Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-06-03
CITY NAY BORE TUNNEL INTO
KQ0LAlJ RANGE OGET WATER

aboard but Mayor Lane. He reported
that his companions were taking q
trip in the Kahana tunnel, and sbon
afterward they filed down the slope
to the rear Of the works, having
come out OF hole some distance in
the woods. .
At the portal the workings of the
air compressor, power drill-sharpener
and other machinery were interest.
ing. On the way back to the contract.
oris headquarters the train stopped to
give the party a look at the electric
generating plant, about which Mr.. Me-
Crosson had enthusiastically descant.
ed Rain was then falling smartly,
and the negotiation of the steep and
slippery trail In the gulch was itself
no mean adventure. s--.-- 80.
! A Pelton water wheel of 400 horse
power is operated by head Of some
( 10000, 900 gallons with a fall of $50
| feet through one OF the huge dis
charge fumes out of the tunnel. This
plant was devised by Mr.. Jorgensen
taking, in substitution for a costly
gasoline power. plant installed by his
predecessor. 1t Is saving it's cost
several times over in expense. OF
working BESIDES taking care OF all
the machinery at the north portal, the
! power Is carried over the lofty ridges
to perform ike service at the Waia,
wa outlet =. ~
I There remains 1900 feet to be bored
/ from the north end to connect with
/ the rest OF the tunnel, and owing to
the great volume of water now en-
countered this Is proving the most
difficult part OF the whole. The ma,
terial is blue lava rock and the
dynamite charges have to be incased
in tin tubes. Also. for getting rid oil
the material, the electric trolleys viii
shortly have to be abandoned in favor
Isof cable traction, the water now In
terfering with the motors though tia
tract Is elevated Is inches. The work
ers are in water. to their waists.
One iof the things that appealed
strongly to the party was the scenic
grandeur trayersed 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 up grade sometimes
OF 8 per cent through gorgeous for
est of timber and Towering trees, re
plete with rare parasitic growths aht
here and there punches OF fern decor
ating lofty crotches, the verdure
clad mountain pinnacles surmouhtinI
almost vertical cliffs forming an in
describably majestic skyline--if tn,
4 track were preserved and developed
into a comfortable tourist railway
there would be no promotion asset il
i the, islands which could surpass II
From the 753-foot elevation at tn,
tunnel mouth there Is a combinet
mountain and ocean view OF rare mag
4 nificence. while the cool atmospher,
and abundance of water are adjunct.
q of summer retreat that would b
hard to duplicate.
1t was a grand days outing the par
ty had from 9 in the morning until
4 in the AFTERNOON between departinI
and returning. Mr., Jergensenl
s guests were Mayor Lane, E. a. H
Watson, a visiting tourist; Superb
sors AHA, Arnold, Hollinger, Horner
Logan and Single, in order OF roI
Fcafl; ,. T. McCrosson, City Engineei
Whitehouse, j. A.. Batch, Robert Bick
nell, Fritz Koelling and Mr. Farrell
They were invited to make anothel
! excursion to the sWaiawa portal o
the tunnel tomorrow.