Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-03-25

This is the Oldest sugar cane ulstTlCt
in the islands The most ancient system of
handling the sugar was in vogue, the cane
crushers having been Stone rollers
Two of these unique rollers are still to be
seen in the managers yard At that remote
period the cane was planted and harvested
by Hawaians, but the area was quite small
The total land now controlled by the com.
pany is 1900 acres, 1851 acres of which is
held in fee simple, the remainder under
lease About 5000 acres is considered good
cane land, 1860 acres is now under cultiva-
ton and 500 more will be brought in next
season. Twothirds of this is planted in La.
haina and one.third in Yellow Caledonia
The soil on the uplands is red loan,
while on the lowlands it is alluvial. The
cane is grown at elevations from sea level
up to 800 feet. The method of cultivation
is by irrigation and fertilization, using from
800 to 1000 pounds of Pacific Guano and Fer.
tilizer Co.'S high.grade fertilizers.
Flowing is done with two sets of Fow.
ler's steam tackles, this being the first plan
tation in the Islands to use these English
plows, in 1892
Cane grown upon this estate natures in
from fourteen to sixteen months on an aver.
age. Water for irrigating purposes is OBJ
Some years ago the Company obtained
valuable water rights from the natives I'M
der a series of long leases which gives the
plantation at the lowest stage of the stream
daily flow of fully 100000 gallons. The
average annual rainfall at Koloa for the last
eighteen years has been 626 inches, while
about eighty inches fall each year at the
watersheds mauka (near the mountains).
1nfI of pata &c
wards of 2O,OOOOOO gallons, the Wilcox ditch
alone supplying about 100000 gallons. The
maximum daily now for the same ditch is
100000 gallons.
New koloa Ditch.
new ditch has been built running from
the same water sheds which has capacity
of 65,OOO,OOO gallons every twenty-four
hours. This ditch was constructed at an
expense of $4,000 and in freshet times
takes the surplus water from the water
sheds to the largest reservoir in the Islands.
This is but one-half mile from the mill and
originally held 1900 600 gallons, but has
recently been raised five feet which gives
II a capacity of 5000 ,00O, 900 gallons.
This reservoir was constructed by Civil
Engineer j. S. Maloney. and is situated in
a large marsh unsuitable for growing cane
Three sides are bound by neghboring hills
and the fourth is n dam 20 feet high. The
shutoff consisting of a square, hollow tower,
stands near the center of the reservoir, so
that should any accident occur at the outlet
the water could be turned of at a moments
notice, without emptying the reservoir. The
intake capacity of this immense reservoir
is 2O0,O0O,0O0 gallons in "a hours. The
Marsh reservoir with the NJ. NJ. and Hauiki
reservoirs nearby, drain great many acres
of land in the Waialeale mountains and
also near the Kahil and Kopolaoa peaks.
In connection with the mountain water
supply the Company has erected at a suit
able point a Reidler duplex 100000 gallon
pumping system, which raises the water
from the natural streams in a single lift Of
1870 feet and discharges into reservoirs hav-
ing a capacity equal to 10000 900 gallons,
from whence It is distributed by system
of pipe lines and bitches to the different
cane fields.
Transportation for the cane from field to
mill is a main railroad system fifteen miles
long, connected with portable field track
some two miles in extent. The main line
is supplied with $50 cane cars, having an
average capacity of 21a to tons The mo.
tive power Is two Baldwin and two German
locomotives.
Profit Sharing Labor.
There are about 800 laborers on the plan.
tation, two-thirds of the work being per-
formed by day labor and onethird by com.
pany men or profit sharers. The average
pay for unskilled labor is $4,000 per month
with free house room, fuel, water and medi.
cal attendance. The company maintains its
own hospital.
Independent laborers.
Many Portuguese owning their own homes
or renting them at a small figure, are paid
s1.00 per day by the company, others take
contracts for certain fields, pay for all their
help, purchase for cash all Of their supplies
and are paid $3.50 to $500 per ton for their
cane at the mill, This has proven very
satisfactory as it stimulates the laborer to
get the largest crop possible out OF his
land and gives him q feeling of indenen.