The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-08-09

out, HdQ 10 DS AepA Oh tA4S ISl4SH -
from one to four years.
Under questioning Mr. Bolte stated
that the ranchmen held shares in the
Metropolitan Meat Co, which bought
their cattle and last year paid a d.
vidend OF per cent.
". \. Buick, manager of the Dow
sett ranch. testified he would value
the cattle of herd at an average of
s14 a head. The Dowsett ranch tried
to sell its cattle about last July for
s14 head, but found nobody willing
10 pay so much. He estimated there
We're 500 head on the ranch. Since
1862 the value Of the herd had decreas-
ed, in his opinion because there
were less cattle consumed. On Jan. l,
1902, they had 5000 to $500 head. In
1908 they did not sell so many as pre-
viously. Witness. not having to do
with sales, would not venture to esti-
mate values.
man, but had been with his brother
while he was negotiating to buy the
Dowsett ranch herd. An offer of be-
tween $13 and $14 a head was made for
cattle. but the bargain was not closed
because of something outside of the
price of the cattle. A transfer of
lands was involved in the proposition.
j. P. Mendonca, interested in the Ka
neohe ranch, had been in the cattle
business twenty-five to thirty years.
On January 1, 1904, values would have
depended much on the condition of the
herd. One herd might be in a great
deal better condition than another one
for different reasons. He would put the
value at between $12 and $14 a head
according to different conditions. the
number of calves, etc. Between 1902
and 1904 the value of cattle had de-
creased. There was not only reduced
consumption, but an increase of herds.
Some people had given up planting and
gone into cattle-raising.
II you said in evidence in 1902 that
the value then was between $40 and $12,
would that have been a mistaken" Mr..
Wilder asked.
There We're bad conditions them the
witness replied; the ranches had been
having a dry season. Cattle We're in
poor condition. Ranchmen We're fight
ing off lantana.'
Don't you ranchmen control the
Metropolitan Meat Co., and so make at
both ends?"
I'VE may control the stock of the
metropolitan Meat Co., but we do not
control the management. If we did, we
might shut out outsiders
Witness could not say about prices in
1903, he only knew they were not get
ting quite so much now. They hoped
to be clear of lantana expenses within
a few years by the action of the para
site lately imported which destroyed the
seeds. He thought he would value the
O. r. & L. Co. cattle at $13 or $14. 1t
seemed he did value cattle in 1902 at
SO or So.
down?" Mr.. Wilder asked.
Witness did not answer this ques-
ton, Chairman Lansing having inter
jected another in reply to which he
gave the opinion that Eva was better
ranching ground than Kaneohe, and it
took longer to get cattle in good con-
dition at Kaneohe
H. NJ. Won Holt, agent of o. R. & L.
Co. ranch. told about the raising of
rates on cattle from the returns until,
two years ago, the Supreme Court con-
firmed the assessment at SIS a head.
This was the figure at which the ranch
men made their returns in January,
-
1904, but the. assessor raised it to SIS
and they appealed.