The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-04-03
CANE BURNED
Second Fire Destroys
Fifteen Acres.
SpreckeIsvilIe Will Seek Safety in
New Method Of Planting.
Kick About Mails,

SPRECKELSVIILE, March 2S.-A
second cane fire in eight days seems TO
verify the old adage that 'Misfortunes
never come singly." About fifteen acres
were burned this time; but as they
were rattoons only, it will be taken off
in half a days grinding. and the loss
would be trifling, did not SO much of
the cane burnt last week stand in the
way.
At first 1t was thought that a spark
from the mill had started the blaze, but
subsequent discoveries have changed
this belief 1t transpires that some
loafers from camp, who had determin-
ed to have "A day off, had hidden them
selves in the standing cane. People
who saw the fire start are unanimous
in the declaration that 1t commenced
at a point well inside the field, and 1t
seems to be certain that some OF TINS
gang started the fire by careless smok-
ing. Rice and other provisions were
found in the cane after the fire, and II
was evidently left by these men in
their hasty flight.
The protracted drought has made the
whole plantation like a Undertook,
and but for the splendid fight made
yesterday by the employees, large
field of cane and a long row of houses
would have gone up in smoke. The
struggle with the fire was exciting in
the extreme, and several times 1t was
nip and tuck. However, well organic
ed effort won the day, and hearty con-
CALCULATIONS were in order when the
fire was finally stopped with but COM
paratively slight damage.
The experience gained will be made
good use of in the future and no large
areas of cane will be planted without
alternate sections which fire could not
cross; that is, there will be ripe crop
in one field and a green crop or newly
planted cane in the next. Spre 2kels-
ville-this plantation-is swept by al
most constant gales of wind during
most of the year, and is, consequently
peculiarly liable to cane fires in sea-
sons of drought.
A special effort Is being made 10
grind off the burnt cane. Paia mill is
cooperating with Spreckelsyille, and
marvellous progress has already been
made. But a short time will elapse, If
all continues to go well, before 1t Is
all turned into sugar, and the eventual
loss will not be nearly as heavy as was
at first estimated.
SPRECKELSVILLE, March %
Steamers from Honolulu are getting to
be like angels visits, few and far be-
tween; but when they do come, and
bring no mail, as the Lehua yesterday,
it seems to be needless aggravation OF
the situation. Already it is common
for people ordering goods to reason
thus: well, If | order from Honolu-
Ia, goodness only knows when they will
get here!" Ten days and not even a
mail is not infrequent occurrence.
may as well order direct from San
Francisco and save the Honolulu
charges"
The Lehua is not the only steamer
that has touched here without bringing
mail. The Helene did the same last
Sunday, and there have been others. II
the Honolulu merchants don't care for
the trade of Maui going to Frisco, nc
more need be said; but if they would
prefer to keep 1t, they will surely i'm
press on the postoffice the ACCESSIBILITY
of keeping the inter communication az
frequent as possible. People here who
during the quarantine, imported direct
from Frisco, have been much struck
by the good condition in which every
thing arrives, not having been trans
shipped en- route and knocked about by
the freight smashers on the inter-isl-
and boats, and it does not need much to
prevent them ever resuming their pur-
chases in Honolulu.