The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-08-06
Volcano House May Be Forced to
Shut Down for Lack Of
Drinking Water.
CATTLE REPORTED SUFFERING
Maui Also Touched and Ranches
There Are in Desperate
Straits.

The lean hand of drought has touch
ed Maui and Hawaii as well as Oahu
and is causing much anxiety, partic-
ularly on the Big Island whore the Vol
cano House is threatened by an alb
solute water famine, where cane Is said
to be dying from the heat and where
the stock on the big ranches is not
only suffering acutely, but often dying
passengers on the Mauna Kea brought
some wind and woolly tales of what is
going on in the drought districts.
Oahu is having troubles of its own
and cannot afford to laugh The Jap
anese laborers in the pineapple district
at Wahiawa are on the verge of going
is running out and in some sections
has already done so. In many places
drinking water is being carried several
miles. The water department has issu-
ed n warning to the Nuuanu residents
as to the gravity of the situation there
and asking their cooperation in keep
ing down the use of the precious fluid.
1t is probable that restrictions will
shortly be put on and inspectors sta
toned about the district.
The artesian level is at its lowest
and it is stated by the photographic
experts that it will take several years
of heavy rainfall to bring it back to
its last years Level.
Reports from the windward section
of Hawaii county are not at all hope
full except for the harvesting. In Ha-
makua the absence of rain for so long,
it is conceded, will have its effect on
| the young cane. One man who came in
on the Mauna Kea yesterday made the
bald statement that the Hamakua cane
! is burning up. G. @. Kennedy, man
ager of the Waiakea Mill Company at
Hilo says that his plantation has a
lack of water in the fumes but his
cane is uninjured up to the present
time. The crop will be $4,000 tons.
The draught is felt the greatest in
Puma while there has been very little
rain in Hilo. Olaa does not feel its
bad effects as much as IL did some
years ago when II was compelled to
haul water from Hilo. Boring the we'll
at the mill has done much to keep that
plantation out of trouble.
At the Volcano House; all baths have
been stopped and the tourist has to
travel thirty miles to "take his tub. I"
In the Puma district generally the de-
sire for that which is next to godli-
ness is the signal to take up your tub
and walk.
1t may be necessary, thinks John
Detor, who also returned from Hilo
yesterday morning, to use the Volcano
House only rs stopping station, at
least until its tanks are replenished.
Tourists contemplating a visit to the
big volcanic pit will have to do ali
their sightseeing in day, which is or
dinarily sufficient, and return to the
Hilo Hotel, which is affiliated with the
Volcano House, in time for dinner. The
laundry work is already being sent to
Hilo. The Volcano House has now the
largest water storage capacity it ever
had and has bought another tank from
the Crater Hotel but is suffering just
| the same.
The Humuula Sheep Station Com.
pany's ranch and the neighboring
ranches are being hard hit and the
stock is suffering severely. Maui is
also having trials. The few showers
have been insufficient to bring any re.
lief.