Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-09-22
CITY-PLANNINGTHATWI WILL
PROVE WORTH WHILE

The day is passing when Honolulu must de
velop like Topsy in Uncle Tom S Cabin--with-
out any particular forethought or design.
Topsy, it will be remembered, "iest growed .
So has Honolulu Jest growed." And for sew
eral years it has been more and more widely
recognized that if Honolulu is to develop into
an American city worthy of its surroundings
and of its commercial and social destiny. some
sort Of "city plan" must be adopted
The start has been made and it is a good
start At the meeting of the Municipal Re
search Club last night a report of great merit
was presented by the city plans committee, the
members of which are Prof. j. M. Young. Sena-
tor A. +. Judd and George P. Denison. The
committee had the very able assistance of Prof.
A. r. Keller, and the report as it was presented
last night was very largely Prof Keler's work.
This report, together with series of striking
maps, is to be printed, if the Chamber of Com
merce will undertake the task. By all means
it should be printed and made available to
every resident of Honolulu. In this compare
lively brief but Illuminating paper and on
these maps are shown pressing needs for new
streets and roads Here is shown the incubus
on civic development of vast areas of agricul-
tural lands well within the residential area.
Here is shown the necessity for building the
city of the future along some Explained line
that combines engineering intelligence with
appreciation of symmetry and beauty.
This report is not from the pens of armchair
critics or office-desk citizens. Prof. Keller, be-
fore putting down on his maps the lines of pro-
posed streets, walked over every foot of the
ground, studied the physical characteristics
of the sections that need attention. The others
who are responsible for this report also went
out into the field and into the highways and
byways. They know what they are talking
about And they talk because they are filled
with their subject.
In very practical way, this report is one of
civic ideals. 1t recognizes the financial, the
political, the social problems involved in adopt
ing a comprehensive plan to which the Hon
olulu of the future is to be built. No effort is
made to say the final word on the opening of
these agricultural areas, on the application OF
the new local improvement laws, or on the
building of storm-drains and road-surfaces.
The report is preliminary; it gives bird 's-eye
view of the Honolulu of today and suggests the
urgent necessity Of intelligent forethoughr for.
the Honolulu of tomorrow - s1zs
1t is hard for one who reads this report and
studies these maps to refrain from the most
ontspolen enthusiasm regarding the ideas thus
presented to the city. Yet it is certain that be-
fore plan of this magnitude can be carried out
it must be placed before the people Of Honolulu
simply, thoroughly, graphically and persistent
". In doing this the Chamber of Commerce
can be of great service
Before the city can embark upon the carry
ing-out of these plans the assent of the mayor
and supervisors is necessary. Candidates for
mayor and supervisors, sixteen in all, will be
invited to meet with the Research Club as soon
as the report and maps are published, to dis
euss the matter from the standpoint of Greater
Honolulu.