The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-10-26
Prof. Wiley Talks With a Ia
Wailan Sugar Man.
Earthquake in California;
San Francisco Post Office
Site-Oiher Items of
Interest.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. II.
THE HAWAIIAN CABLE

DdlOu NC Dddll, Oht VI lue DtSt
known and most progressive oil
French noblemen of wealth, is a
guest at the Palace Hotel. He was
associated for years with Cyrus W.
Field, and together they gazed at the
clouds of trouble and disappointment
that seemed to have not vestge of
the ail"er lining that our poets sing
about. 1t seemed a myth until the TX
clouds were scattered by the first
Atlantic cable. The whole world
ridiculed the idea of the men being
"foolish enough to put a string
across the ocean,"
The Baron is now enthusiastic over
the idea of laying the Hawaiian
cable. He says that the principal
elements to be considered in cable
laying are weight and strength. In
der ordinary conditions the question
of diameter included both of these,
and, consequently, in considering
whether it was possible to lay GER
tain stretch of cable, it was first
necessary to decide how thick it
would have to be to hold together.
The Baron ridiculed the idea of lay
ing the cable across the Pacific. He
said in the first place it would be
many years before such line would
pay from the fact that the Oriental
countries were sparsely settled with
men likely to send cablegrams. 1t
is practically impossible as well to
lay cable such an enormous dis
tonce without break, because its
weight would be so great. 1t is
possible TO cross the Pacific with q
cable if stops could be made at ISL
ands on the way.
There would be no trouble in lay
ing cable to the Hawaiian Islands,
and from that group to some other,
and so on across. Such short
stretches would permit the use of a
cable of small diameter and weight,
which could be purchased for rea-
sonable price. A project is now on
foot to cross the Atlantic in similar
way, going to the Azores and then
to the Bermudas before touching the
United States. In this way the work
can be done for the comparatively
small sum of 81 5000
Upon being questioned further
about the possibility of laying cable
TO the Hawaiian Islands, the Baron
replied that he knew little about the
physical difficulties in the way, but
that depth of sea made little differ
ence and the distance was not great.
PROF. WILEY ON SUGAR.
Mr.. John S. O'Dowda, manager of
the Wailuku Sugar Mill, on the ISL
land of Maui, Hawaii, who has been
a guest at the Grand Hotel, leaves
to-day on the steamer Monowai for
home. He has just returned from
trip to Europe and New York.
While at Washington, d. c., he had
a long talk with Prof. W. II. Wiley,
the United States chemist, in regard
to experiments he has lately been
making regarding sugar. He has
been using alcohol to extract the
saccharine and in this way he says
he is able to get 25 per cent. more
out of it, beside recovering all the
alcohol except l per cent. This is
saving indeed and will be of great
advantage to Hawaiian growers.
Prof. Wiley thinks that sorghum
will eventually furnish most of the
worlds sugar because it can be
grown so much cheaper than either
cane or beets. Mr.. O'Dowda thinks
sorghum would not flourish in Hawaii
owing to the hot climate. He reports
the Hawaiian sugar crop for last
year at about 10000 tons and that
1t will be much more this year, all
though the price has fallen | J cent a
pound owing to the duty on sugar,
and that it would require the most
economic management, combined
with the most improved machinery,
to keep the plantations going.
A LIVELY SHAKING.
The heaviest earthquake that has
visited this State since the memora-
BILE one of 1868, was felt Sunday
evening, Oct. II, at 10:30. No
damage was done in San Francisco,
it was much lighter there
than at other points. In Petauma,
at least twelve shocks were felt dur
ing the night, the last one occurring
at D O'Clock. Plastering was cracked,
door-bells rung and clocks stopped.
In Sonoma chimneys fell and people
remained in the stteets all night. At
Napa, the Masonic Temple was in
jured and also the Insane Asylum.
1t created a terrible commotion
among the patients, and many of
them begged to get out. Many per-
sons say they counted seventeen
shocks during the night. 1t was the
heaviest at Napa and Sinsun. The
heaviest shock was accompanied by
a horrible, bl0od-curdling noise, like
the report of some vast explosion. |
The vibrations were first from north /
TO south, then a twist or wrench of I
the universe seemingly, and coming
from no particular direction. All /
the rest of the shocks were from /
north to south. Many persons re-
manned up all night. /