The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1916-06-09
Portuguese Stung
By Stevens Scheme
Expert Says California Land Is No
GOOd-LabOrerS Wanted-NOt
farmers 80 or 40 Maui POrtu-
" iueSe Want Money Back.

In spite of the fact that the Portu-
guese consul in San Francisco has
apparently endorsed the proposition,
definite information is now at hand
which shows that the scheme of o. A.
Steven to induce Portuguese of the
Islands to immigrate to California,
was even worse than suspected here.
1t will be remembered that Steven
toured the Islands some six months
or more ago, and backed by lamboy-
ant advertising created considerable
interest among the Portuguese resi-
dents in his colonization plan. Ten
acre tracts of lands near Rotterdam
and Amsterdam, California, were Of
fered by Steven at $125 per acre. The
land was supposed to be good for
general garden farming. On the
strength of his representations it is
understood that between 80 and 40
Maui Portuguese paid Steven from S25
to $50 on the price of the land. How
many from other parts of the Ter
ritory were also taken in, is not
known.
AS the result of an editorial in the
Maui News, expressing doubt con-
cerning the wisdom of residents of
Hawaii seeking to benefit themselves
as farmers in California, even under
most favorable conditions, the Cali
fornia state commission of Immigra-
ton and Housing started an investiga-
ton, the results of which thoroughly
discredit Stevens scheme. The fol-
lowing from letter of the executive
officer of the commission shows what
he thinks of the matter:
we had a soil expert, who is an ag
ent of the University of California
Division of Agricultural Extension,
and of the United States Department
of Agriculture, make a survey of the
land to which Mr.. o. A. Steven is
bringing Portuguese settlers from
the Hawaiian Islands. We understand
that quite number of Portuguese
families have already been brought to
this country by Mr.. Steven and settled
upon this land. You will note that
the report of this expert is anything
but encouraging. You will note that
the agent of the land company himself
explains that it is not the intention
that these people should make living
on the land. Quite obviously, the in
tention is to import labor to be used
in the several projects referred to in
Mr.. Bryant's letter. We have letter
from the agent of the land company to
the same effect, although he claims
that the land is such that the people
could make success upon it from an
agricultural point of view. However,
with regard to statements which
his statements seem to be rather con-
Trajectory.
have been made by other Portuguese
and which have been published in the
Hawaiian Islands by Mr.. Steven, to
the effect that they have been very
successful in farming in this region,
we would state that these statements
refer to land not very far distant near
the town of Atwater. There seems to
be better streak of land through
there and many Portuguese have been
very successful.
1--WE are furnishing you with this in
formation so that you may be able to
give accurate reports to any persons
making inquiries or to do whatever
you can to prevent these people from
being deluded into the belief that they
are coming to wonderful agricult-
ural colony.
Very truly yours,
(Signed) GEORGE L. BELL,
Attorney and Executive Officer"
Expert Says No Good
Following is also a copy of the ex-
pert's report made after a careful in
project:
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURAL
EXPERIMENT STATION
BERKELEY
Feb. Is. 1916
Commission of immigration and Hous-
ing,
525 Market Street,
San Francisco, Cal.
My dear Sir:
| made an examination of the land
around Rotterdam and Amsterdam
which you heard was being put upoT
the market by the Crocker- Hoffman
people with the view of securing Por
tuguese immigrants to colonize the
same
AS far as we could find out, the
Crocker- Hoffman people are not max
ing an effort at all to colonize the
land around Rotterdam, but l thinl
they are figuring on placing som'
Portuguese immigrants upon the lanC
around Amsterdam. | think the gen
eral plan is to sell each family tel
acres of land for $4,000 an acre ant
give them three years to make tn,
first payment in and ten years to pa.
the balance. This land is under tn
CONTINUED on page 50