The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-07-27
CAPT. FERGUSON TALKS.
HE TELLS HIS SIDE OF THE
JAP STORY.
Says That Only Few Laborers Are
Wanted From Here-A Good Word
for Guatemala

de Janiero, went under contract to
Guatemala, a representative of this
paper called on Captain Ferguson this
morning at Paul Neumann's office and
was courteously received by that gentle
man. After stating that the object of
his call was to get further information
on the subject OF shipping Japanese
aborers to Guatemala, Captain Fergu-
son said
81 will tell you just what we are do
ing and what we intend to do. am
the authoriz d agent of the Guatemalan
Government for the purpose of procur-
ing Japanese labor for its coffee planta-
tions. A direct treaty is now being
negotiated between Guatemala and
Japan, looking to establishment of
Japanese labor contract system similar
to that now carried on here. As far as
taking Japanese from Hawaii is con
cerned, we only intend to send about
/ 50 in ALL of whom 68 have already
gone on. Thirty.six Of these went
yesterday These $50 will all be
picked men, the intention being to use
them for interpreters and overseers for
those who will come direct from Japan.
These men have all signed the contract
the STAR published the other day, and
will be paid according to its terms,
which are $40 per month, free steerage
passage to Guatemala and transporta-
ton to the plantations, free board and
lodging, medical attendance and med
iCine. Their contracts are signed by
myself as agent of the Guatemalan
Government, so they have a Govern
ment guarantee. When the new treaty
is concluded the Japanese will have a
resident Consul. General in Guatemala,
before whom future contracts will be
made Out of those shipped from
these Islands, those who pick up the
Spanish language and show an aptitude
for acquiring the business of coffee
raising will be placed in charge Of the
new corners and will, of course, have
their wages raised, in some cases to
$25 per month, in order according to
their worth. Each lot sent from here
is accompanied by an interpreter and
overseer, whom we pay SIS each per
month and board and lodging for their
families. The work on coffee panta-
tons is much easier than that on sugar
plantations. Guatemala in the next
ten years will have room for $4,000
Japanese laborers, and we expect 10
furnish that number direct from Japan,
We have had between five and six
hundred applications here, but we only
send the most intelligent.
In response to further question for
some information regarding the country,
Captain Ferguson continued: "Tne
,, principal business of the country is
raising coffee, although some sugar and
little cocoa is also produced. Accord
ing to Consul General klmberly's re-
port to the y. S. Government in 1891,
the country produces 600, 900 quintals
Zoo pounds to the quintaD of coffee,
valued at $40, 100000, in 1890, and
also a million pounds of sugar, The
country is the healthiest in the world,
except narrow stri p along the sea,
shore, from ten to fifteen miles wide
The sugar plantations are small and are
at an altitude of from 1900 to 25oc
, feet. Coffee is grown principally or
the western slope of the great range Of
mountains which divides the country
but in few years the eastern slopes
= will be also cultivated, the soil being
r equally as fertile. The population o
-, the country is about I,2oo,oo
, of whom half are Indians. The ex
! ports, principally coffee, in 1886
. amounted to I3,25o,ooo, while the
imports were only $1,000, 900, showing
a healthy state of affairs. Cocoa !:
/ being exported to some extent, and vii
continue to increase in quantity as new
trees come into bearing. In many
plantations the cocoa is planted with
the coffee, but it takes long time tc
E mature. There are two railroads il
S the country, one from San Jose dc
\ Guatemala, on the west coast, to Guate
6 mala City, the capital, distance o
, nirety miles. This road is called thu
! Guatemala Central, and was built anC
e is owned by Huntington, Croker, ant
r Morton, Bliss & Co., and everything
n connected with it is of the latest Amer
It lean pattern. 1t is the finest equipped
y road between the California Mexico
boundary line and Chill Two 63-toI
Baldwin locomotives have just beer
e added to the rolling stock. There i
n still another ro'd extending from
u Champerico, also on the Pacific side
to San Felipe, in the heart of tn
:. coffee district, about $500 feet abov
4 sea level--all coffee is grown there a
Il an altitude ranging from $500 to 400
v feet, a distance of 10 miles.
1 There are many fine roads connect
log the plantations with their railroad
over which the coffee is hauled in i'm
y mense bullock carts. In other cases
= is packed by mule trains either to
II wagon road or a railroad district. Wit