The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-09
THE S|SAL-
FIBER CROP
Yield From Large
HaW allan
Acreage.
GOOD QUALITY
OF PRODUCT
II Can Easily Get an Outlet in
the Mainland Market.
Wsedon's Talk.

The directors of the Hawaiian Sisal
Fiber Company held a special meeting
yesterday morning at which w. c.
Weldon, the Secretary and Treasurer,
presented report of his Investigations
into the mainland market for the prod
uct Of the company's plantation at Sis
al, near Eva, Oahu, and presented also
estimates for machinery with which to
equip the plantation. Those present
were Cecil Brown, President; w. c.
Weldon. Secretary and Treasurer. and
A H. Turner, manager.
Reports were made at the meeting
Indicating that the industry in the Ha
waiian Islands had passed the expert
mental stage, and that in the neigh
borhood of $50 acres of sisaI would
soon be taken off, After the reports
were submitted and read a committee,
consisting of the Secretary and man
ager, was appointed to make certain
recommendations as to the machinery
and equipment needed for a cleaning
plant, the same to be submitted to the
nual meeting in February.
The Treasurer's report showed four
points of interest. First, that Hawaii
can successfully raise fiber to compete
with products elsewhere; second, that
sisal hemp is not likely to get as low
in price as in former years; third. that
conditions of land here, especially on
the lower flats, are unexcelled for sisal
production; fourth, the Treasurer be-
lieved that sisal hemp in Hawaii has
a remarkable future before it, and af
fords a splendid inducement for the
investment of capital.
The company controls about 5000 acres
at Ssal, Oahu, between GOO and 200 acres
of which are laid out with sisal plants at
the present time. The plants yield twice
a year, averaging about a ton an acre.
The prevailing price for sisal is good.
and the company expects TO realize well
on their investment this year.
Mr.. Weldon submitted a large amount
of correspondence bearing upon the price
of machinery, shafting. engines and
presses, and upon the demand for sisal.
In his report, presenting the result of
his investigations on the mainland, he
said that having previously sent samples
of the fibre to C. r. Dodge, the Special
Agent on Fibres in the Department of
Agriculture Washington, d. c.. he met
him at the Pan-American Exposition.
More samples of the local product were
shown him. the agent giving them care
full and critical examination, questioning
him closely to the character of the
soil on the companys property. He pro- |
nounced the fibre of excellent quality |
comparing favorabiy with any he had |
seen, and expressed the opinion that the |
fgl,
fully well adapted to the cultivation of |
the true sisal plant.
Mr.. Weldon made visit to the indie |
pendent Cordage Company of Toronto, |
Canada, and submitted TO them three !
different growths of fibre samples. The |
members of the company were well |
pleased with them. especially the tensile ,
strength when compared with some Ma
Mia fibre they had just received from the !
Philippines. The company expressed its
willingness to take the entire product
as it came along.
At Milwaukee he saw large distributors
of binders Irvine. and ascertained the
demand for sisaI hemp is far beyond the
supply and that all through the western
States the farmers prefer the sisal Irvine
one factory manager sent a report on
samples submitted to him for inspection.
that they were superior. At Cleveland, /
Ohio, another distributing concern for
Irvine We're much interested in the sam
pies SHOWN by Mr. weldon, and express
ed a desire to take the entire output,
offering a good price. I. o. b. ship at
Honolulu Mr.. Filter. prominent Phil
adelphia handler of Irvine, expressed ey-
cry confidence in the success of the local
Mr.. Weldon was shown sam
pies of sisal received by this dealer from
Porto Rico which We're inferior to the
Hawaiian product Mr.. Filter asked to
have a ton of the Hawaiian fibre ship
ped on to him that he might have it
worked up and ne could then determine
the true value.
As to machinery, Mr.. Weldon reported
he had visited several factories manufac-
turing fibre machines. He saw the Albee
Smith machine and made test with
some aloe leaves upon which il did very
good work; the leaves, however were ]
Young and green and the fibre undevelop-
ed, but the experiment was a fair one
He looked over a machine manufactured
IN Paterson, N J.. which he thought was
4 well-built machine, and he was assur-
I'd that the machines We're giving the
pest of satisfaction wherever used.