Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-10-01
WAIMEA BADLY
HIT With FLOOD
OF LAST week
Heavy Damage Done Property
and Young Sugar Cane
is Washed Out

# A considerable SecuOn OF tne IOWn
lof Waimea was under water all of
Hast Thursday morning and a part Of
THE afternoon as result of overflow
from the Waimea river, says the Gar
lden Island. The water in some resi-
dence premises. was two feet deep,
while in lower localities 1t ran as
much as three feet. In the roadway
| in front of Hofgaard & Company's
store in the center of the town, which
is higher than the region toward the
river, water was from one to one and
a half feet deep.
There was more alarm over the sit.
Euation in neighboring towns than In
Waimea itself, however, as evidenced
by telephone calls from everywhere
into Waimea for information. The
people of the flooded town had had
lsuch experiences before although on
a much smaller scale-and did not
appear to grow unusually excited
about 1t.
The food had three causes. First
was clcudburst on the mountains
several miles above the town, occur.
ring the night before, the river begin.
ming to rise in the early hours Of the
morning.
Second, an embankment of sand
which had been formed at the mouth
Eof the river by the action of incoming
waves from the sea and the outgoing
waters Of the river.
Third, an unusually heavy swell
coming in from the sea just at the
time the f1cod waters from the land
were rushing down.
Water rose to the top of the banks
by Z o'clock in the morning and II
was seen that an overflow was threat,
|ened. All the roadmen OF the dis.
trict were called out and set to work
at the perilous task Of clearing the
sand from the mouth Of the river.
They were successful at first, but the
increasing force of the waters from
both sides piled sand back again
faster than they could remove It.
The Gotanda hotel, near the river,
was the first premises flooded; and
from there the water moved on and
enguIfed the district back of the ice
works, the telephone exchange, the
Waimea auto works and Bishop &
Co.'S bank. Another flood stream
started up the road to the right from
the bridge toward the valley.
The water In the district around
the telephone exchange finally reached
such a height that it broke over the
road and flooded the premises of J.
Mcclellan and proceeded on down to
Hofgaard & Co.'S store, the square In
front and to the courthouse The
residence premises of George Bertram
and Deputy Sheriff w. o. Crowell,
across the road, were invaded by the
water. despite the fact that they are
considerably higher than the sur.
rounding country.
1t was about / o'clock In the after
noon that the water was at its high.
est and Waimea people seemed to
really manifest alarm. At that time
all the rice patches on the outskirts
and other low places we're filled and
there was practically continuous
lake from the bridge around to the
highlands and to the sea near the /
steamer landing.
After O'Clock, however, It was |
noted that the flood was receding and |
in a couple of hours more little water |
remained except In the rice patches |
and low regions
A gratifying feature OF the occur
renee was that not an accident was
reported the casualty list showing /
only few chickens and the like.
The rain which began early In the /
week proved unusual for this time OF /
the year all over Kauai; the heavy |
and almost continuous showers ex.
tending all the way from Hanalei |
around to the mountains above Ke.
ka1ia
Friday night what was probably the |
most general downpour to date Of the |
month started IN and Saturday there |
were very heavy showers all over In !
Lihue at times during the forenoon |
the water came down ii Hsheetsr and |
roadrner had to be sent all around 20 |
clear the 0ILcbee and other waterways |
II order thai the surplus might move
Cane is undoubtedly being injured |