The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-02-27
Franklin AuStin'S Plan for Rail-
ways on Hawaii.
development OF the ISLAND
Ten Years Ago and the Present
Freight Arrangements

Franklin II. Austin, native OF the
Islands. who went to the States about
ten years ago, is back 10 remain per-
manently. He returned from Hilo, his
old home. on the Kinau Saturday
night. Mr.. Austin talks very entertain
ingly on the-past and present OF the
big island and it's metropolis. and also
gives a glance into the future.
Il cannot say that the wonderful
changes that 1 found in Hilo are very
much of a surprise to- me. as they
might have been expected. Before
leaving here, some ten years ago. had.
in connection with a business had in
hand at that time, made n thorough
investigation of the future prospects OF
Hilo and surrounding country. to en-
able me to report these conditions TO
foreign capitalists. and IL is not too
much TO say that / had the forests
above Hilo populated in my magma
ton to even a greater extent than /
fHd today.
1.-THE coffee industry. which has
Sprung up around Hilo and along the
Volcano roads, seems TO be wonder
fully successful as far as they have
Sone. i do not believe that coffee
should be grown except under shade
and at an altitude above i 400 feet.
think there are sufficient indications
that coffee planted under any other
conditions will be unsafe.
The production of sugar in the Hilo
and Hamakua districts has more than
rrAt lAI -f. II rner 1x,,s IA.
gress then being made by these es-
tates, this increase, as far as sugar Is
concerned. might easily have been pre-
dicted. There are still larger fields for
the development of sugar in the direc-
ton of the volcano and in the district
of Puma, upon land which. to my mind.
IS entirely unsuited for coffee cultiva-
ton. Where coffee is now a success.
believe IL would be piece of vandal-
ism TO destroy the trees for the sake
of following the present boom in sugar
The point of shipping sugar direct
and bringing in supplies. which was so
strenuously combatted by the mer-
chants of Honolulu before went away.
as at last was inevitable, has broken
all barriers and made itself n neces-
sity; in fact, / notice that two OF the
largest houses in Honolulu have ac-
commodated themselves to- this neces-
sity, and established themselves in
Hilo. There is now at this moment
tonnage lying in Hilo. sufficient to-
transport 10000 tons OF sugar for ship
ment. as fast as IL becomes available"
What is your opinion OF Hilo's fu-
ture?"
That is n difficult question 10
answer without taking four or five col
NJ nf a -
Mr.. Austin. But the future progress
or what / fear may result in a boom.
will find its greatest point OF activity
at Hilo. That great body OF land lying
north of the present sugar estates along
the Hilo coast, as far as Waipu and
lying above the forest or the upper
part of the forest, on the side OF Mauna
Kea and including the vast plains of
Waimea, is all suitable for cultivation
and directly tributary to Hilo. provid-
ed railroad extension is properly
made. \ belt system would give the
highest efficiency to the railroad ser
vice and at the same time bring this
vast country to the highest state of de-
velopment. The belt line should be
First. along the Hilo-Ha-
makua coast to Kawaihae, thence re-
turning through Waimea TO Hilo. above
the forests upon the slopes OF the
mountain; again. a second loop or belt
should DE extended from Hilo through
Puma TO the volcano. returning through
the upper Oiaa coffee belt 90 Hilo.
above the volcano road. thus making
Hilo the center OF four lines OF railway
and giving the highest possible de-
velopment to all the area on the island
of Hawaii, which is suscep' ible 20 the
highest development. Spurs OF rail-
way should then be run at either end
of these loops to Kona from waimea.
between Waimea, Hualalai and Mauna
kea, and another spur from the volca-
no into Kau to Punaluu. This would
afford the greatest economy in rail-
road development in opening up the
greatest body of land that still remains
in these Islands susceptible TO settle