The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-07-07
Clearing Land and Arranging for
Steam P0Vi
OPINION Of An INSPECTOR
Or. tAsxw sl,'s Report-BuiIdirg 60 Go.
irs Up-Mansger McStooker
ard His Force Active.
Hawaii Herald.)

1T is the finest soil have ever seen
In the Islands," said John Winter. the
celebrated steam pillow expert In speak
ing of Olaa sugar plantation. Mr.. Win
ter is the representative Of Fowler, the
steam plow manufacturer, and his visit
TO Olaa at this time was for the pur-
pose of investigating conditions and
reporting to the company the feasible
ity OF the steam plow on this land.
II have gone pretty much over the
whole tract since came here ten days
ago" continued Mr.. Winter, land
find the conditions entirely satisfactory
for the use of the steam plOws and on
my return to Honolulu will so report
TO the company. 1t will then be de-
cided how many sets will be used-two
or three. and the sizes. To ship them
nv water from England would mean at
least six months before they would ar
rive here, but as Oahu and Kohala
have recently ordered sets to come
overland from New York presume the
Olaa company will follow suit
AS to the soil in Olaa ! can say
that l have lived on these Islands for
the PAST twenty-five years and l have
been over nearly all the plantations;
I have never seen such soil anywhere.
I have read DR.. Maxwell's excellent re-
port and differ from him only in that
part referring to the lower lands-he
was not strong enough in his recon-
mendation. In my opinion you have
only to plant the cane there and watch
II grow. There's been a good deal OF
talk, too, about the temperature on the
upDer lands. A close examination
shows 1t to average 63 degrees. which
Is plenty warm enough and the soil
seems warm. In my opinion the lands
are all right and big crops will be
taken off,"
Peter MacRae, the head overseer, Is
particularly well pleased with the out
look He says:
"we are pushing forward as rapidly
as possible and will soon show results
Mr.. McStocker closed contracts with
three persons last week for clearing
1000 acres of the lower lands and put
ting them In shape for the pillow. The
contract price Is SIS per acre. We are
about closing with man for clearing
a large tract of the higher lands at q
low figure-yes! considerably less than
500 per acre, and the man agrees to
cut the wood into cOrdwood lengths
and to pile all stones out of the way OF
the pillow and II anything should after
ward appear in the way of the pillow to
remove 1t on demand. The company
would have good return from the
sale of the cordwood SO that the actual
cost Of clearing would be small.
I'VE have moved from Peter Lees al
11-mile to Mountain View SO that we
will lie in the center OF the tract and
In a better position to direct The
area of the plantation is SO great that
1t keers us on the go most of the time
and we have to keep hustling. When
the lumber arrives the rest of the
quarters will be built, as well as the
residences for the manager, bookkeep-
er and principal employees. We have
the force at hand and the work will be
pushed to finish"
Manager McStocker says he is well
pleased with the outlook and though
he has not had years of experience as
manager OF sugar plantations, he has
had sufficient business experience to
figure out results and keep down the
expense. Mr.. ,McStocker Is fortunate
in the selection of his assistants. Mr.
Clay knows all the ms and out connect.
ed with the starting OF a plantation
and Peter McRea is said to be the best
cane man on the Islands. Mr.. Soper
late head luna at Pepeekeo, Is said tC
be the best man for the position thai
Pepeekeo has had In years. Both hi
and McRea are familiar with condi.
lions existing on this end of the island
and will be valuable assistants to the
manager.