Arizona republican., 1909-05-26
CONDITIONS IN HAWAII
Resources, Industries, News
papers, Customs and Phys
ical Features--Native Pas
sion For Music---Oahu Is
a Snakeless Land.

some time ago Inc Republican pub
lished letter from Lawrence Under
wood to c.. E. Justus, who lives near
Phoenix, partially descriptive of Ha-
wall, where he was then, and now is.
Mr. Underwood is an actor, and resid-
ed here for some time, being now fill
ing a professional engagement. The
Republican this morning presents
second letter from Mr.. Justus that will
be of interest to many:
Honolulu, Island of Oahu,
Hawaii, I. T.
Friend Justus-Your letter to hand,
and it seems like a breeze coming
from the desert! l am homesickI l
am frank enough to admit it, tool
Gazing upon cocoanut palms, and
hearing the constant beating of the
waves upon the shores. and listening
to the strains of the 'Aloho Oe' Zone
of the airs of the nation, meaning
Farewell to TheeD, and the Hawaii
'Ponoi (the Stars panged Banner)
may act as a tonic for inconsistencies to
some, but to me it only aggravates the
diseased The natives here are great
lovers of music, and the above airs
are played as each vessel departs from
the island by the Royal Hawaiian
band. When the people are asleep,
IS about the. only time they are not
singing (then the mosquitoes take up
the refrainD and the music is rather
sweet. but in short space of time it
grows very tiresome-sort of mourn
full Lord help me. Sound, I have
just completed the play 1 started on
when l landed here, Watson Corner
Folks. and have been able to look
interesting things.
1.-THE Hawaiian Islands lie between
IS degrees, 81 minutes, and % degrees,
IA minutes north latitude, and 154 de-
grees, 4S minutes, and $50 degrees. 10
minutes west longitude. They were
discovered by Captain Cook in ITS.
There are eight inhabited islands, the
largest being Hawaii, with an area of
4,015 square miles. Oahu, the island
on which is Honolulu, is the third in
size. with an area of sos square miles
The group is self governing in an
equal degree with the territories of
Arizona and New Mexico.
Principal investments at the pres
ent time are in the shares or bonds of
sugar producing companies or trans
portation corporations There are
some sixty incorporated plantation
companies. some of which have issued
gold per cent bonds for improve
mert purposes. The usual rate of in
terest for money on real estate mort |
cages is from 6 to per cent, and |
the same rate prevails on loans at
banks, of which there are three. Stock |
In the different pineapple companies is |
considered a good investment 1t is |
on a paving basis at this time Raw |
sugar Is the principal product. l was |
talking with a member of the board |
of trade. and he gave me the follow |
ing facts: The export value of raw
sugar for the fiscal year ending June |
80, 1908, was s3S.6O3.1S4. This is the
output OF some sixty estates. About |
s150,000,000 is invested in the sugar
interests, which last year employed
about forty-five thousand men.
Pineapple growing is now second
in Importance to the territorys sugar
culture, and is rapidly growing
Il understand that all government
lands are disposed of at auction. Land
suitable for grazing has been sold from
50 to SIS per acre. Farming lands
suitable for vegetables and fruits, at
from So to SIS. Sugar lands at from
s25 to $50 per acre.
Il must get over to the Island of
Hawaii and see Kilavea, a living vol
cano. It is near Hilo. Since 1908 it