The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-10-19
A Dozen New Places Open.
ed Up in Olaa.
.. Howard Hitchcock Ready for
Art Exhibition = Hilo Needs
Wharf Badly.
Especial Correspondence ]


Hilo is in the throes of boom.
When l visited the second city 13
months ago l said coffee was in it's eX-
perimental stage. l believe today that
the pioneers in the industry have it
practicable, and it may now be called
a success. Whatever Improvements
are being made here are due to coffee.
Sugar has not brought any more peo-
pie to the district, nor has it added
The changes that have been made in
Hilo during the past II months indi-
cate prosperity in business circles, but
one merchant told me today that the
turn in affairs is due more to the fact
that the people realize that better ac-
commOdations are needed than to in
crease in business volume. l leave
those who are familiar with the peo-
pie on the Islands to judge whether or
not any material changes would be
made if there was not more than mere
necessity behind it.
Take the hotel as an instance. 1t
was not only that the old building had
stood the sun and rains for 40 years
that it was relegated to the wood
piles of the inhabitants, but because an
increase of travel as we'll demanded it
If any one thing more than another
was needed in Hilo, at least in the
opinion of sojourners, it was hotel,
and this opinion was communicated to
the people here. Look at the result!
complete transformation has beer
made and visit to Hilo is made pleas
urable to the extent that one may re-
pose in good bed, in new hotel
provided with all modern conveniences
and be sure Of good breakfast in the
morning. The hostess, Mrs. Grant, is
genial even as she says to the late
riser: Its the early bird catches the
egg There's an air of cheerfulness
about the place that makes the guest
feel welcome and fills him with a de-
sire to remain.
Messrs. Egan and Ragsdale, two
young Californians, have just pur-
chased the coffee plantation of Bashaw
and Lund at the 22-mile post for S1S,
600 The property consists of 300 acres,
IS of which are planted and will bear
next year at profit. Some of the
trees even now have a pound of ber-
ries on them This is but one instance
of new settlers coming into the coffee
belt, and | am told that a dozen new
places have been opened in Olaa dur
ing the past summer. Far back from
the road, in some instances the Jap
anese are doing we'll Hoshina has a
fine plantation, and others are more
or less successful. These places, and
those as far along the coast as Lau-
| pahoehOe, will cause new settlements
| to spring up and become feeders to
Hilo, not as great, perhaps, but on the
same principle as Leadville was the
| feeder that made Denver wax fat
| Considerable interest is manifested
| in the tour of Consul-General Hay
wood. c. L. Wight and Frank Dodge
Americans here are of the opinion
that if coffee culture in Hawaii is re-
ported upon favorably by Consul Hay
wood, people in the States will accept
| it as authoritative, rather than as
boom. and will be inclined TO invest
their money.
Those gentlemen left the Kinau a
| kawaehae, and made the overland
trip to Honokaa III a blackboard. They
will inspect the various plantations a:
far as Laupahoehoe, arriving there
about Tuesday next: then they VII
come into Hilo to catch the Kinau or
| her next trip and do Puma for abou
three days. Before or after Puma
probably after-they visit Olaa
D. Howard Hitchcock will go to Ho
nolulu on the next Kinau He has il
new canvases. ranging from 12X26 tt
30x36, new studies and good ones. The
young artist has departed from his