The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1895-07-17


Castle family, is devoting space and
time to show that the proposed
franchise for an electric car road is a
most patriotic and deserving meas
ure; and it uses barrels OF ink to
hide the niger in the electric car or
to paint him even blacker than he
now appears.
We are told this morning that
three OF the promoters have con-
siderable wealth. We are also in
formed that the rest furnish, il not
capital, at least experience. This
statement ought to settle the mat
ter and the franchise at once. That
three OF the promoters have capital
we do not dispute. That they also
have a "busted" electric car plant
for sale, we believe. That the Arm
strong Castle combination have ex-
perience in cable cars we deny.
Does Mr.. Castles organ really
want us and the public to believe
that James Duusmuir, the only pos.
sibly wealthy man among the pro-
moters, has signi6ed his willingness
to invest his coin in Hawaii for the
purpose Of bringing foreign capital
to these benighted islands and Civ
ing employment tn lot of Asiatics7
Mr.. Dunsmuir has an object in
view-and don't you forget it. No
sane man will believe for nome Mt
that the proposed cable car per Sc
will be a paying concern. 1t would
be too utterly absurd to think that
ears running in back streets and
side roads will be patronized by the
public even if swifter time could
be obtained. Here in Honolulu we
have got plenty OF time. We have
got so much of it that we are trying
to kill it all the while. What bus
ness man is there here who would
prefer the swift service Of the cable
car through Young street aud then
having to walk one or two blocks
in the mud to his home on B are
tania or King street in preference to
being let down at his gate iu the
car drawn by Paine's non-electric
mules' Is it possible that the pro-
moters can honestly believe that the
public is anxious to ride to Waikiki
along the evil smelling aud sc ,rch-
ing Kakaako beach rather than
travelling at leisure through pictur-
esque King street aud their admir-
ing beautiful houses, magnificent
gardens, and "your" best girl2
Ii an electric road should be de-
manded and the progress of the city
should justify the building OF it,
the work will be done by local capi-
talists. The promoters OF the pre-.
sent franchise are simply organized
to try to make deal.
Armstrong was taken in because
he was the editor of the Advertiser;
Castle because his influence with the
Government was considered great,
and his financial manipulating quail
ties had been shown 80 beautifully in
the Kshuku deal. There is now on
foot a scheme to transfer the pre-
sent Tramway Company into an cleo
trio road. The local capitalists who
control the tlectric Company in
Honolulu may consolidate with the
Tramway Company, aud the service
now howled for by Mr.. Castles or
gan would at once be esta ,lished.
That a movement to this effect is at
present going on is we'll known to
the Victoria promoters of the bill
now before the Legislature. If the
franchise is granted Honolulu will
have no electric road; our local capi
alists will be asked to buy out the
Victoria crowd (the price wouldn't
be much higher even If "Jim" and
the "old woman" were thrown in
and they would promptly refuse.
The promoters" will never be able
to build one mile of road but their
| franchisa will effactuallv block zuv