The Hawaiian gazette., 1897-03-12
H. HAcKFELD & CO.
Big Commission House-Its Fertil-
izer and Coffee Establishment.


lished by Captain Henry Hackfeld on
October 1. 1S49.
Captain Haekfeld was, prior to that
time, master of sailing vessel and
was engaged in trading between China,
Honolulu and the American coast.
Attracted by the business prospects of
this country, he, having married and
decided to settle down, left the sea and,
accompanied by his young wife and
brother-in-law, ]. c.. Pfueger, then
lad of 16, came to Honolulu.
Mr.. Hackfeld's business venture was
launched in the old storehouse next
to the establishment of j. T. Water
house on Queen street. Four years
later Mr.. Pfiueger was taken in as Il
partner. Business improved rapidly
and move was soon made to the
house now occupied by WAREHOUSES;
crockery store. In the meantime ex-
tensive shipping interests were built
up and branch office was established
in Germany. Mr.. Hackfeld bought
several vessels in the following few
years, and thus imported his goods in
his own ships
In 1861, Mr.. Hackfeld returned to
Germany to look after the business at
that end of the line, leaving Mr..
Pfueger sole manager here, From
that period the business increased by
leaps and bounds. Enlarging upon
their shipping enterprise, the firm con-
trolled the first steamer line between
San Francisco and Honolulu. In 1875,
the present premises were secured
from the Government and the business
was transferred TO that place. j. c.
Glade, H. W. Schmidt and others off
ciated as managers at different times
up to 1881. During this period Mr..
Pfueger made several trips to Ger
many and finally died there on Octo-
Der 5, 1888. Mr.. Hackfeld died Octo-
Der 20, 1887, aged II.
In 1881, Messrs. H. Hackfeld, j. C.
Pfueger and ]. c. Glade became silent
partners. At the same time Paul Isen-
berg, ST., H. F. Glade and John F.
Hackfeld, the latter nephew of the
original head of the house, entered the
firm as active partners. About the
same time a number of plantations,
among them Waianae, were establish
ed with their financial aid. In 1889,
Mr.. Schmidt retired, and in 1894, Mr.
H. F. Glade left the business and re-
turned to Germany
| In 1890, Messrs. Hackfeld & Co. be-
came identified with the Laysan ISL
and guano enterprise. This island is
practically covered over with a rich
fertilizer. The firm secured a lease of
the property and then sent vessels
down to bring the guano to Honolulu.
A station was established and a num-
Der of men were sent to the island to
get the fertilizer in shape for ship
ment. For a while the fertilizer was
handled in its crude state, but it was
soon seen that it must be chemically
prepared for the soil and efforts in
that direction were begun. The SER
vices of DR.. Averdam, an experienced
chemist, were secured and he directed
many of the plans which have since
been carried into effect. While pre-
pairing fertilizers for market, as best
he could with the, then, limited facil-
tiles, he planned the great works at
Kalihi, which promise to furnish ere
long all the manufactured fertilizers
required by the plantations of this
country.
In the latter part of 1893, Messrs.
Hackfeld & Co. and G. N. Wilcox of
Kauai organized The Pacific Guauo
and Fertilizer Co., having as its OBJ
ject the manufacture and sale Of
standard fertilizers. A site for the
works of the company was selected in
a tract of level land at Kalihi, bound
ed by the Oahu railway on one side
and the Government road ON the other
The plot was covered with kiawe trees
some lantana and rocks, and seemed
at first rifle uninviting for the en-
terprise. Ground was broken in March,
1894. Large gangs of men were put
to work. and soon the place was clear
ed and railway sidings where laid TO
the spot where the new buildings were
to be erected
Then, like Mushrooms in a night, "
the mammoth factory buildings sand
warehouses went up. The first one
was the three-story structure to &C
commodate the big acid watts. Next
came the mandatory, in which the
crude stuff is carried through what
seems an endless chain of machinery
until it is pulverized and ready for the
addition of chemical properties. BY the
side of this was built the engine house,
containing two of the largest boilers
in the country. Across the track, in
front, two immense warehouses were
erected, and another has recently been
built on the Eva side Mauka, front
ing on lanes leading to the Govern
ment road, are neat cottages, about
a dozen in number, occupied by the
heads of the various departments in
1.-THE works.
In about six months all the factory
buildings were up and the machinery
was in motion. In the meantime two
large cargoes of guano had arrived
from Laysan Island, and on this the
lstart was made The first year about
5000 tons of high grade fertilizers were
turned out But the demand was far
greater than the supply, and pressing
necessity for greatly increasing the
lcapacity of the works at once mani
Tested itself
Plans were drawn for arrangements
which would double the output. These
were submitted to Mr. Paul Isenberg
one of the promoters of the enterprise,
and had TO await his presence in the
country. Upon looking over what had
been accomplished, Mr. Isenberg at
once sanctioned the additional out