Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1885-04-11
TWO- rom BENEFITS.


1t j. pleasing to learn tina, local effor,
is being put forth in the manufacture
Of lime This article is largely i'm
ported, both for building and sugar
manufacturing needs, and to an extent
that probably few OF our readers are
aware. Reference to custom house
statistics for the past four years shows
the average requirement Of the islands
to be ra,4oo barrels per annum. In
carly years, when labor was so cheap
that coral from the reefs could be
obtained readily in quantity, Honolulu
as well as other parts of the islands had
their lime kilns, but of late the home
article has been unknown. On the
Waimanalo estate of Mr.. James Camp
bell, near Nanakuli, on this island, lime
stone of such a quality is found as fur
nishes lime of such excellence for clarity
ing purposes that j, is given the prefer
ence over the imported article by the
Waimanalo, Waianae, Wailuku and
other plantations that have used it.
Much credit is due those who are en-
deavoring to utilize local material in
this manner
Stone for building purposes has also
been quarried from a portion Of the
same estate, and is familiar TO many
from its use in the ST. Andrews Cathe-
dral, now in course OF construction.
This stone IS not difficult to work,
looks well in its rough-dressed state
and is susceptible of a high polish
We have no figures of comparative
value Of similar imported material, but
from the amount paid abroad for tiles,
stone and brick every year-the
average since 1880 being nearly $ao,-
600 per annum.-it would seem to
show there was field for some local
claim upon this foreign drain During
these times. of cessation Of business
activity it is eminently fitting to ex.
anime into possibilities OF developing
local industries of whatever sort, since
it serves the double purpose of saving
the money to the country and makes,
probably, blade Of grass grow where
none grew before.
Some time since public attention
was called by the Press to the subject
of utilizing the stone available here for
building purposes, curbs, posts, etc,
and the several buildings that had
been erected out of home material
were referred to. For such stone as
could be quarried here readily,
machinery could be obtained to
facilitate the dressing, which would
modify the expense of building to-day
over what it cost years ago; and even
the refuse OF dressings would be ser
viceable in road-making. Enquiries,
with samples of stone, showing the
quality to be worked, submitted to
American or European manufactures
Of such machinery, would obtain in
formation as to the best plant suitable,
whether for sandstone or the volcanic
boulders of Kamoiliili. II the latter
could be utilized the double benefit
would be gained Of clearing waste
stretch of country and rendering it
available for pasture land, if nothing
else. The government might do less
meritorious act than to obtain such a
plant to use with prison labor in pre-
pairing the volcanic stone of this section
for its own buildings or other needs, or
for the public generally, and utilize the
narow-gdage railway on Beretania
Street in bringing it to town. As pre-
viously remarked, all the refuse could
be utilized for macadamizing purposes
on our streets. The stone might cos,
more per cubic foot than imported
brick, but the durability and other con.
siderations would, no doubt, more than
prove an offset