The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-02-27
THE OL-AA JAPS
Causes Of the Trouble
With Them.
Rise in the Price Of Provisions -
Other Matters Of Interest
On Hawaii

ObAA PLANTATION. Feb. 1e.-The
present week has been one OF excite
ment here. and at one time there were
very strong indications OF a serious
collision between the executive force
OF the management and n portion OF
the Japanese laborers at Mountain
View. For several days the laborers
had been acting peculiarly, but no
trouble was anticipated. until on Mon
day last, when II came in force and in
shape that had to be met by deter
mination. On that day the laborers re-
fused to work after the ninth hour,
claiming that under their contracts
they were not forced to work ten
hours clearing land. The luna in
charge OF one gang, Mr.. Giddings. in
sisted upon their continuing to work,
when the ringleaders made rush upon
him with demeanor that indicated
bodily danger, and, being Joined by the
rest OF the gang, Giddings was driven
from the field. The laborers, enforced
by other gangs, formed into process
sion and, armed with cane knives,
pick-axes, hoes and clubs, proceeded to
make things exceedingly noisy and
threatening. Manager McStocker, be-
Ing informed of the state of affairs,
called to his assistance the white force
at Mountain View and in a short time
met the enemy and they capitulated
the subject Of their grievances to be
left to investigation. 1t was supposed
that this was the end OF the emeute.
but more serious was to follow. On
Tuesday the men went to the field as
usual, worked again until the fateful
ninth hour, and then they proceeded
to re-enact the scene OF the day before.
On this occasion Mr.. Giddings was re-
inforced by Mr.. Jones, but this made
no difference to the Japs, as both men
had to make good time out OF the field,
and the rioters formed their process
sion and started out to take possession
of the works. This time Mr. McStock-
er was better prepared, and the sequel
was that the Japs laid down their arms,
sixteen OF the ringleaders were arrested
by Sheriff Andrews and taken to Hilo
for trial on charges of riot and will be
disposed of next week. The ultimatum
of Manager McStocker was that they
had engaged to work ten hours a day
at such labor as he should determine
and that refusal on their part would
subject them to fine and imprisonment
He would give them one hour in which
to decide whether they wanted fight
or went back to the fields. They de-
cided to be peaceable, and the next day
and ever since meeker and more
pleasant collection of Orientals cannot
be found on any of the Islands,
The Cause of the Outbreak.
The trouble was the outcome of the
ignorance of the laborers. They were
all new men and their ignorance had
been taken advantage of by class of
Observation-Disclosures who had led them to
believe that they were being imposed
upon in the matter of their hours of
labor and that Luna Giddings was to
blame for 1t, and II they got rid of him
their hours would be shorter The fall
lacy of this was made patent to them,
and now gentle peace, white robes,
wings, and so forth predominant.
Olaa Water and Hilo Lights.
Hilo is in pilikia. Her electric lights
are on strike and it is no light one.
The manager of the Electric Company
being taken to task for this condition
of affairs, looked around for an avenue
of escape and the Olaa Company was
made to bear the burden. Says Mr..
Sedgwick of the Electric Company in
this weeks Herald: THE stream of
water tapped by the Olaa Sugar Com
pany has turned out to be of greater
volume than was expected. The ques-
ton of whether or no taking water
from that underground stream has in
terfered with the supply which usually
goes into the Electric Light Company's
ditch is unsettled" The benightea Hi
loite forthwith accepted this Sedgwick-
ian theory, and poor Olaa Is the recip-
lent of their wrath. Had they known,
as Mr.. Sedgwick did when he made the
that the Olaa Companyphas
not yet erected any fumes, has not
tapped the upper. or lower, or middle
Waialuku river, nor any portion there
of, nor tapped said stream for one drop
OF water, would he not have had to
answer some funny conundrums? The
fact Is that the Sedgwick bitches are
leaking; that his other conduits are
shaky, and that to put II on Olaa In adj
vance was cool way out OF a hot cor
ner.
Some Cane Seed.
Thirty-one mules for the Olaa COM
pany arrived on the Falls of Clyde.
A branch of the Sheriff's office is now
at Olaa and Deputy Hitchcock Is in
charge.
When the railroad gets to Olaa 1t will
be better able to help out Hilo and the
other suburban towns.
With rice and potatoes at SIG sack,
and -four IS, a sort of Klondyke air fol- |
lowed the snow on Mauna Kea.
Olaa has for a long time been ex-
ceptionally free of all plague and dis
orders and all the inhabitants thereof
are thankful.
The company has erected and viii
soon open large general merchandise
store on the Volcano road opposite the
Olaa postoffice.
At Mountain View the make-shift
shacks OF the pioneer period OF oiaa are
giving away to comfortable quarters
for man and beast.
A large mail for the States left Olaa
and Hllo on February 18th by the
Rhoderick Dhu and enough freight Or
ders for several vessels.
4, ,a.,N.. T. -. AL ns1.a.s