The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-09-19
FUEL OIL
FOR HAWAII
UnionCompanyto
Install a Plant
on Maui.
BIG CONTRACTS
ALREADY IN HAND
Oil Steamer to Arrive in February.
Tank Material to Arrive
on May Flint.

John Baker, Jr., manager OF the
Union Oil Company of California, arriv-
ed yesterday ON the steamship Ven
tura. He will establish in the Islands
a plant to supply fuel oil to planta-
tions which have decided to substitute
oil for coal as a fuel.
Contracts were made by Mr.. Baker
in San Francisco with Alexander &
Baldwin to install tanks on Maui from
which supplies will be drawn for the
Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar plan
tation, Paia plantation, Haiku Sugar
plantation and Kihei plantation, for all
of which Alexander & Baldwin are the
agents The power generating plants
of the mills will be modified at once
to enable the arrangements to use fuel
system of conserving tanks will be
erected on sites convenient to all the
plantations The oil will be conveyed
to the various mills and pumping plants
by means of pipe lines
The arrival of Mr.. Baker in the field
with a medium to compete with coal
in the generation of power for plan
tation purposes marks new era in the
development of the sugar industry. Mr..
Baker claims that on an average about
thirty-five per cent is saved by the sub
stitution of oil as fuel instead of coal.
This percentage is arrived at by an
average of the cost for fuel on the
mainland. Comparing the cost for fuel
there with that in the Hawaiian Isl
ands, Mr.. Baker expresses an opinion
that within a short time after oil has
been given a practical demonstration,
about fifty per cent will be saved
The magnitude of the undertaking
which Mr. Baker intends, establishing
in the Islands is of unusual proper
tons His company which is the oldest
in California intends putting on line
of four vessels between coast ports and
the Islands-two steamers and two sail
ing ships.
The company has come to the Islands
to stay and the length of Mr.. Bakers
visit will be determined by the delay
in receiving the materials for the con-
structions of the tanks. The first ship
ment of tank material will come on the
May Flint which will sail from San
Francisco on October 4, arriving here
about the 25th Several hundred tons
will be put aboard and there will be
three times as much more to arrive by
subsequent vessels. Mr.. Baker in stat
ing the plans of the company to an Ad-
vertiser reporter, said yesterday:
THE Maui plantations have decided
upon oil as a fuel instead of coal and
am here to commence the installation
of the plant The construction of the
tanks is a part of our obligation. We
expect to keep on hand q supply OF
about 10000 to 2000 600 barrels. This is
on the basis of our contracts already
secured This would be an average six
months supply. The oil viii be brought
here from California. We are the larg-
est factors in the oil business on the
coast and control about sixty-five pei
cent of all the storage We have more
territory than all the other companies
controlling in the neighporhood of 200,
600 acres. Further than this the Union
Oil Company own ninety-five per cent
of all the pipe lines in the State of Cali
fornia.
For the island trade we have one yes
sci ready to commence transporting the
oil and three others will De ready wher
necessary. The first vessel to sail fol-
the Islands will carry $4,000 barrels OF
oil in bulk. The steamer is divided
into compartments for carrying the
oil, although the skin of the ship is If
reality the outside of the tank.
Barring any difficulty in labor or
the coast we expect the first shipment
to arrive here next February. BY tina,
time we will be in readiness to receive
our supplies and for the plantations tc
commence milling and pumping opera
Itions with oil as their fuel. The changes
to be made in making over the boilers
will be inexpensive. There will be g
few slight notifications. There is nc
danger from explosions and it is fac
that every powder manufacturing con
Germ in California is now using oil as
fuel instead of coal.
Every beet sugar mill in California
Is now using oil for fuel, the Spreckels
being about the largest consumers Of
the product, the Santa Fe Railroad
coming next.
I'VE have made a long term contract
with Alexander & Baldwin to supply
the Maui plantations for which they are
agents. l will go to Maui soon ant
locate the tank sites. When the mate
rial arrives here we will send down {
force of about twenty men from Sa1
Francisco to do the work. Our ship
ping ports are at San Pedro Oleun
Ventura and San Francisco
Mr.. Baker is accompanied on hi
present trip by his wife and her sister
Miss Roller. They are domiciled at th
Hawaiian Hotel.