Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-06-03
CITY NAY BORE tunnel INTO
k9lAAlU RANGE lIllG(IE[ Ig !! i WATER

aboard but Mayor Lane. He reported
that his e8mpanions were taking 9
trip In the Kahana tunnel, and socn
afterward they flied down the slope
u the rear of the works, having
come out or a hole seine distance In
the woods. .--'. q.
At the portal the workings Of the
air compressor, power drill-sharpeneE
and other machinery were interest
ing. On the way back to the contract.
or's Headquarters the train stopped Ia
give the party a look at the electric
generating plant, about which Mr.. Nc
Crosson had enthusiastically descant.
ed. Rain was then falling smartly,
and the negotiation of the steep and
slippery trail In the guleh was itself
no mean adventure. r..
A Pelteu water wheel of 400 horse.
power is operated by a head of some
10, 000,000 gallons with a fall of $50
feet through one, Of the huge dis.
charge fumes out Of the tunaeE This
plant was devised by Mr.. Jorgensen
ON taking hold OF the mighty under.
taking. in substitution for costly
gasoline power plant installed by his
predecessor Ht' is saving its cost
several times over in expense oi
working. Besides taking care Of, all
the machinery at the north portal, the
power Is carried over the lefty ridges
to perform like service at the Waia,
wa outlet, .... ~ 9a.'".,tts*,
There remains 1900 feet to be bored
from the north end to connect with
the rest ofssthe tunnel, and owing 70
the great volume of water now en-,
eountered this is4 proving the most
dlffieult part of the whole. The ma,
terial is blue lava. rock and the
dynamite charges have to- be ineased
in tin tubes. Also, for getting rid Of
the material, the electric trolleys will
shortly have to. be abandoned In favor
OF cable traction, the water now I'm
terfering with the motors though thu
track is elevated IS inches. The work.
ers are In water to their waists.
One of the things that appealed
strongly to the party was the scenic
grandeur traversed on the railroad
from the plain below to the works. II
was remarked that If the narrow
gauge track, with its various switch.
backs, winding mp 3 grade sometimes
OF 8 percent through a gorgeous for,
est OF timber and towering trees, re-
plete with rare parasitic growths and
here and there lunches of fern decor.
ating lofty crotches, the verdure-
clad mountain pinnacies surmounting
almost vnrfieal cliffs farming an In.
describably majestic skyline-if the
track were preserved and developed
into a comfortable tourist railway,
there would be no promotion asset In
the. islands which ceuid surpass 1t.
From the E53-fo0t elevation at the
tunnel mouth there is "a combined
mountain and ocean view of rare mag.
nificence, while the cool atmosphere
and abundance OF water are adinncts
of q summer retreat that would be
hard to duplicate.
It was a grand days outing. the par
ty had, from 8 In the morning until 4
in the afternoon between departing
and returning. Mr. Jorgensen's
guests were Mayor Lane, e. a. H.
Watson. a visiting tourist; Supervi-
sprs AHA, ATn0ld Hollinger, sHorner,
Logan sand Shingle, In iorder OF roll
CALI; 13T. McCsossen, City Engineer
Whitehouse. J. A. Balch, Robert Bick-
nell, Fritz Koelling and Mr.. FarrellI
They were invited to make another
excursion to the Waiawa portal OF
the tunnel tomorrow.
-. --r