Evening star., 1902-04-11
Development of Hawaii.

The most marked advance IN develop
ment is in the city OF Honolulu. and an
electric street railway system of the high
class has been installed at cost already
of $SOO.OOO, and which will have been in
creased to 100000 when completed with
in the year. The only car system IN use
before was an out-of-date mule car sys-
tenn.
1.-The Office building phase Of American
city life has struck Honolulu with full force
and number of up-to-date Office buildings
of stone brick and steel have been erected
during the past two years at a cost aggre-
eating several millions. A million-dollar
hotel with a frontage of 400 feet is now in
course of construction. Several other
modern hotels are also being erected.
1.-The old Honolulu Iron Works and Ma
complete foundry and machine shop as
may be found anywhere in the United
States. It is fully equipped to do the heav-
lest class of machine and steep ship re-
pairs From 800 to 1000 men are employed
1.-The establishment of United States
naval station in Pearl harbOr is progress
ing steadily. The work was delayed some
what because of the inability of the gov
ernment and the land owners to agree upon
the price of the lands desired. This ques-
tion has been settled with most of the land
owners and an early settlement with all is
expected Meanwhile the contract for
has been let to California firm.
and is well under way. 1t is expected that
by the end of the year the entrance will be
cleared to depth Of thirty feet.
THE population of Honolulu has doubled
since annexation. the city now having a
population approximating $4,000. The ex-
ports and imports of the territory have
about doubled. Steam communication with
San Francisco has been greatly improved.
The Oceanic Company has three new 6O0O-
ton steamers built in Philadelphia, which
tralia every three weeks. The Pacific Mail
Company is now instituting an addition to
its feet OF Several 1900 tons, which will
run toehfna aAi
Insufdciency Of Customs Receipts.
From governmental standpoint one Of
the serious results of annexation is to de-
prive the territory OF the customs receipts.
There is now collected 500. GOO a month. all
of which heretofore belonged to the local
government and was spent in Hawaii The
money. Is nov remitted to Washington. and
constituted a heavy drain on the commu-
nifty. as well as producing a shortage of
that amount in the local treasury.
THE internal revenue office is also col
lectine and sending out 100000 year. and
the Post Office Department considerably
more On the other hand, the territorial
expenses, transferred to the United States,
the dea6isney the territory has been Obliged
to look for new sources Of revenue. and an
income tax of 2 per cent has been imposed.
The territory will undoubtedly adjust itself
to the situation ultimately but 1t is a
heavy strain on the local government for
the present, resulting in an inability to go
on with essential public improvements.
"One especially difficult situation to meet
arises from the fact that, in stamping out
the bubonfc plague two years ago. build
ings and property in Honolulu to the value
Of $2.O00D0Q were destroyed by fire. AS the
destruction was for the public benefit ana
was effectual. It Is felt by the local author
tiles there. is mo law requiring compensa-
ton. but justice and equity demand 1t. and
with President McKinley's full approval
a committee was appointed to take testi-
mony and assess damages.
This Is now, about completed. Our peo-
pie feel that the stamping out Of the plague
was directly in the interests of the nation
as whole for il It had not been crushed