The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-05-02
Commission Will Make
Tour Of Inspection
Today.
THE WAIKIKI SWAMPs
Plan to SIuiCe Earth From
Kaimuki to Low
Spots.
tFrom Mondays Advsrtlser.l

(From Mondays AdvertiseT.)
No time viii be lost by the new SAM.
tary commission, of which former Gov
NOR Carter is the head, and the board
of health in becoming acquainted with
just what is necessary for the members
to do in their joint attack on the
disease breeding swamps and pest holes,
which have for so long been menace
to the health of this city, and today
the members of the commission and
board will make tour of inspection
and determine just what spot to be
tackled first.
With the fund of $25O,OOO available
for the work to be done much can be
started and it is the intention of the
commission to look over the ground and
stake out its plan, 50 to speak, and then
proceed to action.
The tour today will take in the Ka-
kaako and Palama districts, but no deei-
sion viii be arrived at until after the
return of the Iovernor from his trip
to Maui. Before designating the first
swamp to be filed the engineer of the
commission will prepare an estimate of
the probable cost.
Pass Up Waikiki.
The commission has no intention at
this time of considering the Waikiki
swamps and duck ponds. This is a
proposition which is too large for the
utilization of such a small fund as
$25O,OoO under the plans heretofore pro
posed for filing in these duck ponds.
The Pinkham scheme was to dredge
a canal from the ocean up through Ka-
piolani Park and use the material dredg-
ed to fill in the low places. But one
of the deterrents to the plan, besides
the expense, is that much of this
dEedged material would be coral rock
and the lands filed with this stuff would
prevent any planting of trees and gar
dens on the flled.in land.
Since the bill providing for the pur-
chase by the city of the Palolo Valley
water rights, however, there has been
talk by engineers and practical men of
a scheme by which much of this low
land in waikiki could be made, not only
sanitary, but valuable.
Practical Scheme.
With the tremendous pressure which
the Palolo water could be made to work
with, on account of its high source, it
is believed that by series of sluices
an almost unlimited amount of dirt
could be sluiced down from the Kaimuki
hills to the swamps.
The plan as outlined is that at a
comparatively small cost a movable
sluice could be built to conduct the
water of this valley to one spot after
the other needing filling, and the dirt
from the road grades and banks IN
the Kaimuki district dumped into the
sluice.
The water would carry this dirt and
deposit it in the low spots evenly, fill
ing the inequalities until the place was
as level as a table. Then the water
and dirt could be turned on in another
spot, and in short time the first
swamp patch filed in would be dried
up, and as sanitary, as level and with
as rich garden earth as can be found
anywhere-ideal spots for homes.
Double Benefits.
In this way it is believed that much
at least of these Waikiki swamps could
be reclaimed at little cost to the owner
or the city, working in cooperation,
while the owner would reap a great
profit in increased values and the city
in better sanitary conditions.
This process OF filing in would be
economical, and while the plan has not
progressed so far as to reach the stage
where figures are named, it is, stated in
a general way that the main expense
will be, the building of the proper
fumes.
Prince Kalanianaole, Delegate to
Congress, is quoted as saying that there
is no prospect, at this session, anyway
of securing any federal aid in reclaim.
ing the Waikiki swamps, but he is en-
phatic in his assertion that something
should be done as soon as possible to
make Of this swamp land a residence
district by filling IL in. To date he il
in favor Of the Pinkham plan, but this
could not be carried ont without aid
from the federal government.
Besides investigating the sWampy
spots In Kakaako and Palama districts
today. the commissioners and Presi.
dent MottSm Of the board OF health
intend 10 make a close inspection OF
some Of tie worst tenements IN the
city Among these II Il rnmoFed that
the Magoon block win some IN for a
rigid inspection.
Upon the return OF Governor FreaF
there will be q meeting and AZ that
time u 4 expected that q regular plan
Or campaign viii be adopted for clean,
ing np the elty'a pest holes, tenement
houses and disease breeding swaps
ihe verse q whlsh Do beipesa lbs haT