The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-05-12
AUTOMOBIL|STS
MAY HELP PAY
R0und-the-Island Road Scheme
Seems Ripe for More
Agitation.


amized and coral automobile road
around the island of Oahu is one OF
the projects to be tackled by the Ter
ritoriaI Transportation Committee.
Chairman Trent is sending out a let
ter on this subject to the following
named gentlemen, asking them to serve
on a good roads committee: Geo. Fl,
Carter, Paul Isenberg, ]. P. Cooke
Charles Hustaee, L. A. Thurston, Mr.
Won Hamm, Edwin Paris, Lincoln Nc
Candless, Marston Campbell, Guy Gere,
Chas F. Chillingworth and Sam
Dwight.
Mr. Trent's letter reads as follows:
Dear Sir: VIII you act on a commit
tee to promote the completion of an
automobile road around the island OF
Oahu? Many haye suggested this, some
urge private subscription, others Ter
ritorfal enterprise; while still others
suggest a combination of both. At any
rate the time seems ripe for agitating
this subject, and it seems certain that
once a feasible plan is agreed upon it
It is not necessary to dwell upon the
Importance of good roads, everyone
would benefit.
Relying upon the hearty cooperation
of the Territorial Transportation Com
giving your valuable services on our
good roads committee, am
Sincerely yours,
RICHARD H. TRENT,
Chairman, Ter. Transportation Com.
Frank Thompson is one of the most
enthusiastic supporters of the round
the-island automobile road scheme. He
says: I'll put in my best work to help
any committee appointed to aid such
a project, and I'll subscribe for its
building, too, if that is necessary. l
have looked into the matter Bit and
l estimate that 1t would cost about
$4,000 to complete the present road
around Oahu, and put it ins perfect
shape as an automobile road. | believe
that among automobile men fully half
this sum could be easily raised by sub
scription and that the county would
gladly put up the other sixty thousand.
There are 230 licensed automobiles in
use on Oahu; with a good road around
the island the number would more than
double. Moreover, this would become
an ideal place for auto meets and races,
a clear track of 10 miles around one
of the most beautiful routes in the
whole world. 1t would bring every
year any number of wealthy automo-
bilists; their chauffeurs would come
along too, and for the races machinists
and lots of people who always follow
the auto races. 1t would be the big
gest possible thing for these islands
1t would bring the money spenders and
the good fellows. 1 say build it. If not
one way, then try another. The splen-
did roads of Massachusetts were paid
for by a system of tolls; we might
consider that here-say three toll gates
around the island, only one, however,
between here and Haleiwa, for that is
the popular run. Charge say twenty
five cents a person at each toll gate.
At present it takes four and a half
hours at best to run around the island,
if you don't break any springs on bad
places With a good road it could be
done in three hours. A new hotel
would necessarily spring up at say
Heeia, and man could leave after
office hours, dine on the other side of
the island and be back home at bed
time. Then, too, every man who plants
anything or raises produce of any kind
would be benefited. Build the road, 1
say, even if we automobiIists have to
go down into our pockets for some of
the money: it viii be worth it,
Mr., J. P. Cooke wants the automo-
bile road built around the islands, and
proposes having a plank put in the
Republican platform this fall advocat-
ing the issuing of Territorial bonds
for such a purpose.
1T will give. plenty of steady work
to the Hawaiian men," he said, and
should be done.
Chairman Trent is a Democrat, and
is afraid that if such a plank were
put in his platform the other islands
would each demand similar round-the-
island auto courses. but, then, the
auto-owners say. We'll, why not?"
Kellogg, the pineapple king, advo-
Gates a special road tax levied on all
real estate owners and, in fact. every
one has a scheme for helping along
the building of an auto course around
Oahu, but they do not all agree on the
best way.
Col Marston Campbell is also enthu-
siastic about the proposed auto course,
and is certain that the county will go
in with the autoisUs and work for an
early completion of such a project. So
does County Engineer Gere, who esti-
mates the cost. however, at 1850, 900.
His department is at work now clos
ing up the gaps. 1T would cost about
S3000.' ne said, ''to eliminate the Ka-I
hama beach by the construction of a
macadam road. Such a road across
Kaluanui beach would cost $4,000, and
to cross the shifting sands for the five
miles between Kahuku and Waialee
would cost $4,000, if the work We're
done with the coral lying about. This
section is the dread of all autoists,
Continued on Page Four)