The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-12-31

" u ID. mercer OF Edmonton, 70
10 Alberta, who has come to Homo o
10 lulu ito loaf" o
5000 00000000O000S
Good and permanent roads through
out the city of Honolulu, with plenty
of money spent to improve the condi-
| ton of the city to make it the "Para-
disc of the Pacific as advertised, is
the only way in which the army of
tourists coming to tins Islands will de-
rive benefits from their visit and ex-
| penditure of money, is the opinion of
| j. B. Mercer, who came to Honolulu
! last winter on two hours notice. Just
''to look it over,'' and is now making
his second winter visit.
! So firm grip did Honolulu s climate
take upon him that he purchased one
of the show lots at Kaimuki facing
Koko Head and is building upon it a
! beautiful home, which will be his win
I ter residence. Instead of going to
| Southern California, Texas and Cuba,
as was his habit in former years, he
has now formed the "Honoulu habit -
and is inducing his frieRds in Edmon-
ton, Calgary, and other thriving Cana
dian cities to come here.
81 will have fifty of my friends
down in Honolulu during the course
of the season. said Mr.. Mercer yes
terday before meeting of the promo
| ton committee at which were also
present Lester Petrie, supervisor-elect
and probably the chairman of the road
! committee of the incoming board; l..
! l.. McCandless, one of the leaders of
| the dominant Democratic party in
municipal affairs; "Sunny jim" Nc
! Candless, Hawaii S unofficial promotion
plenipotentiary; Ed Towse, who is a
municipal expert statistician, and sew
eral others.
Mr. Mercer talked informally on
"Good Roads as a Tourist ASSET
Criticizes Poor Roads.
| Mr.. Mercer, although now Homo
nlan, gave caustic criticism of the con
dition of the roads and the policy
which permits downtown streets in the
| business section to 90 unpaved, or at
/ least to be paved in semi-permanent
manner. The patron of store goes to
the place which is located on perma
nently paved streets, where he does not
| have to wade around in muddy streets
or turn up his trousers to get out OF
the wet. The retail district surround
ed by paved streets of permanent
character is the one which will get the
business.
Mr.. Mercer IS talk was along the most
informal lines but punctuated with pic
turesque expressions. He comes from
a section of the mainland which is pro
crossing, where mayors are elected be
cause they represent progressive anC
good roads policies, where there are
single tax laws, where the man who
puts up building does not suffer be
cause the man next to him fails tt
build; where 100000 yards of perma
nent bitulithic paved streets have beer
authorized by the municipal authorities
1.-The only comparison l can draw
between Honolulu and mainland
cities" said Mr.. Mercer, lis with those
along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts
where they make n business of cater
ing to the tourists and make a featur,
of good roads. You have a lot of peopl,
coming down here now, but not tentl
Of the number that will come when yol
have good roads and plenty of fine &C
commodations for them so that they
can find things to entertain them.
You have a climate that can't b.
beat in California, and that climate i
an asset all the year round. There ar
lots of people in Canada who can affor,
to come to Honolulu any old time, peo
pie who now go to California. Blu
you we got to spend money to get them
came here last winter Just by acci
dent ] had figured on going to iLo
Angeles, but said to my wife, Say
let IS go down to Honolulu and look i
over, and we were soon on our wa.
here.
That Los Angeles Method.
"Now to illustrate what tourist bnsi
ness means. Los Angeles has abou
400 900 people. TheS' figure on float
ing population of $4,000 people, who ar
tourists. Every man will spend, TO
example, $50 day, Figure it all out
, Some will spond 500 or 5000 day
Money is no object to lot of then
They get good crowd together an
they like to eat and give banquet o
big dinner,
- asked the clerk one night in
Los Angeles hotel what big Dime