Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1897-06-10
LETTER FROM HAWAII.
SPRECKLEsvILLE, MAUI, II. l.
MAY "a, 1897.

May "a, 1897.
ABERDEEN HERALD: Perhaps HERALD
readers would like to have few words
direct from Hawaii.
The great hope OF many OF our good
citizens, at present, is that Hawaii may
become portion Of the United States !;
or, at least, that the United States will
grant us the shadow OF her wing.
There has been considerable trouble
with the japanese OF late. There has
even been some talk of war, but no
serious eruptions is feared at present.
Some Japanese publications even threat
en- the United States il she is not careful
OF her actions towards the Mikado's en-
pire. We would feel sad to return home
and find the country ruled by Japs!
Japan would be greatly pleased to take
charge OF the islands, but at present she
does not find sufficient number of willing
subjects.
The Japs on Hawaiian plantations are
mostly.of the very ignorant class, and Of
the very toughest element. Last March
the Japs on this (Sprecklesvile) plan
tation took dislike to their interpreter
One evening about three hundred of them
collected, hunted up their man, and with
fists, feet and stones soon put him to
death. All claimed to have helped do
the deed. and seemed to think it was a
grand act. When three or four were
arrested and placed in Jail, large num-
Der quit work and proposed to get the
prisoners by force. The Jail was strongly
guarded and a gattlng gun made ready
for use. The Japs came to the conclusion
it would be best to let the job out; but
they said, "We do not see why others
should object, because we all agreed to
kill him, and he was Jap" Other
arrests would have been made but
another uprising would have taken place,
SO the authorities thought it best to let
them alone. The prisoners are now in
Honolulu awaiting trial. OF course,
they deny the charge now, and it will be
hard to prove their guilt.
We are having very dry season, and
many people are short of water. Some
have already moved farther up the
mountains, where rain is more plentiful.
If the drought continues much longer,
many more people will be compelled to
leave their homes. Brackish water can
be secured near the sea beach; this. is
not SO good as fresh water, but will an
swer the purpose. Many Hawaiians
always use it. Some Of their wells are SO
near the ocean that during high tide the
water nearly dashes into them. Wells
but few yards from the ocean may con-
tain water fresh enough for irrigating
Most OF the large plantations have bitches
extending to the mountain streams, and
many have large wells from which water
is pumped, so the cane has not yet beer
greatly damaged. But if the dry season
continues the plantations will run shor
of water in a short time and next years
crop will be greatly damaged.
Most of the mills are now running
night and day, and vessels are taking OF
thousands OF bags Of sugar every day
Some is sent to New York, but by far tho
greater portion is still sent to San Fran
CISCO 1t is surprising what quantit.
of sugar can be made in large mill il
one day. A mill the size of the one Of
this plantation can be made to turn on
seventy-five tons in twenty-four hours
Some OF the boiling pans hold twenty
five tons. The boiling season begin
about hristmas and ends in July O
August. N. f. LENNON.