1910s Detail

The 1910s

The 1910s was a period of building, including 30% of camp dwellings (tabulated from the insurance valuation files from the early to mid-1950s), as well as schools, social halls and completion of the railroad. Over time, the railroad replaced ships as the means of transporting cane. During this period, camps were ethnic-specific, e.g., Kamaee Korean Camp, Wailea Spanish Camp. Immigration of Europeans, arriving with larger families, led to building larger homes to support them. Challenges for the plantation included unpredictability of crop size due to the independence of homesteaders and the formation of the Wailea Milling Company.

Included in this detailed timeline of the 1910s are excerpts from the annual reports sent to C. Brewer by John M. Ross, manager, Hakalau Plantation Company. John M. Ross played a prominent roll at Hakalau, serving as head overseer from 1884-1905, manager from 1905-1942. Annual reports provided courtesy of the Edmund Olson Trust Archive. Additional sources used include: A History of C. Brewer & Company, Ltd.: One Hundred Years in the Hawaiian Islands, 1826-1926, by Josephine Sullivan, Walton Advertising and Printing Company, Boston, 1926 and The Story of C. Brewer and Company, Limited, Scott C.S. Stone, Island Heritage Publishing, 1991.

1910

C. Brewer and Company, Limited acquired Hakalau Plantation, effective January 1, 1910:

Irwin & Company is amalgamated with C. Brewer and Company, Limited, resulting in a stronger financial position for C. Brewer and Company, Limited, which increases its capital stock and takes the Irwin Company's assets and business. (Source: The Story of C. Brewer and Company, Limited, Scott C.S. Stone, Island Heritage Publishing, 1991, p. 222.)

This was an epochal event in the history of C. Brewer and Company. The consolidation doubled the amount of sugar handled by the firm and, what was more important, afforded a field for expansion in the investment of its surplus earnings in shares of the plantations which had formerly been represented by Irwin & Company...

At the time of the amalgamation, C. Brewer and Company, Limited, represented the following plantations: Onomea Sugar Company, Honomu Sugar Company, Wailuku Sugar Company, Pepeekeo Sugar Company, and Hawaiian Agricultural Company. All of these were Hawaiian corporations controlled by local stockholders. The plantation agencies acquired by the consolidation were: Hutchinson Sugar Plantation Company, Paauhau Sugar Plantation Company, Hakalau Plantation Company, Kilauea Sugar Plantation Company, Olowalu Company, Waimanalo Sugar Company, Honolulu Plantation Company, and Hilo Sugar Company. Five of these were California corporations, and all eight were controlled by residents of San Francisco.

In the evolution of the Hawaiian Sugar industry, the function of the agent had at that time broadened. The sale of sugar and arrangements for shipping space had become a minor routine service. By the present system, the agent not only handles the plantation finances, keeps necessary corporate records, makes out tax returns, attends to the purchase of merchandise and to other routine matters, but also acts as general supervisor of the plantations which it represents. This service extends to rendering engineering and legal advice to the managers, assistance in supplying and organizing the plantations' personnel, suggestions regarding methods of cane cultivation, bookkeeping, laborers' quarters, dairies--in fact, the agent stands as a ready and willing advisor on any problems confronting the management of the plantations, and further sees to it that maximum efficiency both in field and factory is maintained.

...Yet it is this centralization of the plantation interests in the agencies that has made possible the existing thorough cooperation in the sugar industry of the Hawaiian Islands. This was necessary for the development of the industry, and without it the establishment of a unique experiment station, the importation of labor, and the sale of sugar on a cooperative basis could not have been accomplished.
(Source: A History of C. Brewer & Company, Ltd.: One Hundred Years in the Hawaiian Islands, 1826-1926, by Josephine Sullivan, Walton Advertising and Printing Company, Boston, 1926, pp. 170-172.

In Claus Spreckels: The Sugar King in Hawaii, author Jacob Adler notes:

Brewer took over eight Irwin plantation agencies: Hutchinson Sugar Plantation Company, Hawaii; Hakalau Plantation Company, Hawaii; Paauhau Sugar Plantation Company, Hawaii; Hilo Sugar Company, Hawaii; Olowalu Sugar Company, Maui; Waimanalo Sugar Company, Oahu; Honolulu Plantation Company, Oahu; and Kilauea Sugar Company, Kauai. The important agencies for the Oceanic Steamship Company and that for the Baldwin Locomotove Works were also taken over.

One aspect of the merger deserves special notice. The move was a final step toward unified control by the Hawaiian agencies and planters over refining of their sugar. Claus Spreckels had dominated the refining of Hawaiian sugar on the West Coast throughout the last quarter of the nineteenth and the opening of the twentieth centuray. The planters had made sporadic, abortive attempts to break this control. When not being ground down by Spreckels, the planters found themselves crushed between both Spreckels and the United States sugar trust. Spreckels and the sugar trust joined forces in the 1890's; together they operated the Western Sugar Refinery in San Francisco (formerly Sprekels' California Refinery).

...Most of the Honolulu sugar agencies began sending their sugar to Crockett, but the Irwin Firm continued to send its sugar to Western Sugar Refinery. The merger of William G. Irwin and Company thus marked the end of an era--the Honolulu agencies had gained control of Hawaiian sugar refining.

(Source: Clause Spreckels: The Sugar King in Hawaii, by Jacob Adler, Mutual Publishing Paperback Series, Tales of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1966, p. 103)

1911

Train service to Hakalau started in 1911 and was extended to Paauilo in 1913.

Train with two cars in center of Hakalau railroad trestle. Below is bridge with cart drawn by two horses. Date unknown probably sometime between 1911-1920. Courtesy of the Lyman Museum.

William Ross family members picnicing under the Hakalau railroad bridge, 1910s. Photo courtesy of Kim Kohl.

William Ross family members traversing the new tracks in Hakalau Upper Camp, 1910s. Photo courtesy of Kim Kohl.

From the Hakalau Plantation Annual Reports...

Plantation Buildings: Much improvement has been done in this line, especially for European immigrants, both in additional houses as well as sanitary arrangements by way of wash and bath houses for them. With more European immigrants arriving, together with such large families as the majority of them have, we are not yet finished with house building, and are now under way with an entirely new camp on the Honohina division; no European laborers having heretofore been sent to that division on account of lack of house accommodation.

Hakalau Upper Camp house 120, built 1911.

1912

Homestead Matters: In previous Annual Reports I have regretted my inability to give definite and reliable figures as to the area of the Crop to be planted. The complicated Homestead matters that have been and are, responsible for these conditions are still with us, and, if anything, more intensified, if such were possible.

Plantation Buildings: Many improvements have been made in this line, especially for European Immigrants, as well as for Japanese laborers, and our White employees.

Yamagata Camp house #822, built in 1912.

1913

Plantation Buildings: During the year 1913 we erected eleven laborer’s cottages 19 feet by 24 feet; one stable; one overseer’s cottage 24 feet by 38 feet, with dining room, three bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom; one garage for auto truck and caterpillar engine.

Hakalau Upper Camp house #127, built 1913.

1914

Plantation Buildings: In addition to the yearly repairs to buildings, the following new laborers’ cottages were erected this year, principally at Honohina:
12 Cottages 20x24 of 4 rooms with a 6 ft veranda and a 12x18 kitchen and dining room detached.
3 two-story houses 24x24 of 8 rooms each with a 6-ft veranda, with suitable kitch and dining room detached.
3 small cottages 10x20 with suitable kitchens and dining room.
2 room addition to Sugar-boiler’s cottage.

1915

Plantation Buildings: We erected during the year:
3 Laborers’ Cottages, new, 12x24, of four rooms each, with portch and suitable dining rooms and kitchens.
2 Cottages, as above, 18x24, in addition to various repairs to cottages, kitchens, dining rooms, etc.
1 New Cart and Wagon Shed.

1916

Plantation Buildings: We erected during the year:
1 Blacksmith and Carpenter Shop, 35x98.
1 Tool and Nail House, 17x28
1 Social Hall, 30x60.
Together with new bath houses and kitchens throughout the various camps and which to enumerate would be tedious to you.

Conclusion: During the first month of the year we were visited with a severe Kona storm that completely wrecked our Hakalau and Honohina Landings, and also did damage to the extent of $5,000.00 to our seawall and mill basement. Aside from this we can congratulate ourselves on having had a very successful year...

Hakalau Upper Camp Social Hall and Pool Hall, built 1916? or 1917.

Hilo Tribune Herald, January 11, 1916, accessed via Newspapers.com.

1917

Hilo Tribune Herald, November 23, 1917, accessed via Newspapers.com.

Plantation Buildings: One overseer’s cottage of three rooms, kitchen and dining room.
Two camp houses for Koreans 12 feet by 70 feet.
Seven double cottages 20 feet by 24 feet, for Japanese.
One sugar warehouse 54 feet by 190 feet.

Domestic Water Supply System:...to Hakalau main camp one 80,000-gallon tank and 3000 feet of 4 inch piper (old boiler tubes) 600 feet 1 ½ inch to ½ inch pipe supply the entire camp with spring water.
Wailea Spanish camp, 800 feet of 1 ½ inch to ½ inch pipe for better domestic supply.
Kamaee camp, 1200 feet of 4 inch pipe (old boiler tubes) and 2000 feet of 2 inch to 1 inch pipe for supply of spring water to Korean and Japanese camp.

World War I reaches Hakalau. Plantation workers contribute funds and draft numbers are selected and individuals identified.

Hilo Tribune Herald, November 2, 1917, accessed via Newspapers.com.

- Simplicio Cucui, Hakalau
- John Halela, Wailea, Hakalau
- Simon Valdez, Hakalau

Hilo Tribune Herald, October 26, 1917, accessed via Newspapers.com.

1918

Tennis is a major attraction for the plantation managers in East Hawaii.

Tennis Court in Hakalau Upper Camp on what is now Hanamalo Loop. Photo courtesy of the Lyman Museum.

Hilo Tribune Herald, February 3, 1918, accessed via Newspapers.com

Hilo Tribune Herald, March 3, 1918, accessed via Newspapers.com.

Hilo Tribune Herald, July 21, 1918, accessed via Newspapers.com.

Hilo Tribune Herald, June 29, 1918, accessed via Newspapers.com.

World War I ends and celebration begins.

Hilo Tribune Herald, November 13, 1918, accessed via Newspapers.com.

Highlights of Hakalau Plantation's Annual Report for 1918 included:

Plantation Buildings: During the year we built:
3 houses at Korean Camp, of four rooms each with 6-foot veranda and detached kitchen.
2 houses as above at Chin Chuck Stable Camp for Japanese teamsters.
2 houses as above a Kamaee Korean Camp.
1 house at Hakalau Upper Camp of two rooms, veranda and kitchen.
4 new kitchens at Chin Chuck Camp.
6 new kitchens at Honohina.
1 new school house for Koreans at Kamaee, 20 feet by 30 feet.
1 new cottage for night sugar boiler, 20 feet by 30 feet, containing bedroom, sitting-room and bathroom, with 6-foot veranda.
1 new bedroom to engineer’s house.
1 new kitchen and dining-room to assistant bookkeeper’s house.
Reconstructed old landing warehouse, renewing all sides of building and putting it under one roof. In fact, it is an entirely new building except the old floor and foundations.
1 social hall and billiard room, 28 feet by 51 feet, in which there is included a kitchenette, ladies’ and gentlemen’s dressing rooms with shower-baths, billiard table, reading table and Victrola.

We have practically completed the painting of the inside and outside of all skilled employees’ houses on both sections, together with the usual extension repairs to all laborers’ quarters.

1919

The Wailea Milling Company was established by Tatsuji Kawachi (succeeded by son, Satoru Kurisu). (Merged with Hakalau in 1943-1944.) Road to mill built on the Hilo side of Ka`ahakini River at the horseshoe curve to Kolekole (inaccessible today).
The Wailea Mill is built to support independent growers and compete with Hakalau Plantation.

From the Hakalau Plantation Annual Reports...

Homestead Matters: The crop of 1920: It is impossible for the subscriber to estimate at this time exactly what the area for the 1920 crop will be, for the reason that some of the homesteaders and planters on our outside lands have entered into an agreement, through a Board of Trustess, with the so-called “Wailea Milling Company”. This company so far is not in a position to handle any of the cane from these outside planters, and there is no evidence at the present time that a mill will be ready to take care of even the 1921 crop. We understand that in the event that the Wailea Milling Company do not have their mill ready in time to gring the 1921 crop of the homesteaders and planters who have contracted with them through their Trustees, it will be possible for the parties to these agreements to withdraw and again contract with us. So far we have not signed any agreements to handle any of the 1920 crop grown upon the lands controlled by any of the people who are tied up with the Wailea Milling Company.

Plantation Buildings: During the year, in addition to the extensive repairs and renewals to a great many of our camps and dwellings, we erected the following:
2 Japanese cottages, 22x24, for married people, consisting of one living-room, two bedrooms, kitchen and dining-room, at Hakalau.
1 Double cottage, 16x24, for two small married families, consisting of one living-room, small bedroom, and kitchen and dining-rooms.
1 Double cottage at Chin Chuck Camp, same as at Hakalau.
1 Double cottage at Kamaee Korean Camp, same as above.
1 New house, 12x48, for Filipino single men at Hakalau, consisting of four rooms fitted with iron beds, lockers and shelves.
1 New school at Kamaee Mauka for a night school for planter’s children.
1 Additional room to Night Engineer’s house and general renovating, painting, etc.
2 New rooms to Landing Master’s house and general renovating, painting, etc.
2 New rooms to Chemist’s house and general renovating and painting.
1 New room to Machinist’s house and general renovating.
4 New concrete kitchen floors, 10x12, and part walls with iron roof and sides, concrete sinks and ovens (this was an experiment and I think an excellent one).
4 New Ray oil burners fitted to our bath house systems throughout the various camps.

Store: We are pleased to draw your attention to the creditable showing of our store. This is due to the fact that we are selling at lower costs than many others, and not a few customers come all the way from Hilo to deal with us. We must, therefore, give credit to careful purchasing.

Contemplated Improvements: This will include a new stable for Honohina; our long-delayed boarding house for Hakalau; a house for our Honohina stableman; a new roller shaft and the reshelling of three rollers, possibly more, as wear and tear may dictate by the end of the season; a new vacuum pump to replace our turbine, which, from excessive costs of repair and renewals, makes us feel that a new pump would be the cheaper; new warehouse at Hakalau if we change our sugar and freight from steamer to rail; about two and one-half miles of water pipe to give Chin Chuck Camp a better domestic water supply system; purchase of twelve mules; authority to turn in Old Kelly truck for Packard; the light second-hand Ford truck; and also the Manager’s Buick car. The latter is already before you by special request for authority.

Conclusion: During the year just closed we are pleased to say that all of our employees who went overseas at their country’s call have safely returned to us, and are reinstated in their former positions, which were kept open for them; all with one exception, Thomas Smith, Team Overseer, Honohina Section, who paid the supreme sacrifice on the battlefields of France.

Hakalau Upper Camp house #139, double cottage, built 1918 or 1919?

Kamaee Korean Camp house #542, double cottage, built 1919? or 1920.

Chin Chuck Stable Camp house #431, double cottage, built 1919.

Sanborn Map of Hakalau Mill and Lower Hakalau Facilities, 1919. https://digicoll.manoa.hawaii.edu/savedmaps/Pages/viewimage.php?img=355&famNum=24

Click on map for larger view.

From the newspapers...

Hilo Tribune Herald, July 26, 1919, accessed via Newspapers.com.

See 1920s Detail