The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-06-15
'LUuKJ L.lKL
BUSINESS

The Portland Orcgonian gives ex-
tended space TO the proposed Portland
Honolulu line OF steamships which is
being projected by Captain Matson,
who controls the steamers Enterprise
and Hilonian. The article is as fol-
lows:
Portland is TO have a steamship line
TO Honolulu and il will be put into
operation next month. This announce
ment was made yesterday by Captain
William Matson, of San Francisco,
president of the Matson Navigation
Company. Within four weeks the
steamer Hilonian, which has capacity
of $500 tons of freight, will leave Port
land for Hawaii and will make monthly
trips thereafter. If the volume of bust
ness justifes, and Captain Matson is
inclined to believe it will, the steamer
Enterprise, which now plies between
San Francisco and Honolulu, will also
be put on the line.
Yesterday morning at the office of
W. A. Mears, secretary of the trans
portation committee of the Chamber
of Commerce, Captain Matson met
about 20 representative business men
of Portland, to whom he stated that
the company of which he is the head
would establish line between this
city and Honolulu with the understand
ing that it is to be permanent. He
also said that while the line would
start with but one steamer another
would probably be added within n
short time. Later Captain Matson made
the same statement to an Oregonian
representative.
STEAMER Is NEW AND FAST.
The steamer Hilonian was recently
purchased by the Matson Navigation
Company at an Atlantic coast port and
started on its initial trip on the Pa
eifc when it left Seattle for Honolulu
Tuesday. 1t will not return to Seattle,
but will come to Portland. The yes
sci is practically new, and fast. 1t
has accommodations for 35 first.class
passengers. The steamer Enterprise is
about the same size and has about the
same capacity and accommodation as
has the Hilonian. The vessel will make
the trip to Honolulu from Portland,
then to San Francisco and return to
this city.
Business men who attended the meet
ing with Captain Matson yesterday
afternoon are enthusiastic over the es-
tablishment of the new line. Much
enthusiasm was shown Mt the meeting,
when it was stated that the line would
be put in operat on, and all those pres
ent assured CaI tain Matson that his
company would receive their heartiest
support. He mas much gratified over
the encouragement he received, and
stated that he was greatly pleased
with the outlook.
Captain Matson, did not arrive in
Portland until late Tuesday night, and
Mr.. Mears did not have much time in
which to call meeting of the bust
ness men of Portland. But he did ex
ceedingy well considering the circum
stances, and the assemblage was thor
oughly representative of the business
interests of the city. Yesterday being
holiday it was impossible to commu
nicate with all or the meeting would
have been much larger.
CREDIT DUE Mr.. MEARS.
Mr.. Mears was largely instrumental
in securing for Portland the line. Las
week he was in San Francisco an,
called upon Captain Matson for tn,
express purpose of interesting him il
such an enterprise. He explained il
detail the advantage of line running
from Portland instead of the Sound, al
Captain Matson had first contemplated
Captain Matson then stated that h,
had long been considering the advis
\ ability of establishing line from thi
port and that he would visit Portlan,
this week and make known his plans.
Business men have long contende,
that Portland should reach out anC
secure part of the trade of the Ha
waiian Islands, which they regard a
legitimate but neglected field fo
this city, the same as is Alaska. Cap
tain Matson is of similar opinion
1t is believed that extensive and re
munerative trade relations can be es
tablished with the Hawaiian Islands.
LARGE INTERESTS IN HAWAII.
Captain Matson is representative o
and Is heavily Interested In the Homo
lulu Plantation Company, which viii
do much of it, trading in Portland a
soon as the new he Is established. l
is understood that the steamship com
pany and it's affiliated concern In tn,
Hawaiian Islands will pug hase larg
cons'gnmerts of good Th'1 the bur
den of furr'shing all the cargo for YES
sells of the line i'll not devolve upoi
the merchants of Portland.
I'VE come to Portland with the in
tention of making the line permanent
but of course it is not n certainty tina
We will do So" said Captain MatsoI
at the Hotel Portland yesterday after
noon. I'VE believe that the Portland
merchants can work up enough bust
ness To Justify one and probably tw,
steamers, and besides we ourselves vii
purchase many goods in Portland 10
our plantations
our company has for some tim
considered the proposition OF startin
line from some port ON the Mort
Pacific Coast. You can sell good
cheaper In Portland than in Seattl
ana that is one of the reasons why W
decided to come here. Much Of IN
stun that Is shipped from Seattle come
from Portland, 80 It stands 10 reaso
that We can do better here than ther,
CAN Buy CHEAPER HERE.
4 4. A a