The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-11-18

EmDelllSned Win the picture OIL Mr.
ODowda, in the Eva mill referred to-
therein, the Louisiana Planter of Oc-
tober "a contains the following letter
from its regular correspondent:
Honolulu, r. H., October 6, 1905.
Accompanying this letter is a good
likeness of r. P. O'Dowda, the head
sugar boiler of the Eva Plantation,
surrounded by the machinery of the
mill where he holds forth. The Eva
mill is generally considered the fore.
most in the Hawaiian Islands, at least,
in point of methods of manufacture
and results obtained, and as a conse-
quence Mr.. ODowdas position is such
that he is known at least by reputa-
ton, to all the mill workers of Ha-
wall.
Mr.. ODowda Is a veteran in the SUI
gar industry, having been engaged
therein for the past twenty-seven years.
All of this time he spent in the Ha-
waiian Islands, with the exception OF
a period of two years, from 1891 until
the latter part of 1892, during which
time he was for a time in Louisiana
and the rest of it in Cuba.
Mr.. O'Dowda mas well deserved the
prominent position which he has at
tanned in the local sugar industry, not
only because of the excellent results
which he has been able to produce
where he has been employed but, and
| this is of more general interest, also
because he has been the father of sew
eral inventions in the matter of pro-
cesses of manufacture, which have been
| the means of saving thousands of dol
| lars, not only to his employers, but to
the sugar men of the entire group
| Thus Mr.. O'Dowda is the originator of
the Marsh system of drainage of va
! cum pans. He is also the inventor of
what has probably been the greatest
| improvement in mud press work since
these useful machines were first in
troduced. Up until a few years ago
the loss of sugar in the mud cake ran
up to generally about five to ten per
cent of the weight of the mud, but now,
through the work of Mr.. ODowda, all
! the mills in the Hawaiian Islands have
managed to reduce it to less than a
half of one per cent. The method by
means of which this tremendous saving
was effected is called mud press work
under hot water pressure. 1t was kept
secret for two years, during which time
it was employed at the Eva mill. Mr..
ODowda did not take any patent out
on his invention, and it was first made
public by Manager Renton of the Eva
:. Plantation Co., who gave out the
method to the Hawaiian Sugar Plant
ers' Association in December, 1905.
At present the plantations all over
: the group are engaged in giving theil
mills a thorough inspection and over.
hauling in order that they may be fully
ready to meet with the demands which
, the grinding of the crop for the com
ing year will place upon them. 1t is
understood that quite large number
of the plantations will begin the grind
ing of the 1909 crop during the latter
part vi INONGiubCl anu lliC bt6AhhAh6 VI
December AS a matter of fact, it is
quite probable that the grinding season
in general will begin earlier this veal
than has usually been the case. Il
has heretofore been the rule with mos
: of the plantations to begin grinding il
e January, although some have always
n done part of the work in December
e While the Filipino workers who wer'
p introduced here some time ago hav'
been in the main satisfactory, the!
= have troubles of their own. This ap
: pears from a letter which some o
them, employed at Olaa, sent to Gov
= ernor Frear. AS the text of the epis
= tie is one of its main charms, it is her
reproduced in full:
= Honolulu, September 20, 1908.
! Hon. Governor Frear:
After saluting you, with all our res
r OS;esaAA4S,S,4A,s1G,S66SS's'SSS'sS'