the most of the inspiring
opportunities you have, a work that
would contribute not less to the delight
of the citizens of oahu county than to
that of tourists. The one danger in
making readily accessible to the people,
such a great natural reservation as
Tantalus is their possible abuse of it.
But this could be prevented by strict
guard, and it is to be remembered that
the tract belongs to the people, that
there can be no justice in making parks
or public scenic reservations exclusive,
and that very seldom, when the people
are trusted, do they violate the trust
by the injury of their own property.
AS suggesed by the foregoing, Tan
talus is the next tract that l urge to
have dedicated to public enjoyment as
a scenic reservation. You are too fam
iliar with the beauty of the scene, with
the delight of the long shady drive or
walk through the forest reservation,
with the novel charm and beauty or
the natural forest higher up, with the
lovely dells and glades between the
ridges, with the loveliness of the brok
en- landscape in it's variety of devlop-
ment, with the spendor of the outlook
from every vantage point to make it
necessary for me to try to picture the
scene as an argument in behalf of a
park reservation there. The Tantalus
park should be, with the far uncertain
ty of its further boundary as one looks
across to other mountains, the one
great park;-f Honolulu that bit of
Gods world that cities now are learn
ing to secure and save for the people,
that they may get close to nature, for
getting the fences and survey lines
which civilization has thrown, like a
netword of prison walls, upon the
world
Think of how Boston has secured
the MiddleseX Falls and the Blue Hills;
how New York, where land is so pre-
cious, has put aside Bronx Park with
it twilight forest; how Chicago is
planning for vast inland tracts, how
Los Angeles has received from a citi-
zen gift of hills and woods i'm Grif-
fifth Park, how the State of New York
is reserving the Adirondacks and the
Catskills-think Of these and ask your
selves how their park availability is
to be compared to that of Tantalus,
with MOUNTAINS sea, and tropical for
est,all so close to the city, reached
by good road and trail, and the prop
erty already of the people, except for
such little house lots as the govern
ment has parted with-selling the pub
lie birth right for a cupful of por-
ridge 1t were absurd to have to ar
que for a p, reservation on Tanta-
lus. The place does its own arguing
for the spot is visibly natural, God
given park; and 1 would show little
respect for the intelligence of the peo-
pie of Honolulu, and do scant honor
to the Board of Supervisors, if 1 ex-
pended energy in pleading that this
publicly owned tract, to obtain the
like of which any city in the States
would bond itself for millions, should
be parted with no more 1t is our
; right to insist upon that
There are some practical questions
; however, to be considered. My plea
would be that the government, now
controlling the property, make 1t a
Government Park-just as States are
putting aside their best scenic treas
ures for state parks and the Federal
government is making National parks
q 1t would be doing honor to itself in
doing this; ana how little this is to
l ask-where the land is already owned
t and does not have to be purchased. Al
l best or worst, there are few lots that
could still be sold, and it is estimated
e that, if all these were disposed of, the
. government would receive only $4,000
which, funded would give the prince
= ly income of 5000 a year, in exchange
3 for the peoples enjoyment of such al
r estate. Better if the government mus
4 have money out of Tantalus, that II
r put aside the land still held and re-
acquire, as opportunity offers, what il
r has now lost, and then lease to private