The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-09
Takes a Trip Down
the Railroad
Line.
LIKES LOOKS OF
PEARL HARBOR
Visits Plantations in Speciat
Train and is Charmed by
Scenery.
II EARL HARBOR is a wonderful
- site for a nnrai ha co cnid nn

II EARL HARBOR is a wonderful
site for a naval base" said Og-
den II. Fethers, supreme chan
cellor of the knights of Pythias last
evening. Mr.. Fethers had just return
ed from a trip down the Oahu Rail
read in special train placed at his
disposal by Superintendent Dennison.
of the o. r. & L.. and had viewed the
harbor both from the train and from
the windows of Oahu plantation mill.
sixty feet above sea level from which
a most magnificent view was obtained
| OF the lochs, the river, islands entrance
and shore lines.
The narbor appealed to me as an
ideal site for a naval station because
| it Is so securely land-locked, and ap-
pareutly free from the force of winds
and storms The map 1 had of the
harbor and adjacent lands was pre-
pared by the government, and IT :ndi-
Gated the depth of the water at various
points, and 1 could we'll understand
the features which had appealed to
naval and military men as the proper
place for establishing the Hawaiian
naval station and surrounding shore
batteries.
1T will be worth to the United
States all it cost, to put 1t mildly. 1t
led me to think of what had read of
Santiago harbor. Pearl Harbor has "a
level land approach, however. while
that to Santiago harbor is guarded by
lofty hills on each side of the entrance.
But with ample coast defenses erected
on the land approaches to Pearl Har-
bor, Americas armored and unarmored
vessels Will be in a veritable haven of
refuge.
Il have had a very notable trip to-
day at the invitation OF Superintend
ent Dennison. We went out in his
private car to Eva and Oahu planta-
tions. and to the pumping stations OF
the latter. I have seen plantations in
Louisiana, but they are simply toy
plantations in comparison with
those here. The new machinery which
has just been put in at Eva interested
me. Aside from the mechanical Won
ders, what pleased me most of all was
the wonderful scenic beauties. l have
seen rice fields separately. and cane
fields separately, but have never before
seen until I came to Hawaii such rice,
cane. taro and banana fields. with CO.
coanut groves towering into the sky.
with their rich green coloring. all en-
tering the eye at one time, and with
such wonderful perspective of noun
tains rising in the distance. Then.
again, on the other side is the ocean.
we were able. by frequent stops. To
obtain an excellent view of Pearl Har-
Dor, and furthermore gazed at its
stretches of waterways from the upper
windows of Oahu plantation, and all
the various reaches and arms running
In from the ocean"
In the party which accompanied Mr..
Fethers. were Mrs. Fethers. Mrs. Der
by, Mrs Alvinza Haywards, of Cali
fornia Captain Kidwell. J. F. Eek
hardt, and Superintendent Dennison.
The distinguished head Of the Pyth-
ian order halls from GAINESVILLE, Wis
known to fame as a manufacturing
center Of farming implements, itself
located in a thriving agricultural belt.
Mr.. Fethers states. however, that
wheat growing has been receding fur
ther westward and tobacco raising IS
now one of the leading agricultural in
dustries Of four counties lying around
Ianasyillc. The statement that Wis
consin is a productive State for the
cultivation Of tobacco is somewhat sur
nrisfrr saws Mr.. Fethers, but notWith-
standing. the yield from it in money
,.,rs mn into the millions. The crop
r 1883 easily brought from $Io0O'V'o U
S, 100000 ,--
The supreme chancellor is an admirer
CONTINUED on page 81