Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-04-21
VISIT TO KOOLAU
SHOWS TUNNEL
WELLBEGUN

The Koolau tunnel project, where
by it is planned to bring daily 125, 000,-
900 gallons CT water from kanana to
the Oahu sugar plantation distance
of ten and one-half miles-can not be
appreciated in all its magnitude nor
can the many and almost insurmount
able distances that confront Chief En-
gineer H. X Bishop be realized with
out paying visit to the scene Of the
operations.
Saturday afternoon, at the invita-
tion of Mr.. Bishop, representative
OF the r-Bdlletin stood at the north
Mortal of what will be the three-mile
tunnel through the very heart of the
KoolaG range. Several hundred feet
away, in the darkness at the head of
the tunnel, six candles burned feebly
against the blunt face of the rock.
The stink of small hammers sounded
back through the tunnel, and as We
went forward, it was possible to out
half a dozen men in yellow slickers
working by the light of the candles.
At their backs an avalanche of wa
ter splashed from the roof of the tun-
nell Clink, clink, clink went the six
small hammers 1t seemed infinites-
nal, the amount of progress the men
in the yellow slickers< were making
against the stone, and yet these six
were carrying on relentlessly with
Eevetceasiffg efforts a great and a
stupendCus work. They were digging
a tunnel three miles in length through
lava rock and clay and whatnot in
ho nf a Yeaci-itnItr. M
| lau range. IT, .. ..~.... :
Man on the job. =. ...
A nIan-big in stature. powerful,
self-suftiCient in personality-came
forward 81 want you to meet Garth,
wither," said Bishop. 'He is the su.
perlntendent at this end of the work.
I'VE have struck blue lava rock
Carthwither explained with a jerk of
| his head in the direction OF the men
at work, and We probably won't make
more than few feet a day for
awhile" IT," III.
A few feet a day! This tunnel
alone was to be three miles in length
and there were other tunnels aggre.
eating distance of six miles and a
half. .s.-..
Carthwither explained the work at
length. I'VE have three shifts OF
men here working eight hours each, y
he said. Each shift is in charge OF
a Shift boss. OF course us use a
great deal of powder in shooting our
way through. Just now we have
struck the hardest kind of rock and
we have had to slow down consider
ably. Tomorrow we may get into the
clay again and go ahead quickly. The
rock may last week or longer. Who
can tell what We may run across in
the center of the EARTH"
Carthwither is superintendent Of
tie work at the north portal. On the
ether side of the KOOlau range, there
IS q similar portal and six men
similar to those We had already seen
work day and night against the face
of the mountain. There will come q
day, if plans work out satisfactorily
when the men on the south porta
will meet those on the north porta
somewhere in the body of the noun
tain The tunnel workers, when thi:
happens will be a mile and hal
rom daylight and fresh air.
Take No Chances
The tunnel Will be propped will
wooden beams where the ground i!
loose In all places it will be line
with cement. ~. .% H.
Suppose" suggested the repre-
sentative of the Star-Bulletin, tina
the props should give away and thu
tunnel cave in when the men are q;
mile or so underground?
That is what We are guarding
against answered Carthwither, AN
that is why we are taking no chance
. in making the props substantial an
, strong - ..-.=.
Carthwither knows his business. H,