Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-10-02
THURST0N ON STAND

/ THURST0N ON STAND
Fisher Mr. TLurs;On. | think if It
suits your convenience, We will tart
with !Ou this morning.
Olson Before starting would Ike
10 call your attention TO the opinion,
which was referred to ycsterd y, on
subject TO Lie enSes, Volume II, page
~ 0: -- The Opinion was rendered
under date Of April !, 1917 ~ Assist
ant Attorney General -. to the Minis
ter of the Interior. and approved on
,iarch 4th by A. F. Hitchcock. ! want
- suh. Iitute a copy OF this Opinion.
Fisher: air. TnurstOn as matter
OF record. will you give us YOUR nllI
name?
Thurston: LorTin a. Thurston.
Fisher: You have been identified
fer many years with these Islands?
Thurst0n. have; was born here
Fisher: You were born here; and
were your father and mother born
here?
Thurston: Both my parties were
bern here My grand parents cam"
here as missionaries,
Fisher: Since You have been an
aGult what has been your occupation.
ThurstOn: | am lawyer ty profess
SON but | have not been pr2cu"inS
fOI about twelve years. At present
arc for some time past | have been
connected with railroads and Planta-
tons.
Fisher: What railroads and rlanta-
tons?
Thurston: The Olaa Sugar Com
pany, the Puma Sugar Company anG
the HiIo Railroad Company.
Fisher: What position do you hold
With these companies?
Thurston: | am President OF the
two sugar plantations and Vice-presi-
dent and general manager Of the HiiO
Railroad Company.
Fisher: How active is your posi-
ton in the affairs of the Hilo Rail
road Company?
Thurston: | am actively acting as
General Manager.
Fisher: The railroad is on the Is
land Of Hawaii?
Thurston: 1t is.
! Fisher: DO you maintain resid-
erce there?
! Thurston: ! am supposed to, but as
a matter of fact | am back and forth
sc much, that | am about as much in
Honolulu as Hilo.
Fisher: You are familiar then with
the transactions relating to the recent
acquisitions by the Railroad 20, of
terminal sites in the City of Hilo?
Thurston: Fully.
Fisher: l wish you would state
what justification there Is for the &C
QUESTION of the terminal Tract "A" q
think it isl on the map.
Thurston: That is at Kuhio Bay,
you refer to?
Fisher: Yes.
Thurston: Perhaps | can make the
situation a little clearer if | go back
and give you somewhat Of chrome
logical statement of what led up to-
us asking for this Tract a."
Fisher: Mr.. Dillingham; gave usI
yesterday a general history of the
enterprise, which it is not necessary
to repeat, but transactions relating to
this terminal | would be glad to have
you relate. /
ThurstGu: l will not relate to the
general history of the enterprise, butt
merely in connection with the ques
ton of terminals. The Hilo Railroad
Company's franchise gives them the
right to construct railroads covering
all the Island of Hawaii 1t was their
intention to build both ways from the
City Of Hilo-both north and south
Very early in the development of the
company's interests other parties
from the mainland appeared on the
ground, stating that they were pre-
pared TO build north from Hilo. TOl
make a long story short, the HilG
Railroad Company gave up the idea
of building north, and left the Ko
hala-Hilo Company to run their lines
north, so as not to duplicate the
roads, and decided to build south, ter
minating their road at Waiakea.
where its terminal site now is That,
as You probably know, is about al
mile from the center of Hilo town. 1t |
soon became evident that that was
located at an inconvenient point; ;
and constant complaints were made |
of the expense of getting both pas
sengerS and freight from Hilo to Wal |
akea; and continued suggestion that
the Company extend it's terminal
over to Kuhio Bay. In order to test
the opinion upon the subject, l per.
sonally interviewed all of the prop
erty owners along the lines, who
were available, and found that they
We're unanimously in favor of the
proposition; but that most of them
ere willing to give a free right-of-