The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-08-21

Inc San Jose, Cdl.. baily Mei-
curry of Aug. 9th has athree- e-column
letter, illustrated, treating of the
Oahu Railway and the Eva Planta-
ton, written by the editor and pro-
prletor of that paper, Mir Chas. M.
Shortridge, from notes taken ON the
ground. The following are extracts
from the letter:
Where nature has done most man
seems inclined to do ieast. In one
of our letters from this verltable
paradise of the Pacific we made men-
ton of few of the live and progress
sive men of the Kingdom and prom
ised more anon. We SPOKE of sew
eral San Jose boys who are doing
nobly and earning for themselves a
high reputation for thrift and enter
prise here on the Islands. But prob
ably one of the most important enter
prises in which San Jose boy is
taking hand is that of the Oahu
Railway aid Land Company. OF
this extensive combination of brains,
capital and genuine California enter
Prise we find our old friend W. g.
Ashley acting as Secretary and Sup
erintendent. From our observation
George seems to Lave cast anchor IN
a most safe and inviting larbor. He
is not only finely educated and
wel-trained business man Of we'll
known integrity, hut hcl has found
running m:;te here who deserves
more han q passing notice, and the
two make great team. We have
reference to the General Manager of
the road, Mr.. B +. Dillingham;. He
is nothing if not progressive. He is
a pusher, a fearless, enterprisipg
business man, born leader of men,
hearted, good natared gentle
man. He has long been familiar
with the Islands and all their varied
industries. He has tried his hand at
several things. From the manage
ment of vast plantation to the con-
ducting of the largest mercantile
house on the Islands he has passed,
and in each and every one Of these
positions he has shown superior tact
and skill in the management of men,
and in the manipulatio1 Of cffairs
financial. To put it s,rtght and
modestly we can say, from careful
investigation, that in all the various
positions of trust and responsibility
Mr.. Dillingham; has been success.
But the dream of his life, the star of
hope which has attracted him and lured
him onward and upward for several
years past, has been the building OF
belt railroad around the Island OF
Oahu. To do this it was necessary
to combine large amount of capl-
tai. While Mr.. Dillingham; had been
quite successful and had accumulat-
ed a modest fortune, he was not
strong enough to handle, ,unaided this
great undertaking. 1t should be re-
membered here that everything frcm
the spikes to the engines and Other
rolling stock, including all the fuel
had to be imported. 1t is pleasing te
note that most of all this vast amount
of material came from the UDiteC
States, and largely from California
the cars having been built by the
Carter Brothers, Newark. His first
thought was to go abroad for capita
to help him in his great enterprise
He went first to the United States
and then to London, and laboret
hard TO induce men of money to Jolr
him, but without avail He returned
home somewhat disappointed but no
discouraged. He secured his sur
veyors and put them to work; bough
his right-of-way and asked the Gov
ernment for charter and SOM
assistance, both of which were grant
ed He lost no time in getting t.
work and in a few months actua
building was commenced, and ha
been pushed most vigorously eve
since.
The road starts from point il
the southwestern portion of the city
where the company has several acre
of valuable land which is smal
fortune In itself. Here they have
neat and commodious depot, larg
store houses, round-house and ampl
switching facilities. The road take
westerly direction and winds itsel
along the waters edge, passing i
and out and around the picturesqu
arms of Pearl Harbor. The land
through which the road passes her
are rich and very productive, vielo
ing large quantities of bananas. a
kinds of vegetables and many ton
of rice. The labor in the rice field
is nearly all done by Chinese. |
this occupation the Chinaman is we
come, for the labor is hard and mo-
disagreeable. At certain seasons
the year the fields are flooded unit
the water stands from four to 81
inches over the surface. Standir
in this mucky, muddy, slushy stu
the poor Chinaman labors hard ar
necessarily from early morn till la
at night under the burning rays
, the tropical sun. He is happy al
contenteG, however; he max
money; that is what he is there TO
his health Is sood and he is not prot
of his dress nvl vain of personal a
pearances. He is like the mule
nnrnn rnan.ntS and not unlike d