The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-03-09
Hilo and Hamakua Railroad.

AAAO NAO
To the Editor Of the Pacific Commercial Adrertiser
In looking to see where the largest future in.
crease of the sugar product Of the Islands can be
obtained one finds that Hilo and Hamakua have
the greatest possibilities. In Hawaii, there are
many places not now considered OF value, which
would, no doubt. produce profitable crops, If there
were a sufficient number Of people, particularly
small pToprietors, to make it possible to cultivate
properly and economically. But as l said before,
the section where there is the most available land
for large plantations and where the most are start
ing is Hilo and Hamakua. There can be no doubt
that in these districts there are opportunities for
establishing some Of the most profitable planta-
tions on the islands. The great drawback all along
this section is the absence OF means for shipping
the sugar surely and cheaply, and getting without
delay the necessary supplies. At all the planta-
tons now in operation there is some sort Of access
from the sea, which is available in fair weather,
but at none is it possible to work If the weather
happens to be bad. At best, boating freight from
half a mile to a mile over rough water is a slow
and tedious not to say costly method Of doing bus
mess, and ought not to continue If 1t is possible TO
introduce any other means. Artificial harbors are
too costly to be thought of for a moment, and any
other structures are liable at any moment 10 be
washed away, thus interrupting business and de-
%strOying much valuable property. Now, there is
at Hilo a natural harbor, where vessels Of any size
can lie at anchor in all w~eathers, and where, by a
small expenditure Of money a wharf could be
built, at which the largest vessels could load with
safety and despatch. From Hilo, sugar and other
products may be advantageously shipped direct to
San Francisco or any other port, without first
going to Honolulu. Thus would be saved the car
rage to Honolulu and the re-shipment there.
The problem then is, how to bring the sugar
&c, safely, surely and quickly to Hilo at a cost
less than the freight to Honolulu. A railroad
seems to be the best answer to the first require
ments; the doubtful part is the cost. That a rail
road could be built through these districts, no one
who knows what has been done in railroad build
ing would question. That aside from the gulches
the work would be light seems evident. And the
nature Of the gulches is such that they probably
would increase the cost more by Lengheaiag a road
than by making heavy work necessary.
The characters Of the soil and climate here are
such that side slopes in cuttings may be made
much sleeper than is usual, without danger thus
making a decided saving in cost over similar work
in other parts of the world. There would be many
bridges, but as most of them would be of small
span the cost for this item would be much less
ehNA ~ NADNNANA " a. hhlDt VI
streams. The only large work of at all the a
nature from which we can get any idea Of the cost
of moving large quantities of earth, is the Maui
Ditch.' The writer is not informed certainly as
to the cost of this work but understands that it is
about $50, 600 for % miles. This, it is supposed.
includes a good deal OF expensive tubing but
supposing it to be all earthwork that would be at
the rate OF, say 1000 per mile. Most of the work
on such a railroad as is here contemplated would
be as light or lighter than that on Maui, so that we
may call $1,000 per mile a safe probable cost for
the substructure, and for superstructure, etc, GER |
tainly not more than 81 900. thus making a proba. |
bic cost Gf $l2 coo per mile. All these figures
have reference TO a road with a gauge Of not more
than 3 feet.
There are many successful roads with much
smaller gauges One very celebrated road in
Wales with a gauge Of one Cd foot eleven and one
half Cl1) inches. This is the well-known Festi- |
niOg X. X, famous both on account OF its success
mechanically and the part il has played in the dis |
cussion of the question Of the best width of road.
Some of the narrow gauge railroads built in
and elsewhere surmOunt grades Of 200
and 300 #. to the mile, and make curves with radii
of ll6 IT. With such things accomplished, almost
anything is possible in railroad building.
That a railroad would open up in these districts
a large and valuable tract Of country which other
wise would remain undeveloped and also add
largely to the value of that within reach of the
present methods, seems evident from the expert
ence of the United States in railroad building.
This result would Of course be highly beneficial to
both the Government and people Of these Islands.
The following is an estimate of the present and
prospective yield for this region. 1t is
made on competent authority and it is believed to
be within the truth. There are rseven plantations
to take of for the crop OF 1875, 1926 tons,
and in 1873 $500 tons. Besides this there is cane
enough planted in various small lots TO produce
3D6tons more. There are now starting, seven new
plantations. which will have a crop in 1850 OF
about l0, 800 tons. thus making for that year:
FROM old Plantations. 5000 tons
From new Plantations. -. ..............1 ii 600 tons