The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-04-18
Commercial advertiser.
Rural Sketches
OF the 4awaiian ISLANDS.
PUULoA SALT WORKS.

Ma EDTOR Worn out and exhausted by the
TAX upon my business energies created by the brisk
business which has rejocei the hearts OF our ship
chambers this spring, determined last week ac-
cept the ho-pitabe invitation Of the proprietor of
the Puuloa Salt Works, and pass the next Sunday
with him Borrowing excellent horse Of a neigh
Dor, (gOod kind soul.) found myself mounted
the gallant grey. AID casting behind me OF not
thinking Of afra oura, which Horace declares always
i,iH post eIuitea, hut rather fel, as more in
keeping wi;h the true state Of my finances, like "a
beggtr horseblck.'' You will easily recall the
rest Of the proeerb Starting about o'clock, an
easy and pleasant ride Of hour and half found
ne at Pearl River, opposite the works. Making
signal, a whee boat vas dispatched from the other
side, aud quickly crossed in the same, four stall
wart natives acting my Charons- On landing,
found my host - hospitabe thoughts intent.
dy receive me- and after discussing good break
fast, M appetite having by suffered any
abatement from the Jracing ride. I set in COM
pany with my guide. philosopher aud friend =" to
view the premises
PUUIoA SALT WoEKs situated on the scuther-
u point shore Of Pearl River, at its entrance,
about II miles west Of Honolulu. The quantity of
land walled in and devoted to the manufacture Of
salt contains about 100 acres. The walls are sub
stantalIy built Of stone, Of which material there s
HI dOduihuCe OH tie pLtCt- Inc hiot % Nut uu-
Ioa tract embraces about 23OO acres. The portion
devoted salt raising Is used for the grazing Of
cattle aud sheep. The first signt which the
eye OF the visitor Is the mill and dwelling house,
which in close contiguity. The motive power
for the mill Is Obtained by large windmill The
windmill Is fixed solid and substantial frame
Of so feet in height, and from the upper gale
ries a fne view Of the surrounding country and
ocean can be had. The extent of the works can
be at coup d'Gd. The wind mill
sists Of fans, and Il 81 in diameter. Besides
furnishing power the salt MILL it drives circular
saw, usel for saving lumber required the place
and for other useful purposes which the experience
ofthe energetic proprietor CwhO IL a .kful mechan
ic) tells him are labor-slying in themselves.
Between the dwelling house aud the mill is a
raisei ditch OF baked clay. SD feet in length by
three feet in width, which Is intended be used
conduct salt water pumped by the windmill. u
large basin of about 80 acres of super
fcial capacity, and which is perfectly water tight
This is TO he covered with salt Of about foot
IN depth. then allowed evapCrate one half, and
afterwards the concentrated saline LIQUID is drawn
of into a larger enclosure, (the old works. where
it completes It's evaporation and becomes the
PuuOa Salt Of commerce From the watts it is
removed to a large store house whose dimen-
siOns / 10 by 80 feet and about equdstant from
the ulil anu SAT- FatS. II remains mere until
qure for shipment or grinding. b. pumping the
water by pumps, each feet IN length, and inch
es bore from cistern near the mill into the ditch
have described, Mr.. Montgo mery, the proprietor,
sccomPlishes double object. viz: he obtains there
by any time he wishes for his works, and
by the small reservoir holds supply in reservation,
which Is the time in process of evaporation,
and also Procures the salt the entrance
Of the harbOr than the with the old sluices.
He also intends TO carry iron PIPES TO the center OF
the channel which i about 10 E.thoms depth. and
sinking them close the bottom, obtain in that
manner n stronger iquii than he from the sur
face.
The lai IL a fine wooden structure, 50 by %. and
contains beside. the stones. Office, carpenters
shop. AMI good storage room. There two mill
81 inches through. and they make, when in ope
ration ISO revolutions a minute. The salt before
grinding be perfectly dry, and the apparatus
Tor drying it Is simple and ingenious. Immediately
in the rear the mill large frames. over the
other. the lower one extending about 2,O feet, the
one Immediately thar l. about $50 feet, the
lGO feet, and each decreasing IN Ike proportion,
On these frames sliding shelves are placed, about
- by feet in SIZE. and inches in depth, upon each
Of which salt - spread They then cut in the
sun 70 dry. Should a shower Up, they are
easily run back under cover, and when all are in,
they are one over another The obIiging proprietor.
IN order show your correspondent the m0ius ops-
randi. brought the windmill the wind. aud he
and did some fiIsftGHfs grinding in the salt line.
much to my satisfaction AMI instruction When the
salt Is suficienIy dried on these frames, it Is re-
moved TO mill and put through . a course Of
sprouts and comes OUT dne Dairy Salt, which de-
lights the san Franciscan and Honolulu ladies, when
put ur IN little bags endorsed - 5Ibs Fine Table salt,
manufactured and put up expressly for family use,
by Dtn'I Montgomery, PuulOa Salt WOrks-Agents,
NcRuer * Merrill. san Francisco aud OF which .
saw = large number % laying about loose - in the .
mill The midi has two sewing machines. which will .
sew each about so bags day. and which quantity .
the mill can furnish when required In ordinary .
trade winds the mill grind about one ton per .
hour. commencing about y o'clock noon, and grind
ing until >, or long the wind lasts Besides .
the drying frames which l have alluded to, the
proprietor purposes to his drying facilities
by devoting the upper floor Of his mill TO this pur
pose The fJor will contain about so tons Sur
rounding the dwelling house and mill, are spacious
shells for wagons, aud buildings for household OH
ces After examining the mill, &c, we adjourned
to dinner. and having discussed the fue miliet
raised on the place. set out 4 tramp around
the works. Before starting, Mr. Montgomery, the
proprietor. showed ne . silver goblet, on which
vas the following inscription 80 Prize Silver Goblet
awarded 10 e w Vincent by the h'yl Ia"si'An
Agricultural Society, in 1855, prem ium for b"st
salt This was when the works were in their IN
fancy
The salt works produce 1000 tons salt
per wear. or season Of SIX months in summer, but
with the extensive improvements pointed out to me-
the proprietor fully expects increase the present
Weld rs per cent These will be the natural eapa-
bilitie. Of the works and will be further extended
artdcalIy. by making wood vats around the present
ones and in time have every pound Of salt manu-
L. reserEIng all those now no !