The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-19

plantations on this Island where cane /
loading was done under contract. that |
of the average tonnage loaded the |
cars being considerably less than former
ly.
The cost for handling and transporta-
ton of cane by system OF permanent ana
portable track on the Honolulu Planta
ton. and in fact on all the plantations
on this Island. has been practically of
the same proportions as the figures
which Mr. Ewart shows. The system in
vogue is exactly similar TO that of kila-
uea Plantation on Kauai. the transpOr-
tation being by mule power on portable
track and steam power on the main or
permanent lines, the loading being done
under contract at an average OF % cents
per ton of cane as against an outlay by
Mr. EWart of 70 cents per ton of cane.
have been able to gather from the fig
ures of the work performed on this plan
tation and that of adjoining plantation
that the average cost for the handling
and transportation of cane from the
fields of the upper lands where the con-
tour of the country is more broken av
eraged as high as Go cents per ton of
cane or $50 per ton of sugar The fore
going figures include not only the cost
of handling loading and transportation
of cane, but also the cost of the up-keep
and repairs of the track. both main and
portable meaning every expense connect
ed with the handling and transportation
of the cane inclusive of oils, waste, fuel
and supplies necessary.
| Like Mr.. Horner, 1 am an advocate of
| less manual labor and more mule power.
| Being awake to the necessity of labor
saving devices for the harvesting of our
rougher high larids we used the derrick
/ and hauled most of the cane by sleds
| from the more Inconvenience places, cut
| ting out over SC per cent of portable
track work and reducing the manual Ia
Dor some 40 per cent, increasing the mule
labor % per cent and reducing the actual
cost of loading and transportation of
cane from such lands by this method to
| from 30 to 81 cents per ton, including all
/ items of up-keep of track, locomotive
teXpense, etc. We devised an automatic
| sling to avoid trouble with sling ropes
and delays in bundliug which greatly in
creased the efficiency of the system.
Each sled had it's sling, and around each
/ derrick there was always one or two
extras SO as not to detain the mule
teams. The sling was laid loosely inside
Of the box-sled and cane piled in on top.
| At the derrick a man, boy and mule
were required. 1t operates like derrick
hay-fork, ana parts N the middle by the
pulling of a trigger when the load is
swung over the car by the jib of the
crane In doing this work we expert
mented on the length of haul and found
that from 500 to 1,o00 feet was the limit.
| " hen making longer hauls the cost in
| creased: beyond this, requiring more
mule teams permitting waiting spell
/ by the leaders of the sleds. While this
was a saving of from 20 TO % per cent on
| these lands in expense, we do not think
! the same ratio of gain would accrue
| from this method on the level laying
fields. as we were assisted by gravity,
| the derrick being placed so we hauled
down hill. However, the special point of
! interest to us was that we made saw
/ inc Of lal Of and
even if we Were not enabled to reduce
the cost OF loading and handling of cane
| by this method on more level laying
! fields, we would reduce the manual Ia
! Dor.
! 1t is the writer's idea. however, that
| ma chine other than the derrick system,
of much greater labor saving efficien-
| cy for the more level fields, will be de-
Vised. We found one advantage of load
| ing in boX-sleds. which We're driven be-
| tween the rows of cane evenly piled
by the cutters: this was in the nature of
the work. being so light that we en-
ployed all classes of labor. including
| " omen, and being done under day wage
we We're enabled TO do clean work, which
was not the case when the work was
| done under the contract system, Tor the
stringent conditions of labor would not
permit of it. We were not satisfied with
our derrick, the guying of same when
| on steep pals sometimes giving trouble
and delaying work when moving about.
! We have ordered from Fowler & Co,
| Leeds London, a portable crane which
can be put on a wagon or cane-car, be-
| ing a goose-neck arrangement, total
weight including car or wagon 5000 to
| 1000 lbs. The frame is of iron, with ex-
| tension bars running out from the sides,
acting as out-riggers and setting on
blocks. The jib swings a complete cir
Gle to a radius of 10 feet, lifts 1000 lbs,
l ,,Ia Of
clearance 1t has a cast !ron weight
which moves on the tail-barS of the
goose-neck shaped crane to counterbal-
ance the combined jib and crane, thus
requiring no guy-lines. The crane is also
fitted with automatic friction crab, self
acting brake and all up-to-date neces-
sary hosting and lowering devices. The
portable nature of this will permit of 1t
being moved about without unnecessary
preparation
| The conditions. therefore, that have ex-
I listed for the past two years have
brought about a desire for Improvement
! in the methods of handling and loading
of cane, and to so per cent Of the planta-
| tons on these Islands this has been en-
phasized during the past season No
cane planter can afford to neglect any
source of information or ideas that viii
throw new light or will tend to improve
the methods of handling and loading of
cane. The rewards and bonuses Offer
! ed by the Association has induced many
persons to devise, build and give much
time and attention to various cane-load-
| ing machines. Some of the apparatus OF
which models have been made do not in
any way cover the requirements. Many
of the machines are repetitions of old
established methods, and but few ideas
have come forward of any value. Some
/ two years past cane harvesting ma
chimes combined cutting and loading ap
| paratus, were talked of and written OF,
but today it is practically conceded that
no apparatus OF this nature can be de-
vised to fulfill the requirements, and the
whole center of discussion and thought
! has been toward the devising of cane
loading machines Those machines that
! have come to the writer's notice have
been in the nature of derricks, OF cane
carrier apparatu and in fact all of the
| M him. that haEa hean devised. either