Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-10-04
RAPID TRANSIT
CONF ANY GIVES
OUT ITS VERSION

UUl HU vLllUIUly
Declaring that il would be absolute
ly Impossible for the Honolulu Rapid
Transit & Lsni Company to relocate
their tracks before the arrival OF the
new rails and that to lay a temporary
track would cause not only 100 great
an expense but also be. a constant
source OF .Fosstbl. accidents, c. G.
BalIenbne. manager of the company,
gave their side of the question of the
Kalakaaa avenue Improvement pro
ject in the following interview: =.
Some time ago the Rapid Transit
vas approached by the road commit
tee of the board of supervisors as 70
what they would do relative to relocat'
ing their tracks. At meeting be.
tween the directors OF the company at
which the committee was present, q
resolution was drawn up, that it was
the sense of the directors that the To-
cation of the rails be changed to that
of a double track, center position.
Until the contemplated improve
ments we're definitely decided upon,
however, the Rapid Transit Company
was not in position to act further in
the matter. The question of the va
lidity of any bonds that might be
issued by the hoard of supervisors to
cover the work involved had to be de-
cided IN the bond suit n connection
with the Manoa yalle.1 enterprise.
Also protests in regard to the kala-
kaua avenue Improvement which had
to be settled before work proceeded.
''As soon as the difficulties we're set
tied, the aaapiG Transit took up the
matter of extension and filed with the
superintendent of public works an ap-
plication for approval OF a new rail
section much. heavier than formerly
used and especially adapted to the
modern method of street paving. AS
soon as the application was approved
the Rapid Tran sit Immediately or
dered the rails, ETC., necessary for re.
locating the tracks.
Had we been in a position to place
the order six months ago delivery be-
fore the end o. this year would have
been possible. but on account of pres
ent manufacturing conditions 1t is not
possible to get early delivery of the
material 5 According to adyices we
have received we need not expect the
arrival of any material until Septem-
Der, 1917, If then. 1t must be borne
in mind that we are not responsible
for the conditions in the rollings mills
in the East. a.. ........-. IL.
AS it is necessary that the opera
ton Of the Waikiki service shall be
maintained without interruption, the
sold tracks cannot be removed from
their; present position until such time
as the new rails are laid and service
IL In operation on them.
esAs to- the construction of a tenn
porary track, IL for financial reason
only, this is entirely out of the question
as it will cost from $4,000 to ST, 0O0
to lay it. There is, also a great risk
of accidents from tracks laid on top
of the ground, damages for which
would have to be. borne by the Rapid
Transit. unless the board of superyis-
ors hold the company. free from dam
ages resulting from such accidents.
sThe cost of Improving Kalakaua
avenue is about $4,000. which is d.
vided between the property owners
and the city. The relocation of the
tracks will cost the Rapid Transit ap-
proximately $4,000, which this CONS
many. has undertaken purely from a
pro bono pu5lico standpoint. and II
would seem, from our point of view at
least, that. it is all the people and
board should expect from US.
"The plans and specifications for
the Improvement of Kalakaua avenue
show a distance between curbs of Sc
feet, nineteen feet or which on eacn
side of the road is to have concrete
pavement and the 18 feet in the CEN
ter, excepting the portion where the
new rails will be laid. will be paved
with asphaltum macadam. The makal
side could easily be paved at once,
with half of the center, thus giving q
drive % feet wide which would give
the public a good roadway to and
from Waikiki until such time as, the
tracks can. be relocated and the mau.
ka side improved. Also the mauka
side at, cost OF from $500 to $1,000
could be scarified and rolled, thus
providing temporary thoroughfare
until the concrete could be laid.
There is no reason so far as we
can see swhy: KafAkaua avenue i'm
provement project should not proceed
and relieve the public of disagree
able condition of roadway at the ear
1tas,t r,ocofl,N. 5y,aoy,,o nf -.