Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1901-11-30
Kekaha Sugar Company

In the category OF prosperous plantation
properties on the Island OF Kauai appears
the Kekaha Sugar Companys estate =. 'ne
place of the same name. 1t consists Oh
Goyernment and former Grown land lease.
holds under suitcase from V. knudseh Oh
Waimea upon shares. The first cane was
planted upon the lands In 1880 by Faye ana
Meyer and was all OF the l.ahaina variety:
H. P. Faye commenced planting IN 1000
in Mana, which lands latterly developed
into the most extensive portion OF the pres
ent companys holdings. ,.
The Kekaha Sugar Company, Limited
was formed In 1898 and now controls an
area of 1000 acres all planted In i.anaina
cane extending from kekaha to poelhaie,
a distance OF two miles and varying IN
width from one-fourth to threefourths OF
a mile.
The geenral character of the soil is deep
red loam black adobe and marsh iands.
The average annual rainfall Is so limited
that irrigation Is resorted 10. tne Supply
of water being obtained from artesian wells.
Two pumping plants have been erected,
fitted with the Risdon hgh.duty pumps with
an average daily output OF lSooo'ooo ear
Ions There Is another pumping plant, max
ing three in all. The cane is planted at
elevations ranging from thirty-hVe 10 ~
feet.
For blowing the lands two sets OF Fow-
ler's steam tackle are in use, although
some blowing is performed by ordinary
plows and mules. Here. like many plan
tations, the cane Ia ripe and ready for the
mill In from eighteen to twenty months.
The 1901 crop Is from 800 acres OF plant
and 1000 acres Of long and short rattoons.
In the cultivation OF the soil from 1900 to
1900 pounds OF high.grade fertilizer and nj
trate OF soda Is used to the acre, the latter
greatly stimulating the growth OF the cane
The total sugar output Of the mill for the
season of 1900 from 1108 acres Of plant and
rattoon canes, part OF the latter very old.
was 9017 tons. The general average OF rat
toons, however, is Z 1-2 tons Of sugar to the
acre. and Of plant cane IL tons.
The method Of transporting the cane from
field to mill Is by rail. there being main.
tanned some fifteen miles Of permanent and
three miles OF portable trackage, and the
rolling stock consisting Of 334 cane cars
with an average capacity Of 1-2 tons, six.
teen sugar cars and four locomotives.
Some $50 skilled and unskilled laborers
are employed upon the plantation most OF
the labor being carried on by day work,
with the exception OF the cane cutting. load,
ing and unloading OF cane cars, which are
done by a prohtsharing system. The labor
ers, In addition to their wages, receive house
room fuel water and medical attendance.
The company does not maintain a hospi
tai of its own. but contributes to the sup
port OF the Waimea hospital, the various
plantation managers of the district being
trustees. Besides. the company supports
the foreign church at Waimea.
complete nine-roller mill made by the
Honolulu Iron Work has been in
stalled, the rollers being 80 60, and thu
cane being fed through Krajewsk crusher
The hydraulic pressure on each three
roller mill is as follows. which varies some
what according to the fibre OF the cane, etc.
No. l MILL $50 tons; No. 2 mill, 275 tons
and No. mill, 800 tons. The mill is oper
ated seventeen hours a day. during which