Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1880-07-10

S0h w AhRoltCu Nv ItdSOuaOt6
rate is that of Chinese or South
Sea Islanders. The Chinese is
much the better, but there is a
well-grounded fear in the native
mind that if encouraged to come
in large numbers the Chinese will
monopolize the labor and small
shopkeeping of the country. =
/ The Hawaiian Commercial Com
pany of San Francisco is by far the
largest planting enterprise that
has been started upon the Hawai-
ian Islands. Its promoter and
chief proprietor Is Mr.. Claus
Spreckles, the great sugar refiner
of San Francisco, and the contract
or for and purchaser of the entire
sugar crop Of the Hawaiian Is
lands for 1880. Mr.. Spreckles, who
is already famous on the Pacific
Coast for his wealth, business en-
ergy, enterprise and sagacity, came
here as soon as the treaty
was concluded and ratified. He
bought several plantations on the
islands Of Hawaii and Maui, and
soon had his attention directed to
large tract of Government land
on the island of Maui. This land
was an open common, seldom wa
tered by showers ana was only in
different grazing land for cattle
and sheep. With water this
almost barren waste could be
transformed into luxuriant cane
land, but no adequate sup
ply of water could be had without
constructing an aqueduct forty
miles long and up and down the
precipitous sides of mountains and
ravines hundreds of feet in depth.
The coveted water supply was far
up the side of the great mountain
Haleakala, in wilderness desti-
tute of roads or even of u bride
path. Great iron pipes would have
to be dragged over miles Of this
wild country, roads must be made,
and tents and stores for an army of
laborers must be sent up In wagons.
Few men can be found who would
be able and willing TO risk a great
private fortune in such difficult
work. Mr.. Spreckels was not dis
mayed at the obstacles which con.
frOnted him. He secured 10000
acres of the common at the NOM
inal rent of $500 II year, engaged
Mr.. Shassler, whose fame as hy-
draulic engineer is fast becoming
worldwide, and upon receiving his
report of the feasibility of building
an aqueduct that would carry down
water enough to irrigate 5000
acres of cane lands, he ordered the
works to proceed. They are now
completed in form that for solid.
ity and completeness will compare
favorably with and works of similar
character in the world. An improv-
ed system of irrigation is also
carried through the cane field.
Houses have been built, fields clear
e1 aud planted, and large sugar
mill, the first of several, is begun,
and will be ready for the first crop
of cane which will be cut next year.
The capital of the company is ST.
10000, but more will be forthcom-
ing ii it is needed. From the heal
thy appearance of the growing cane
it is reasonable to expect that the
product per acre will equal that of
the most productive plantations
upon the islands. One who is
familiar with the enterprise and the
plans of its owners and mana
gers estimates the product of 1851
at 2,0eG tons, 1882 at Il,000 tons,
aud 1888 and 1884 at $1,000 tons
each year, making $4,000 tons i'll
the four remaining years of the
treaty term. 1t is claimed that
with the improvements of labor
saving machines for cultivating
the cane and improved machinery
for sugar making, sugar can be
laid down in San Francisco for
two cents pound or $40 a ton of
1000 pounds. and that it will sell
for ut least $40 ton profit without
counting the RENTED duties. This
will give profit of SLIGO, 600 in
the four years, to which is to be
added the RENTED duties of $56 a
ton, amounting to $2,40S, 900. to-
tai profit of GA $4,000, or over one
hundred per cent. a year profit on
an outlay Of 81. 100000 Crops pro-
duciDg $1,000 tons of sugar per an.
mum will pay an annual profit of
$500, 600 without the aid of the re-
ciprocity treaty.