Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-08-07

A discovery that will add millions
of dollars to the agricultural wealth
of the Hawaiian Islands and make
thousands OF acres yield double their
present crops has been made near
Waianae in the Lualuaiei valley.
The discovery is a natural deposit
of line, all burned, Stacked and ready
to place on the land. There is over
as<fniiiioH tons of this lime in sight
and it is estimated to be sufficient to
cover all the islands in this group an
inch deep. According to analysis the
lime contains SO per cent calcium
carbonate and is ideal to place on the
land to aid fertility. As a large pre-
portion of the soil of the islands is
acid, which retards growth, this find
will greatly increase the amount of
sugar and other products that do not
thrive SO well on an acid soil, for the
lime will neutralize the acid.
Believe Deposit Unique.
This deposit is, so far as can be
learned, the only one of its kind in
the world. The property on which it
is located<is owned by the Waianae
Lime Company which purchased it
several years ago for use in their
kifns. --.. ~,...
The deposit. of lime is at least six
feet in depth and what greatly adds
to the value of the property is the
fact that underneath is second and
third strata. The second is an ex-
cellent quality of limestone, which,
when the top layer is finally used up,
can be burned for agricultural lime
and the third IS a hard limestone for
building purposes.
When the lime company first pur-
chased the property it attempted to
burn the top soft strata. but the re-
suits were unsatisfactory for the
simple reason that it had already been
treated in natures own laboratory
and was ready to use as it lay. Be-
lieving that the top deposit was worth
less they next tried to remove it to
reach the second layer, but this
proved so expensive that it remained
for a newcomer to the islands to
recognize the true nature and value
of this bed of natural agricultural
lime. This was A. G. Cornelison, a
civil and mechanical engineer now
connected with the Honolulu Con-
struction & Draying Company.
Cornelison has specialized in stone
and ore handling and crushing plants
and is the man who constructed and
operated the world record plantawhich
furnished the stone for the Atlantic
division of the Panama Canal. He
is now designing plant for the Wal
anea Lime Company for producing
this lime IN large quantities.
Should Last Many Years. u
That the Waianae Lime Company
will be able to turn out commercial
lime for several years is evident
With million tons in the top stratum
and probably several million tons
more in the second the Hawaiian ISL
ands will not want for lime for gem
erations to come. > II .-.....
Concerning this valuable find which
he has made, Cornelison says: -
Recent investigation has proved
that there is in the Lualualei valley a
formation that VIII be of almost in
caleulable value to the agricultural
interests of the islands, particularly
to the sugar planters. H.-:..: r.
Described as Geological Freak. ~.
This formation is something of a
geological freak. It appears that ages
ago, when volcanic activity was the
order of the day, IN the Waianae re-
gion an immense bed Of coral was
lifted by an upheaval to a position
far above sea level and the whole of
this mass was compressed and dis
torted into the cones or peaks that
today stand on either side of it. Later
the surface of this mass must have
been for some time subjected to a
most intense heat. To the casual OBJ