Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-06-04
HAS
SUGGESTION FOR
FRONTAGE TAX
James T. Taylor Urges Careful
Study of Varied Lines of
Data on improvements

James T. Taylor, strongly favored
by some of the supervisors as city and
county engineer to succeed L. NJ.
Whitehouse, has some interesting
ideas on the much-d1scussed subject
Of the frontage tax for street improve
ment. His ideas are set forth as fol-
lows: - - 1
From the engineers point of view,
the application of Act 81, an act pro-
yiding for payment by special assess
ment Of the entire or partial cost Of
the opening or widening of streets In
the city and county Of Honolulu and
of Act 131, an act empowering the city
and county of Honolulu to provide for
certain improvements on and upon
the streets, alleys and other highways
in the district of Honolulu, and for
such purposes to levy and assess the
cost thereof on and collect the same
from the property benefited by such
improvements, and to issue and sell
bonds with such assessments as Sc
curity, requires careful study of the
entire situation as to roads and high
ways, especially the following sub
jects-all of which are important.
l. The special area or district to
be improved
2. Drainage-Including sewers as
we'll as storm drains.
3. Alignment-Fixing width Of
streets and sidewalks.
4. Grades - Present and future
grades for the proper plans of drain
age and sewerage.
S. Maps of alignment and p1pfiles
of grades.
6. Plans and specifications and
maps, showing character Of improve
ments and quality Of materials.
q. Estimates of cost.
8. Maintenance (after compile
tom.
In order to arrive at wise and safe
conclusions from an engineering
standpoint comprehensive plan must
be outlined, based upon a -topographl-
cal or contour map of the special
areas or districts to be improved
This requires the obtaining and conf
piling Of the necessary data which in
cludes a complete line of levels show
tum of a system of bench marks.
Thus it will be seen that road i'm
provements mean that the engineer
has great responsibility placed upon
him in performing the engineering
work and upon his ability and advice
and supervision largely depends the
success of the improvements.
The keeping of detailed cost data is
very important part Of the engineers
duty on all public improvements and
especially in road work.
Upon the completion of any import
ant construction work. complete re-
port of the same should be made, and
published, and filed for future refer
ence.
The engineer should be given full
authority in his department, and a
free hand in carrying out his work.
Politics must be eliminated TO en-
able the engineer to direct his work
in accordance with good engineering
practice. ,....s. So q.
The available materials for the con-
struction of roads is limited in the
city and county of Honolulu to wood
en- blocks, crushed rock, sand, cement
and the various combinations of bitum
.inous materials, and oils.
The current records on road inn
proyement show that at the present
time more miles of road improvements
are being made or constructed with q
concrete base, and bitnminous mater
ials for the surface than all other ma,
terials.
IN view Of the special need Of OBJ
tanning satisfactory conditions as to
materials.