The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-03-21
HAS A TALK WITH B. +. d.
MISS FIELD INTERVIEWS THE OAHU
RAILWAY MANAGER.
Mckinley Law-DeveIopment- The Amer
lean Negro-Annexation- Labor
Future.
tChicago Times-Iierald.l

tChicago Times Herald.1
HONOLULU, Fet. 10. -"Scratch Rus.
sian aud you'll find Tartar" Scratch
a proc ressive citizen Of Hawaii and YOU
will find yankee. one Of these v n
KEGS is b. r. Dillingham;. who not long
ago was called crazy because he actually
induced local capitalists to help him
Luild the only railroad on this island,
and the third railroad on all the islands
The fret originated with another yam
kpe, 5. q. Wilder who built what is said
to b. the crookedest railroa1 on earth.
For twenty miles this iron, narrow
gauge snake twists and turns up and
down the island of Hawaii, tapping
sugar plantations and cattle ranges, and
bringing their products to the sea for
shipping. When Mr.. Wilder died a
deal of intelligent energy was lost to
this country.
Born on Cape Cod, sailing before the
,nest to- ia-s Of tho ssa, captured Wy tho
Florida off Brazil in 1868. and experien.
cling all the hardships OF n prisoner of
war when mere lad. Dillingham; per.
sisted in a life on the ocean wave, until
fate lured him to Honolulu, where he
anchored in 1869, and has resided ever
since, engaging in mercantile business.
In 1885 Mr.. Dillingham; secured rail.
road franchise, issued and sold bonds at
par to build the first fifteen miles, and
invested every dollar in the enterprise,
the limit Of the issue being $500, 600
When sufficient land was acquired to
exceed in value double the amount of
the bonds already taken, second mort.
gage bonds were put on the market.
This sort of financierit is not frequent,
mores the pitt.
EFFECT OF THE MCKINLEY LAW.
A town site was laid out on Pearl
Harbor, grent deal Of land was sold
and every p aspect pleased until the
passage of the Mckinley bill in 1890
Then everybody felt that the bottom
had dropped our Of everything. Passen-
ger traffic on this baby railroad fell
steadily like a barometer for several
years, sales OF land ceased. sugar plant
ers dreamed of bankruptcy and poverty
was the universal cry.
Gould you have built your road after
the passage of the Mckinley bill?"
asked Mr.. Dillingham; few days ago
we COulu nOt nave Tutseu tf1t
money" was the reply. There were
three large plantations started just be-
fore the passage of that act-Makaweli,
Eva and Kahuku. They had invested
about "a ,000, 600, this railroad cost an.
other 81 900, 900, making 80, 600 200. All
started within a year previous to the
passage of the Mckinley bill. The
money could not be withdrawn without
entailing great loss, and yet to go ahead
seemed almost like certain failure"
"Why was your road considered i'm
practicable by most critics."
"Well there were not very many peo-
pie living on the whole island. The
recent census taken during the cholera
epidemic showed 2S,000 in Honolulu.
There are probably 81, 900 on the island
today. At that time Eva plantation
was not started. People did not believe
in that enterprise. They said it would
not be profitable to pump water for
irrigation. The lands were thought only
fit for ranching purposes. and. therefore,
there would be but Little for a railroad
to live upon"
RAILROADS AS DEVELOPERS.
"What was your argument?'
That the railroad would reach all
the valuable arabic land on this island
that there were thousands of acres thai
could be brought under cultivation and
made highly profitable. and that the
products of the soil along the line OF
the read would make lucrative bust
ness. But the road must be built
first; that is the history of all railroads.
II is necessary to have the means Of
transportation before the country can
I L.. 1..I "A.
Kinley bill had not been passed every
bond would have been taken up before
now, through the sale of lands and the
business of the road, and we would
have had the road paid for. We dat,
everything here from the passage of the
Mckinley bill. 1t is like Washington's
birthday or the Fourth of July. l am
tired Of hearing and talking of it. but it
is nevertheless true that all business in.
terests declined and went from bad to
worse until recently, when a change OF
policy gave promise of relief.
"The source of income to the country
was cut off to the extent of from 3d.
10000 to $5 ,000,0 900, very large
amount for so small population. But
this country has held its own, and has
withstood this blow, along with revolu-
tons and disturbances since 1887, until
now we are beginning to reap some of
the benefits that come from adversely
/ We have learned to economize in many
ways that we did not understand be
fore; we have learned to make sugar for
about one half what it cost ten years
ago. During the last eighteen months
we have been favored with abundant
rainfall and weather suitable for grow.
ing cane. The crop this year promises
remarkably we'll"
EXTENSIONS OF THE ROAD PLANNED.
what is the condition of your road
now"
Il have not been disappointed in an,
Of the plans or ca culations | made in
regard to the result Of opening up this
C untry with the railroad. The fifteen
miles built last year is a success finan-
cially. The further extension of the
road to Kshuku, taking in all the pas
senger traffic and freight, will make it
a very prosperous road"
DO you intend to go around the
island?"
1--WE may, ultimately, but the presen,
intention is TO make an extension t.
Waialua of twenty-four miles. We will
then make another extension, taking il
more business"
"Will that get your road around tn,
islandf'
mo. 1t IL about 1877 miles around the
island. The last extension will make
the entire length of the road from
eighty to ninety, possibly 100 miles. Al
present we are not thinking of making
the entire circuit. 1t will depend upon
how much support we get. There is b
population of about 1000 on the wind
ward side of the island"
RESOURCES OF THE ISLAND.
"What is the plain good for between
the two ranges Of mountains that skiri