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

ground stating that they were pre-
pared 10 build north from Hilo. To
make a long story short, the HilC
Railroad Company gave up the idea
OF building north. and left the 10
haia-Hilo Company 10 run their lines
north. so as not 10 duplicate the
roads. and decided to build south, ter
minating their road at Waiakea
where it's terminal site now is. That
as you probably know, is about a
mile from the center Of Hilo town. II
soon became evident that that was
located at an inconyenient 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 its terminal
over TO Kuhio Bay. In order to test
the opinion upon the subject, per
sonally interviewed all of the prop
erty owners along the lines, who
were available, and found that they
were unanimously in favor of the
proposition; but that most Of them
were willing to give a free right-of.
way over their property to get there
and others charged a comparatively
small sum for such rights-of-way. Ac,
cordingly a petition was drafted by
myself and submitted to the property
owners and the principal residents, set
ting forth their desire that this ex-
tension be made. Upon that being
signed, and all the property owners
and residents to whom it was sub
mitted did sign it, there was a peti,
ton and tentative line of extension
brought by me to Honolulu and sub
mitted to Governor Dole and to the
Superintendent of Public Works, Mr..
McCandless, this being, as l recollect
it, in 1901.
The question of the location of the
depot site was a vital one In the
opinion of the railroad administration
the best place was about two-thirds of
the way to Hilo, at the foot of Waia-
nuenue street.-the present station
site, being on the piece of land own
ed by w. r. Castle and the Hitchcock
Estate Negotiations were had with
those property owners, and the sta
ton site secured and the building
erected. The matter of a station at
the foot Of Waianuenue street was
also considered. and it was thought
that that would be convenient loca-
ton for passenger travel. The only
objection to it was that it was so
small, containing only an acre. More
over, the Postoffice was located there
on, and about half of it was under
lease to a merchant at that time The
matter was therefore discussed with
Dole and McCandless, and an objec-
ton was made to granting the portion
on which the Postoffice and this 9TH
er store were located; and according
" the application at that time was
limited to the portion in the rear of
the Postoffice, toward the river, ex-
GLIDING all but very small edge
leased to Mr.. Holmes. The railroad
company made private arrangements
with Mr.. Holmes for the piece leased
to him. For some considerable time
after this was approved by the Gov
ernor and Mr.. McCandless, nothing
was done toward putting station
IL
a couple of years; and the station was
put on the CastIe-Hitchcock premises.
Our expectation as to where travel
and business would center proved en-
tirely false Practically nobody went
to the station, and everybody wanted
to get aboard at the foot of Waianue-
nue. street. Meanwhile, the other
railroad company, the Kohala-Hilo.
which had undertaken to build north
from Hilo,, changed it's lines to come
down to the waterfront with it's plan.
The approval of. the location of the
Waianuenue street station, and the To-
cation along the waterfront, was a
bear approval, there being no deed
passed. 1t had been the custom with
other railroads of the company to con-
slider such approval as passing the IT,
tie, and there is apparently a good law
that view on the mainland
under similar statutes. The question
Il am getting little ahead of my
story. -.
Before the site applied for at the
loot of Waianuenue street was ap-
proved, the Kohala-Hilo company APP
piled for the same piece of land, both
Of us asking for the whole of it. Half
If it was not enough. Mr.. McCand-
ess, like Solomon, finally decided to
iivide the lot and gave each of us
half. Neither company was satisfied,
1ut took it as it was the best we could
get. The reasons specifically given at
he time of why the Hilo Railroad
Company was not given the full half
If this mauka lot was that the Post
office was located there, covering an
lrea of about 41x20 feet. The bal
Lnce was rented The Kohala-Hilo !
company at that time intended to run