Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-03-17
KAUAI RAILROAD
Project ISHIGH
UP In THE AIR
Continued from page onel

government for years. Ultimately it
was hoped to extend il TO Nawiliwiii
larbor Both Makee sugar Company
and I.ihue Plantation Company wished
I TO secure cane contracts with the
Ehonesteaders OF the Kappa districts
and both figured in the negotiations
more than a year ago. The governor,
faced with conflicting interests, said
that the Kauai people must get togeth.
er on common ground This, it wa3
announced many months ago, had vir-
tually been reached.
Lihue Plantation Company offered
contracts and terms which, il was
stated at the time, were approved by
Land Commissioner Tucker, and the
railroad plans were approved by ST.
perintendent of Public Works Forbes
and by Engineer w. c. Furer of the
public works, all of whom visited
Kauai at the governors direction.
The government road was to run
from Kealia to Lihue, and in the event
that the Nawiliwili breakwater pro-
ject was completed, Lihue was then
obligated to carry the road through To
Nawiliwili harbor, thus giving road
on the entire windward side from
Kealia and around to leeward at Ma
wiliwili.
Homesteaders Carried Out Their Part.
Acting upon the tentative under.
standing with the land commissioner
and the governor, as TO the most feaS'
IDLE line of survey, cane was planted
by homesteaders upon land contigu-
GUS to the proposed line, and some OF
the cane is now about ready to come
off. One homesteader has about $10,-
900 worth of cane, another about
$4,000, others ranging from $4,000 to
$500.
Contracts were made with the
homesteaders by Lihue Plantation un.
der which the plantation made adj.
yances necessary to carry ont the
planting of cane These advances, il
is credibly reported, are in excess of
,000 and the preliminary railroad
work was a great deal more. :.
The contracts were drawn subje.t
to the approval of the governor. The
contracts have been with the, gov
ernor since February, 1915-more
than a year-it was stated today, and
have neither been approved nor dis.
approved.
Representatives of homesteaders
who have come to Honolulu to take
the matter up with the governor and
urge action say that the governor first
insisted on a long-term contract. 10
wears being the. period mentioned, TO
protect the homesteader, and later
changed his mind and now wishes a
fivp.year contract
Must Make New Contracts.
The result OF the delay, whatever
the reasons, is that the railroad has
not been built to enable the home
steaders to take off their cahe and
they are now placed in position
where they have to make new con-
they say are less adj
vantageous-with either Lihue or the
Makee Sugar Company
1t is also credibly reported that
many homesteaders, seeing no hope OF
getting action on the contracts in
time for this years crop. are making |
,short-term contracts with the Makee
Sugar Company without the sanction
of the governor. These homesteaders
are willing to arrange with Makee
Sugar Company TO buy the present /
plant crop and two ration crops ana
hope that by that time the railroad
win be completed and the Lihue con-
tracts definitely arranged.
Sugar prices are so high now that
those who have cane on homesteadsl
that can be handled to the Makee mill
will make good money. Some OF the
small planters are said, however, to
be up against it because they cannot
get their cane to the mill.
The Kapaa lands are considered
about the most promising homestead |
Ing projects In the Territory. But
of the entrants say /
that only the high price of sugar has
saved them from disaster In any
event, diversified farming is not en-
say the homesteaders, be-.
cause of the months of delay in get
ting transportation facilities which
they feel should have been secured
ong ago.