The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-01-13
HILO-HAMAKUA RAILROAD.

calls the fact that this was the crown
ing scheme of the late s. g. Wilder's
life, and that it was the opposition to
the scheme which undoubtedly short
ened his days of usefulness upon this
earth.
The practicability of railway along
that coast is undoubted Indeed at the
present time there is an almost con
tinuous line of rails between Kukui-
haele and Ookala. or practically
through the whole Hamakua and the
commencement of the North Hilo dis
trict, "A distance of about thirty miles.
At the present time the cane fields of
each of the plantations practically
touch ane another, forming an unbro-
ken ribbon of cane for the distance
mentioned. Each plantation has a
railway line to its remotest borders.
and it would take neither so much en-
glneering skill. nor so very much eX-
pense to join these lines together At
the present time, however. not all the
plantations have the same guage rails,
and of course that would have to be
arranged for. But the fact lies that
there are miles upon miles Of separate
systems of track in the Hamakua dis
trict which might be harmonized when
capital and energy come together to
WITTY the whole.
1t might be asked. if this is the case.
why some effort has not already been
made to get this line of track harmo-
nized. And the reply is that though
there are advantages, they are not so
great as to warrant the expense. The
sole object of line of railroad is to
reach Hilo Bay, certain and assured
port from which to ship the produce
of the Hamakua and IIilo districts. In
that whole stretch of coast, extending
some sixty miles, there is not a salts
factory landing, there is not spot
that at some period of the year boats
cannot approach. When there is a
northerly gale, as has prevailed dur
ing the last fortnight or so. heavy
northern swell sets in, and it is i'm
possible either to land cargo or to take
At OFF. The steamers have then to lie
idle in some sheltered spot, and the
sugar piles up in the warehouses till
there is not enough room to store it.
and such blockade may last for
weeks, to very evident commercial
damage. \ line therefore only from
kukuihaele to Ookala would be of lit
tie advantage. 1t is the other thirty
miles that must be bridged
The only harbor is Hio. That has
fine bay which can be entered in all
weathers and with its new wharf,
goods can be shipped from it at all
times. Given line of railroad run
ming through Hamakua and Hilo, and
the plantations would be independent
of the stormy weather, and such
thing as the S. S. Australia going off
with five hundred tons of coal as bal
last because there was no sugar, would
be impossible. The waves of the nor
therly swell might dash themselves
against that iron bound coast, sending
the spray fifty and sixty feet into the
air, and the planter would not worry
himself at all He would know that
his sugar was being safely hauled 10
Hilo by the iron horse.
Anotbar ,1y,ntnmo .b,+ ,.l1
gained would be that fruits could then
be cultivated in the Hlo and Hamakua
valleys. At present these are a tan
gle of forest trees and ferns, but they
are as capable of supporting "A popula-
ton of industrious small farmers, as
the steep sides of Kalihi valley, near
Honolulu. The only thing which pre-
vents their coming into cultivation ut
present is the impossfbiity of getting
to market. \ railway line will alter
all this and there will be as great a
change in those valleys as has been
wrought in and about the vicinity of
Eva since the Oahu railroad was
built. 1t may be laid down as an uH-
ION that facility of transportation
means prosperity.
The establishment of the Hilo-IIa-
makua railroad will revolutionize the
two districts, and will double the i'm
portance of Hilo. All this the late 5.
&. Wilder foresaw, and though he has
not lived to see it carried out, it can
be judged what an energetic, farseeing
was of many OF his contemporaries.