The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-06-21
Surveys for a Four-MiIe Bore to
Carry Water to CanefieIds
Are to Be Made.
Mr.. M'cANDLESS HAS WATER
Pays Castle S41,ooo for Rights
on Waikane and WaiahOle
Holdings.
(From ,'aturdav Is Advertiser.)

A real estate deal which forms one
of the most important steps toward the
carrying of irrigation water through
the mountains from tho windward side
of the Island of Oahu to the sugar
plantations on the leeward side was
made known yesterday. Out of the
transaction will develop, if the engi-
neering plans are feasible-and those
directly interested in the project are
confident of success-One of the most
important pieces of tunnel work ever
attempted in the Territory.
The deal itself was between j. B.
Castle and L. L. McCandless. McCand-
less purchased of Castle the .Waikane
and waiahole lands, aggregating be-
tween 500 and 600 acres, and extensive
water rights. The price paid for the
property was $4l, 900. The purchase
of the land is small transaction COM
pared with the irrigation project in
which it is involved and which will
call for an expenditure of approximate
ly $75O,OOO
McCandless purchased the property
in his own name, but he expects to
turn it over to the Oahu Sugar Com
pany, which is at the present time en-
ploying a force of men, who are cut.
ting trail over the Koolau mountains
preparatory to a final survey for a
tunnel through the mountain range by
an expert in that line of work.
The head of the tunnel win be at
Koolaupoko, near the land bought by
McCandless.
The work of cutting the trail is be-
ing hurried along, and in the next few
days an engineer now employed on the
Hamakua ditch on the Island of Ha
waii will begin a survey upon which
will be based the final estimates OF
the tunneling and the cost of the work
The land purchased by Mr.. McCand
less is not considered as valuable al
some other lands on the island fol
purely agricultural purposes, but thu
water rights are said to be worth ;
good DEAL provided the tunnel can b,
cut through the mountain. So tina
fact linked with the closing of tn,
deal for good and all, indicates tina
there is only one chance in many tina
the project will collapse.
If the tunnel is opened, water will
be carried eight miles to the canefeld
of the Oahu Sugar Company. The tun
mel itself will be between three and
half and four miles long. The exac
figures relative to the cost of the worl
can not be learned until the enginee
decides just where and how the tun
mel is to be constructed; and probabl
not then, as no one knows what kim
of rock must be cut through.
The altitude of the highest part o
the tunnel win, it is believed, be abou
800 feet. The company will be able h
get several millions of gallons of waite
daily. The tunnel and pipe lines woul
last for centuries, and so long as agri
cultural work is carried on within
radius of several miles in the neighbOr
hood of the pipe line the propert,
will be a valuable asset.
The irrigation project will be carried
on by a company organized for tina
purpose but owned principally and con
trolled exclusively by persons interest
ed in the Oahu Sugar Company.
Mr.. McCandless said last night tina
the big project was still in the tenta
tive stage, which doubtless is true, bu
the steps already taken are indicative
of strong determination and some def
mite plans on the part of those inter
ested.
At the present time rice is bein
grown on some of the Waikane an
Waiahole lands, and some parts ar
used for pasturing live stock.