Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-10-11
CAPTAIN MATSON
ASAILORFROM
CABIN BOY Up
CONTINUED from. rlS IL

Continued from. EGSe II
corporated Matson- Navigation Co, OF
which he was the principal owner
Thus he was a prominent contributor
to the Hawaiian prosperity OF the
reciprocity era under the monarchy
and the republic before grasping the
opportunity offered by the expansion
that the American flag brought TO Ha'
waifan commerce, which he did by
stalking his hard-earned fortune upon
steamships for the same trade WIN
the successful results that are seen
today. His faith in the future oil Ha'
Wali in its justification has been a
stimulus to local enterprise the ef
fects of which will never terminate
as long as the Pacific rolls.
William Matson began a seatarins
career when 10 years OF age, spend
ing a year on a sailing vessel as
cabin boy. Then he went to school
until IA, when he sailed in the Nova
Scotia bark Aurora for New York. Re-
manning there but a short time he
shipped in the Bridgewater for the
voyage around Cape Horn TO San
Francisco. Arriving there in 1867 MT.
Matson took hunks successfully in
several vessels trading between the
Golden Gate and Puget Sound, until
he graduated as captain OF the schoon-
er William Frederick. just after reach.
ing his. majority. Later he was in
command of the schooner Mission
Canal.
Becomes Shipowner
II was in 1882, or the thirty-third
year of his age, that Capt. Matson
became a shipowner and with his
first vessel, the Emma Claudina, en-
tered the Hawaiian trade, carrying
plantation stores and merchandise in
and sugar out. Emma Claudina thus
was the cornerstone, or perhaps more
strictly speaking the keel, of the Mat
son Navigation Co. Three years after
her launching she was sold, the brig
Lurline having been built especially
for the trade in her place. A fleet of
iron windjammers was added, com.
prising the Santiago, Roderick Dhu,
Falls of Clyde, Chilcott and Monte
rey.
Keeping up with the times Capt.
Matson took up steam vessels, the
earliest acquisitions being the Enter.
prise, Hilonian and Rosecrans. Then
followed in graduated modenity of
construction and increase OF size to
meet the growing traffic in both pas
sengers and freight the Lurline, Hy.
ades, Wilhelmina, Matsonia, Manoa
and Maui, the four last OF about 5000
tons each. Lately the federal shipping
board has diverted Matson boats to
. the Philippine trade to meet the
emergency due to the war. -..
Capt Matson was pioneer in the
water carriage of oil from the Cali.
fornia fields, transforming some OF
his older vessels into tank ships. He
also embarked heavily in oil develop
rment, In association with william H.
Croker, W. G. Irwin, and John A.
Buck, all sugar magnates, building
45-mile pipe line from Santa Maria
wells to Gaviota. He was also con-
cerned in building a line of 112 miles
from Coalinga to Monterey. He sold
his interests in these lines to the AS.
ISOLATED company, but later went into
oil stronger than ever
Promoter Of the Honolulu Consoli-
dated oil Co., of which much of the
stock is held in Hawaii, Capt. Matson,
besides being its president, was presi.
dent OF the Commercial Petroleum Co.,
the Atlas Wonder Mining Co. and
the Wonder Water Co., and director
of the National Ice Co., the Honolulu
Plantation Co., the Paauhau Sugar
Plantation Co. and many other cor
porations.
In civic activities he also bore a
conspicuous part, having been a al.
rector or the San Francisco Mer.
chants Exchange and first president
of the Chamber OF Commerce upon its
reorganization to include other com.
mercial bodies. He was consul for
Sweden, with jurisdiction embracing
California, Oregon, Washington, Ida.
no, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and Alaska
A depotee of outdoor life, an en-.
thusiastic horseman and motorist,
Capt. Matson was popular member
of the Pacific Union. Bohemian and
Commonwealth Clubs of San Fran.
cisco. +" =. :.
Capt. Matson on his last visit to
Honolulu was accompanied by his de-
voted wife, who had been sponsor at
the christening of the Maui. On the
same occasion he was the guest OF
honor at a luncheon given by the
Chamber of Commerce, when he told
of the offers he had received to place
his ships in the war trade at rates
which could have earned the company
millions in the two first years of the
conflict. This sacrifice of big money
chances in favor of his Hawaiian pa.
irons was duly appreciated by the.
citizens present. Before leaving San
Francisco Capt Matson had been the
recipient Of a magnificent silver ser.
vice from the Union Iron Works CO.,
In acknowledgment of his patriotic
spirit in keeping the Stars and Stripes
atioat on the American merchant ma.
rine. -.....
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