The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-15


ETaylor yesterday, upon the results of
his visit to the Hamakua forests.
| He believes. that the burned district
Emay be reforested by the sowing of
seeds, as the fire has destroyed the
many noxious weeds which would 9TH
erwise smother the young seedlings.
The report of Forester Haughs is as
follows:
Honolulu. Oct IA, 1901.
Wray Taylor Esq, Commissioner of Ag-
riculture and Forestry:
| Sir:-I herewith submit my report of
my second visit to the fires in the Ha-
makua forest. This visit was made in
company with Superintendent Boyd and
Mr. Campbell
The first day, Sept 18th, we met Mr..
A. Horner and Mr.. Carter, who explain
ed and guided US through what is called
| the Finn fire and the Bee fire. Although
arriving there late in the afternoon Of
| that day, after having ridden from Ka-
waihae, we had time to thoroughly in
Vestigate the tremendous devastation
! that was being done by these fires and
! the great difficulties to be encountered
| in trying to check them. / say check,
/ for we are confident that those fires
must either burn themselves out or be
drowned by deluge of rain before they
are entirely subdued
| On Sept. 18th. we started from Ku-
kaiau, where we stayed over night. Our
kind host supplying us with fresh
mounts, We started for the fire of July
3rd. Mr.. Walker of Ockala Plantation
! joined US at C. Osbornes coffee planta-
ton. This coffee plantation was almost
| totally destroyed by this fire, and the
scorched trees standing withered and
dry We're pitiful to look at. We then
continued our journey toward the fire.
After travelling the burned district for
several miles, we arrived at the camp
erected for the men who are fighting this
fire. The method adopted in trying TO
check the fires is by digging trenches one
foot deep and from two to four feet wide
all around the burning section, and then
continual watching in case of sparks fly
ing over and igniting in the unburned
| section In windy weather great diff
Guilty is encountered and many Il little
patch is to be seen where sparks have
carried over the trench and started on
the other side. These in turn have to be
dealt with in the same manner before
they get time to spread
Mr.. Homer, Mr. Walker and Mr.. Car
ter have men night and day doing this
work. 1t is costing quite lot of money
but it is money well spent This work
is being done and the money is being
spent by Mr.. Horner and those who are
interested and who have been assisting
him in confidence that the legislature
will do the fair thing by the m and
imburse them for the money they have
been spending In trying to save the gov
! eminent forests The fires have been
mostly on government lands. and as
there was no appropriation to draw from
for such work, it is fortunate that those
patriotic citizens came forward and lent
a helping hand in the way they have
done. After visiting this fire we return
ed again to Waimea, intending to go on
to kohala on Monday morning, Sept.
23rd. On Sunday evening Mr. A Horn
er telephoned that fire had started in
| field of trash on the Paauilo Planta-
! tation, and that it had spread into a ra-
vine and from there into a field of cane
/ belonging to Portuguese burning about
| forty-tfve acres of cane, and that there
was danger OF it getting into the Louis
son Brothers coffee plantation. Mr..
| Boyd and 1 talked the matter over, and
| concluded that the best thing to do would
! be for me TO return to Hamakua, and
F! be present at the inquest that was sup
posed to take place next day. /, along
with Charles Williams. started for Ha
| makua early on Monday morning, AMI
| arrived in time to accompany the judge
and jury in examining the fire. Next
| day an inquest was held at HOnolSll,
and a number of witnesses We're eXamin-
| ed, but no clue to the person who started
| the fire was found 1 then along with
| w ]. Richard, visited the Honokaa
| homesteads.
A number of the homesteaders, who
I To bn nj rp
planting cane on their lands; others are
! growing corn, coffee and vegetables.
| They are suffering q good deal for want
| of rain. Between w J. Richards and
! Mr.. Horners homesteads, there is a mar
row strip of land left as d reserve Mr.
! Richard and Mr.. Horner, when fencing
| their own lots. also fenced this govern
ment reserve, and they are willing to
plant this piece of land with forest trees
at their own expense. providing the gov
| eminent Will give them the seeds or
plants. BY doing this they viii improve
| the government property. and at the
same time, after the trees get up, they
| Will act as a breakwind for their home
steads l think work OF this kind ought
to be encouraged, and every assistance
possible given to those who are willing
to do such work.
| Joined Mr.. Boyd and Mr., Campbell
| when they arrived at hoItt4tr anu W.
started for Watmea Valley. We arrived
there on Saturday evening and stayed
until Monday morning. The green and
healthy vegetation was quite a change
from the dusty roads and the dried up
plantations only a few miles distant
The vegetation here is something grand
and a bath in the stream was luxury
| that we could not ask for in Hamaklt
In our tour through Hamakua We visit
| al al rl.a ra13rlf4riDuS en- route. The man
ayers Of all these plantations are more
or less Interested in trees and carefully
| guard the rows of trees along the roads
| They VIII, when the weather becomes
suitable. plant more trees around their
respective plantations. and ! hope the
/ government viii assist them as much as
possible. in supplying them with planes
and seeds of good forest trees.
on leaving Kukaiau. where we again