The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-02-09
.H|L0 RAILROAD
DOING MUCH

Hilo Tr1bune-W Whoever else may |
have doubts or misgivings as to the
future of our city, it is evident that
the Hilo Railroad Company is among
the optimists, and the directors of that
concern are showing in a practical way
their, faith in the growth and pros.
perity of this city and Island. The
survey for the extension of the line
from the present terminus towards the
rich Hamakua district is now in active
progress. The principal engineering
problems in the way of, this. line are
to be found between Hio and Wal
naku, distance of about a mile. Thexe
is large bridge TO be thrown over
the Wailuku river, and then rise of
some seventy feet has to be negotiated
in order to carry the line clear of the
mill buildings and fumes of the Hilo
Sugar Co. at Wainaku. 1t was at first
thought that it would be best to take
the line under the huming; but as this
would have necessitated lengthy cut.
ting or rorty or fifty feet deep, it has
been decided to carry the line over the
gulch at high elevation. BY good
engineering, it is calculated that this
will be accomplished with no more
than three per cent grade from the
Waikiki bridge. The surveyors are at
work at the gulch, and at the same
time negotiations are in progress with
The Hilo Sugar Co. as to the route to
be taken by the line and the facilities
to be afforded for loading sugar from
the mill direct into railroad cars.
AT the Hilo railroad depot, great al.
! terations are in contemplation and will
| be put in hand at the earliest posi-.
BILE moment. At present the company
is waiting until E. n. Holmes vacates
the large building mAKai Of the depot,
when the structure will lie removed to
make room for large goods yard, sid
ings and sheds. Not only so, but the
railroad company is negotiating with
Uncle Sam to sell the Postotlice site,
which the company wishes to acquire
/ as site for a capacious new passen-
ger depot. The Federal authorities
are understood to have demurred to
| the proposed deal, as they have not
yet decided upon a Federal building
for Hilo. in which the Postoffice should
be housed; but the railroad compan!
has met this objection by offering tc
give the Postoffce ample accommoda'
tions in the building to be put up as a
railroad depot, until such time as the
Federal building is ready. If it Is
| properly represented to the Federal au-
thorities what an eyesoIe and disgrace
the present Postoffice building is, and
what vast improvement will be eff
fected by the erection of fine rail-
way depot, there should be no diff
Guilty about this deal coming off. BY
the time the Postottice moves to the
Federal building of the future, the
space vacated by it will be wanted for
the extending business of the railroad
company.
In preparation for the work of ex
, tending the line to Hakaau, the rail
road company has under construction
large quantity of new rolling sock
gasoline autocar is on order, with
accommodations or twenty passengers
1t is intended to use this for the I'M
provement of the train service on the
present line to Glenwood The idea
is to make Mountain View the termi
: nus for the regular passenger train'
from and to Hilo, travellers being al
Mountain View transferred to the au
tocar. This will appreciably shorter
the journey to and from town. which
will be great convenience to business
men. Should this prove success, thu
! run of the autocar will be extended
until ultimately it will run all the wa!
from Hilo to Glenwood and back.
The introduction of autocar trave
will encourage the company to extent
the railroad to the Volcano, for lint
f of light construction would meet all re
r. quirements, thus effecting a consider
q able saving in construction expenses
y Then other autocars VIII be added, an
l. whenever there is guarantee of te
n passengers for the Volcano specia
o car will ne put on the run. a tri
- from Hilo to the Volcano will then b
possible of accomplishment within a
e hour and half, without change or dc
lay. Moreover, when the line is ope
h to Hakalau, it is planned to run train
9 right through from Hakalau to the Vo
> cano, using perhaps an autocar of grea
IS power capable of carving forty pa
l. sengers. All of this is of course,
d the nature of looking forward; but
is better to look forward than bacl
ward; and it ought to inspire the pess
80 mists with confidence in the comm
greatness of Hilo to witness the fat
III of the Hilo Railroad Company in til
certain development of a great tours
and freight traffic.