The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-05-20

Nearly twenty-five years ago, when
the late = c. Wilder preached his pet
scheme of betting the island of Ha-
vail with a railroad, people laughed at
the idea as being foolhardy because of
the enormous amount of capital it
would involve, yet less than a quarter
of century later the nucleus
of what will be the connecting
link of this former promoters idle
dream" is not only a fact but very
important factor in the commercial ac-
tivity of the big island today
To the untirtng energy of the man,
who i'm spite of the opposition of friends
and capitalists, built and placed on
paying basis the oahu Railway and
Land Company and kindred interests
on the island Of oahu is due the sole
credit of giving to Hilo railroad sys-
TEN which, while equal to any railroad
on the mainland, has been the means of
developing the richest portion of this
island, and making accessible to home
seekers thousands of acres of land.
There is no question in the minds of the
public that Mr.. Dillingham; has, in the
various enterprises successfully launch
ed, done more substantial and lasting
good for the islands than could or
dinaTily be expected of one man, and
there are few men today, even under
much more favorable circumstances,
who would be willing to step into his
shoes and go through what he did, even
to meet with the unparalleled success
he has won for his associates and him
self
The early Screenings and maneuver-
ings of Mr.. Dillingham; to interest capt.
tai were so numerous and varied that
many another man would have given
up disheartened and submitted to the
inevitable, but Mr. Dillingham;, with
his indOmitable will and keen foresight
realized and honestly believed that the
country would do all and more than he
claimed for it and return fourfold every
dollar invested.
The terms of the franchise granted
| by the territorial government to the
| Hilo Railroad. which was Incorporated
in March, 1899, permits of the construc-
| ton and operation of a railroad or rail-
roads anywhere on the island of Ha-
| wall and grants free right of way with
| all necessary depot and yard sites on all
government lands.
The road has been built and main
| tanned partly by assessments on the
stock and bonds and partly on the earn
| ings
Three months after the granting of
/ the franchise operations We're begun
! and on July the line was opened for
! traffic as far as eight miles or to the
! site of what is IN he tba hammer smear
mill and nIantation of tho islands Ear
! surprising the ideal mill. Eva Mill, on
! Oahu.
From the commencement of regular
traffic the railroad has paid from its
! earnings all of the operating expenses
! and interest on the bonds, leaving and
| HAVING IN, bond a nor s,,t,,I,Is
Tbasa bonds which o,,iginaIiv ,,ara is-
! eued nc needed fn,. huiiding n,,,noeas
hove hren cn,soIidatad onL r,ada i,,to
an issua of siv na, cent ten and TWEEN.
~ wears bonds fully secured of which
| arnount S566 O00 bave baan cold and
tha ramatnder xIa4 0Go is beld in th,
treasury Every dollar has been sDeni
for The actual COST Of labor construction
and material
At . recent banuIet tba following
tatement If its a fairs yvas made.
I'm mo matte. If anlnIo,r1ent IN.
HiIo Railroad Cornnanv has II, IFS ser.
vice 155 men and disburses annually in
wages = tribe more tban S75 OOO In the
sbnns as an tba railway a p,,,,ba,. ot
Hawaiians have been EMPLOYED and arc
doing well
Mr.. Lambert. the genial manager Of
tbe rop,nanv informs me tbot for the
wear ending Decembe,. a 1900 the com.
many CARRIED 10 3iO tons of freight in
1901 70 500 and I'm March 1902 & 427
The FIRST vear % 76S messengers rod,
over tbe line and in 1903 as 1O2 and th.
messenger earnings per mile was S5S3 10
| These figures win connnara favora hIy
| with tbnsa Of t,,or,s.o,,tinartaI linz, >,
The present dimensions of the road
are COMPRISED Of the foIIoying. HiIo +,
puma. thirty miles and HiIo to OIaa
seventeen miles rbe puma division di.
yerging at Olaa Mil
Ar Waiakea CSouth Hfo) are located