Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Hāmākua and Hilo Coast Landings

“The Hawaiian Group consists of five principal islands, viz: Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Molokai and Kauai, upon which the main portion of the inhabitants reside, and where the principal industries are carried on; three minor islands, viz. Lanai, Kahoolawe and Niihau, where the population is very sparse, and three barren rocks, viz. Molokini, Lehua and Kaula.”

“There are three principal ports at which the voyager may land, viz: Honolulu on Oahu, Kahului on Maui, and Hilo on Hawaii. All these have direct communication with San Francisco, but only the first has steam communication. The latter ports can at present be reached by sailing vessels.” (Whitney, Tourist Guide, 1890)

“There is also a fleet of steam and sailing vessels in the InterIsland, South Sea and Pacific Coast trade belonging to Honolulu. The principal local organizations are the Wilder Steamship Company and the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company.” (Whitney, Tourist Guide, 1890)

By the 1930s, “Vessels of three steamship lines make Hilo on the island of Hawaii a regular port of call. The Inter-Island Steam Navigation Go. Operates modern steamers between Honolulu and Hilo twice each week. Certain ships of the Matson Navigation Co., after stopping at Honolulu, continue on to Hilo and furnish a part-daylight trip among the islands. …”

“The vessels of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha South America West Coast Line stop at Hilo 1 day after leaving Honolulu, en route from the Orient to South America via San Francisco, service approximately every 5 weeks.”

The sugar companies began clearing the fertile lowlands of Hāmākua in the mid to late-1800s to make way for the expansion of sugarcane production on the island of Hawai‘i. (Peralto)

“The entire coast line, excepting where the big gulches break through is sheer cliff of varying height up to 400 ft and behind the land, which is cut by frequent gulches, rises with gentle even slope to the mountain: every available bit of land, from the actual cliff edge to the timber line, is cane covered.”

“A fringe of evergreens will be seen along cliff edge in places. These were planted to protect the cane from the NE trade. No off lying dangers were found in the steamer track: they generally pass close in. The landings however should be approached with caution”. (Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1913)

“At one time there were 26 sugar plantations along the [Hamakua Coast]”. (LA Times) “Over the Big Island, with Hawaiian Air Lines – ‘You’re now flying over the Hamakua coast … said our purser. Below us is the most productive soil in the world.  As much as 300,000 pounds of sugar cane have been grown per acre on these plantations.’”

“He could have added that from an 18-mile square area, slightly larger than that of New York City, Hawaii produces over a 1,000,000 tons of sugar, manufactured in the US,’ pointed out my fellow passenger, Roy Leffingwell, of the Hawaii Sugar Plantations association. ‘It’s Hawaii’s main industry ….’” (Burns; Medford Mail Tribune)

In the district of Hāmākua “come sugar plantations, mills and scattered houses. For nearly sixty miles there is one continuous ribbon of cane and a succession of mills until Hilo is reached.”

“The Hilo coast, which commences four miles before reaching Laupahoehoe, is abrupt and pierced by numerous gulches, large and small. There are said to be sixty-two from Laupahoehoe to Hilo. Down each of these winds a stream, ending, in most cases, in a waterfall that leaps into the sea. These slender silver threads seem to be countless.” (Whitney, Tourist Guide, 1890)

“The coast of Hawaii known as the Hamakua Coast was a stretch of about 50 miles running north from Hilo to {Kukuihaele]. The shore was a continuous bluff from 100 to 400 feet above sea level.”

“All the plantations were on the top of the bluff, and the reason for the wire landings was that the shore line was so rough and dangerous for boat work most of the time that some means had to be found to enable the loading to be carried on in all kinds of weather.”

“The idea of loading by wire was imported from the Pacific Coast when lumber from the redwood forests had been shipped that way for many years. As the trade winds blow almost constantly from the east north east all the landings and moorings were laid out so that the steamer would lay head to the wind and sea.”

“In coming to a wire landing, the steamer was taken in between the two head buoys and one or two anchors let go and enough chain payed out to allow the ship to turn around head to the wind, with the small ‘wire buoy’ alongside the off shore side of the ship near the fore hatch.”

“When all was connected up and ready the work began.  If we had cargo, that was first hoisted up out of the hold and landed on deck or on the half of the hatch cover that was always left on for the crew to stand on. “

“After all the cargo was ashore, the process was reversed and the [bagged] sugar was sent down on the carriage and landed on the ship’s hatch and then tumbled down for the rest of the crew to stow away in the hold.  [The Sugar was taken] in from those plantations and delivered it to the ships to take to San Francisco.” ((Nelson) Frazier)

North to south, here are some brief descriptions of the landings where the steamers stop to deliver goods and transport sugar in 1909: Kukuihaele, Honoka‘a; Pa‘auhau; Koholālele; Kuka‘iau; O‘okala (Kaiwiki); Laupāhoehoe; Papa‘aloa; Hakalau; Honomu; Pepe‘ekeo; Pāpa’ikou and Wainaku.

Kukuihaele Landing “Consists of a fifteen-ton derrick at the foot of a bluff, connected with the warehouse at the top of the bluff at about 100 feet elevation, with an inclined cable railway about 200 feet in length. From this warehouse runs an inclined cable railway to the mill. distance of about 2,300 feet, thence to a warehouse on the government road about 6,000 feet distant from landing.”

“Volume of freight is a maximum of 7,000 tons outgoing sugar and about the same quantity of incoming merchandise. Passengers and mail occasionally land here”.  “[F]reight is hauled from the landing on cars by means of cable to the warehouse upon the government road – elevation 800 feet, in three stages, viz …”

“… first, from landing to landing warehouse, transferred upon other cars; second, to mill power house; third, then reattached to three thousand seven hundred feet cable to warehouse; a total distance of about six thousand feet, which necessitates the handling of freight no less than three times.”

Honoka‘a Landing has “a fifteen-ton derrick on a masonry pier on a rock bluff, operated either by steam furnished from boiler at landing, or by compressed air from the mill. An incline cable railway from the derrick to the mill, three-quarters of a mile long, is operated either by steam, or by a ninety horsepower gasoline engine, which also operates the air compressor when the mill is shut down.”

“There is also a further incline cable railway leading up to the Government belt road, at an elevation above 1,000 feet, where the plantation maintains a warehouse and a freight clerk. … There are about 12,000 tons of sugar and a small amount of other freight outgoing annually and about 12,000 tons of incoming merchandise and lumber.”

“There is an average of six steamers per month, all being tramp steamers, but one, which call regularly once a week. These vessels run to and from Honolulu.”

Pa‘auhau Landing has “a twenty-ton derrick for heavy machinery connected with the warehouse on the top of the cliff by an incline cable railway built on very heavy masonry foundation, also a wire rope landing running into another large warehouse on top of the cliff. The wire rope equipment is very heavy and the cable is 700 feet Jong.”

“The plantation railway system runs into and alongside warehouses. There is a roadway leading to the warehouse ; this road is considered private, at least in part, but always open to the public during plantation business hours.”

“Volume of freight 10,500 tons of sugar and some 600 to 3000 bags of coffee outgoing annually-probably about the same amount of incoming freight. …  About 8 to 10 steamers call here every month. This is the only landing in Hamakua district having regular steamer connection with Hilo, the sugar going to Hilo for across ocean shipment.”

Koholālele Landing “is about 2 miles from the plantation headquarters [Hamakua Mill] and about 3 miles from the Paauilo village.  There is a fifteen-ton derrick sixteen feet above sea level operated by steam, also an incline cable railway 800 feet long to the main warehouse, into which the tracks of the plantation railway run.”

“There is a very good anchorage at this landing, protected by a point of rock, and it is said that this landing can be worked when Honokaa, Kukuihaele and Paauhau are impossible.”

“Volume of freight about 10,000 tons of sugar per annum, and very little outgoing freight from outsiders; mostly small packages for which no charge is made. The incoming freight is estimated at 5,000 tons per annum.”

“There is an average of one steamer a week calling here, with no regular dates, most steamers being bound to or from Honolulu and way ports, the sugar going to Honolulu.”

Kuka‘iau Landing “consists of a twenty-ton derrick on a staging 20 feet above water at the foot of the bluff, and an incline cable railway to a second landing 195 feet above the sea. This incline cable railway is on a 52 degree uniform slope, and consists of double tracks with 2 cars or car elevators, the top of which are tracked, connected by cable-one going up while the other goes down; the derrick and cable railway being operated by steam.”

“About 1,500 to 2,000 tons of merchandise, and about 100,000 feet of lumber per year are handled over this landing besides the sugar output of Kukaiau.  This landing is seldom used for mail or passengers …. About three Inter-Island steamers call at this landing each month at irregular intervals, the sugar being shipped to Honolulu.”

O‘okala (Kaiwiki) Landing “is a wire rope landing on top of a bluff about 395 feet above sea, using a wire cable 850 feet long. All heavy freight for Kaiwiki Sugar Company is handled at Laupahoehoe. … The plantation management reports that no outside freight is handled here except for Ookala store, run by a Japanese, and Sam Wo Jam’s store.”

Laupāhoehoe Landing … “Laupahoehoe is a singular place, standing on lava, which has been declared to be the last expiring effort of Maunakea, a strip running right to the sea, down the great rent in the coastline, which forms the Laupahoehoe Valley.”

“At Laupahoehoe the landing is very good and the lands rich. Messrs. Lidgate and Campbell have fine cane growing and every prospect of success in their enterprise at this place.” ((1877) Maly)  “There is also an excellent landing at this plantation.” (Bowser, 1880; Maly)  As noted in summaries of the surrounding Landings, Laupāhoehoe was the place of choice for ‘heavy’ freight.

“Laupahoehoe (leaf of lava) is an extensive village situated at the mouth of a deep gulch, on a flat stretch of land. It has the only landing used for passengers on this side of the island, outside of Hilo. … [however,] at times it is impossible to land.” (Kinney (1913))

Papa‘aloa Landing “is a wire rope landing, 182 feet above sea level, using a wire 925 feet long; also an incline cable railway connecting the wire rope landing with the plantation warehouse 330 feet distant and on about 30 feet higher ground. The railway is operated by a water wheel; the wire rope trolleys by steam.”

“There is very little outside business handled at this landing. The owners have no schedule of landing charges, but by special arrangements occasionally handle freight for outsiders …. Heavy pieces of plantation freights are handled through Laupahoehoe. Most steamers are to and from Honolulu where sugar is shipped.”

Hakalau Landing “consists of a wire cable 150 feet above the sea and an incline cable railway about 400 feet long running from wire landing warehouse to another warehouse and power house on public road. A derrick landing at the foot of the bluff is connected with the warehouse at the top of the bluff by a cable railway.”

“Practically nothing is landed here except for the plantation, and plantation employees. … Nearly all steamers touching here are to and from Hilo, to which point the sugar is shipped.”

Honomu Landing “consists of a derrick for handling heavy machinery at the foot of the bluff connected with an incline cable railway; also a wire landing for handling sugar and merchandise.”

“No outside freight is handled at this place, except by special arrangement and this is seldom because of the irregularity of steamer service-the outside freight of the sur rounding country being nearly all hauled overland from Hilo.  About 11,000 tons of plantation freight, incoming 6.700 tons of sugar are passed over this landing per year, nearly all of which goes to or comes from Hilo.”

Pepe‘ekeo Landing “consists of a derrick for heavy machinery and a wire rope for handling plantation sugar and merchandise. About 12,000 tons of plantation freight pass over this landing per year. There is no regular steamer service as the shipping at this place depends on the loading or discharging of vessels lying in Hilo harbor.”

Pāpa’ikou Landing “consists of a derrick at boat landing for handling heavy freight; a wire cable system operated from tower on top of low bluff is used for handling sugar and plantation merchandise: very little outside freight is handled over this landing, and only by special arrangement.”

Wainaku Landing “consists of derrick for handling incoming freight and heavy pieces of outgoing freight, and chute from warehouse to lighter for handling sugar.”

“This landing is a little less than one mile distance from Hilo on the Hilo Bay. All freight to and from this landing, with the exception of occasional cargoes of lumber or heavy machinery by Inter-Island steamers, is handled by lighters from ships lying in Hilo harbor.”

(Most information here related to respective landings comes from a 1910 ‘Report of the Commission Appointed to Investigate Private Wharves and Landings.’)

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Nāuhi Cabin

The early Polynesian settlers to Hawaiʻi brought sugar cane with them and demonstrated that it could be grown successfully in the islands.

Fast forward … Hawai‘i’s economy turned toward sugar in the decades between 1860 and 1880; these twenty years were pivotal in building the plantation system.

Sugar‐cane farming gained this prestige without great difficulty because sugar cane soon proved to be the only available crop that could be grown profitably under the severe conditions imposed upon plants grown on the lands which were available for cultivation.  (HSPA 1947)

In 1876, the legislature of Kamehameha III passed a law declaring all “forest lands” to be government property in an effort to conserve the forests from further encroachment on the seaward side by the plantations’ need for fuel and on the mountain side from grazing animals.

Founded in 1895, the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association (HSPA), dedicated to improving the sugar industry in Hawai‘i, has become an internationally recognized research center.  (It was in 1996 when HSPA expanded its research interest besides sugarcane and acquired its current name Hawai‘i Agriculture Research Center (HARC), expanding its research on tropical crops and forests.)

Interestingly, it was the sugar growers, significant users of Hawai‘i’s water resources, who led the forest reserve protection movement.  On May 13, 1903, the Territory of Hawaiʻi, with the backing of the Hawaiʻi Sugar Planters’ Association, established the Board of Commissioners of Agriculture and Forestry.  (HDOA)

The Forest Reserves were established as a cooperative arrangement between the Hawaiʻi Sugar Planters Association and the territorial government.

Plantations needed wood for fuel, but they also needed to keep the forests intact to draw mist precipitation from the trade winds, which in turn fed the irrigation systems in the cane fields below.

Their own consumption of fuel had clearly been contributing to the decline of the forest at lower elevations, where flume systems transported large quantities of wood, as well as cane.  (Mills)

The link between tree-planting and the sugar planters can be seen particularly clearly in the career of Harold Lyon, who arrived in Hawai‘i in 1907 as a plant pathologist in the employ of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association (HSPA).

Lyon was a strong voice for forests; neglect of the islands’ forests would be “suicidal,” for ‘‘everything fails with the failure of our water supply’’.

Johnny Ah San, who worked as a territorial forester, noted, “And then HSPA had a man down at Nāuhi Nursery, and they planted trees. Then before the war [WWII], Roosevelt had the WPA [Works Progress Administration], so the men planted trees in the forest.” (Johnny Ah San; Maly)

The Nāuhi (‘the yams’) facility was interchangeably referred to as a Nursery and Experimental Station (and, apparently, also called Nāuhi Camp). The Hilo Forest Reserve was the site of cooperative reforestation efforts by the HSPA and Territorial foresters and later by the Civilian Conservation Corps under the direction of the Bureau of Forestry.

Over 100 varieties of temperate trees and plants were tested at the Experiment Station at Nāuhi; many of which succeeded to the point of naturally reproducing.

Nāuhi Cabin (a small building with three out-structures) was part of the Nāuhi Gulch Experiment Station, which was established in 1924. It is located in the ahupua‘a of Honohina at about 5,100 feet above sea level.  A nursery that was part of the Experiment Station is no longer standing. (Tuggle)

The purpose of Nāuhi Gulch Experiment Station, which operated until the beginning of World War II, was to “introduce, propagate and plant out in the adjacent forest lands various species and varieties of temperate zone, both northern and southern, trees and other plants”.

To this end, over 78 varieties of fruit trees and over 30 varieties of other temperate zone trees and plants were tested. Surrounding the cabin now is a wild landscape of feral garden flowers like roses, daisies, and nasturtiums, as well as apple, pear, and plum trees.

In 1941, wild pigs in the Nāuhi gulch-Pihā area were noted by Lyon: “Of special interest to us at this time are your remarks regarding the prevalence of wild hogs in the Nāuhi Gulch-Pihā region. They undoubtedly do a great deal of damage there.”

“If, for any reason, this Territory is compelled to produce its own food supply, we could organize a campaign which would remove most of these hogs from the forest and, at the same time, yield a goodly amount of excellent food for our people.” (Tuggle)

The cabin was part of a complex that included several buildings and an orchard on 47 acres of land leased from Lili‘uokalani Trust. In 1945, Territorial forester Bryan reported on the conditions at the by-then abandoned station (Bryan 1945):

“There has been no work done at this station for a considerable period of time, and it is in a run-down state at the present time. Fences are in need of repairs, wild pigs are numerous and have done some damages in the orchard, and it will require considerable labor and effort to bring it back to its former appearance.”

Nāuhi Cabin has been used by the National Biological Survey. Formed in 1993, their mission was to gather, analyze, and disseminate the biological information necessary for the sound stewardship of natural resources and to foster understanding of biological systems and the benefits they provide to society. It is now known as USGS’s Biological Resource Division (BRD).

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Boiling Pots

There are two rivers in the Hawaiian Islands bearing the name of Wailuku. One is on the Island of Maui, flowing out of a deep gorge in the side of the extinct volcano ‘Īao. The other Wailuku River is on the Island of Hawaii.

The Wailuku is the longest river in Hilo (twenty-six miles.) Its course runs from the mountains to the ocean. The Wailuku is the boundary between Hilo Palikū in the north and Hilo One on the south.

Hawaiians were impressed by this Wailuku and wove a dramatic tale around several interesting geologic features within the river.

Hina, the moon goddess and mother of Maui, lived in the cave beneath Rainbow Falls, concealed by the mist of the falls. Each day she beat and dried her kapa in the sun.

Far above the cave, in the bed of the river, dwelt Kuna. [Kuna is a variety of freshwater eel [or Mo‘o (dragon)] said to have been introduced from abroad. (Parker)]  That portion of the river runs bears to this day the name ‘Waikuna’ or ‘Kuna’s river.’

Kuna often tormented Hina by sending over great torrents of water or by rolling logs and boulders down the stream. This would block the stream below the falls to dam the river and drown Hina.

Hina was frequently left with but little protection, and yet from her home in the cave feared nothing that Kuna could do. Precipices guarded the cave on either side, and any approach of an enemy through the falling water could be easily thwarted.

During a particularly intense storm, Mo‘o Kuna moved a huge boulder over the falls and into the river, where it fit perfectly and prevented water from flowing farther. Water level beneath the falls began to rise.

Hina, realizing her danger, signaled her son. With two powerful strokes, he paddled his canoe from Maui to the mouth of the Wailuku. He rushed upstream and split the damming boulder with a single blow, thereby saving his mother.

By this time, Kuna had fled upstream. Maui found Kuna hiding in a hole beneath the river. He tried to spear Kuna, but Kuna escaped. Finally, Kuna found deep hiding holes and thought to be safe.

Maui again found Kuna and called upon Pele to send lava into the river to drive out Kuna.  The red-hot burning stones in the water made the pools boiling and the steam was rising in clouds – Kuna uttered incantation after incantation, but the water scalded and burned Kuna.

Kuna leaped from the pools and fled down the river. The waters of the pools are no longer scalding, but they have never lost the tumbling, tossing, foaming, boiling swirl which Maui gave to them when he threw into them the red-hot stones with which he hoped to destroy Kuna, and they are known today as the ‘Boiling Pots.’  (Westervelt, USGS)

Despite the name, the water is not normally hot. The only time in the modern history of the river that the water was heated was in 1855 and 1856 when a lava flow from Mauna Loa advanced across the Saddle between that volcano and Mauna Kea. Lava flowed into the Wailuku River channel, but did not cross it, about 4 miles above the Boiling Pots. (BIVN)

The Boiling Pots is about 1.5 miles upstream from Rainbow Falls and is a succession of eroded, hollowed out terraced pools that fill with the flow of the river. When the river is engorged with storm runoff, the ‘pots’ fill to the brim, become turbulent and appear to ‘boil.’  (HawaiianAir)

The Wailuku River is an important landmark to geologists, because it marks the approximate boundary between the lava flows of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. It is the state’s longest river and the southernmost that carries water all year.

According to the USGS, the river was formed by at least two lava flows coming from Mauna Kea, the oldest, the ‘Anuenue flow (as old as 10,500 years), is the same flow that formed the thick lip of Rainbow Falls and most of the rounded, gray boulders at Boiling Pots.

Tracing the flows up and down the Wailuku tells a geologic story of a river that had already deeply cut into Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa flows when it was filled by the ‘Anuenue flow over 10,000 years ago. Many of these boulders are frozen into a younger pahoehoe flow, named after the Punahoa ahupua‘a and about 3,100 years old.

The filling caused the river to shift in many places and resume its erosional downcutting before lava again ventured into the river 3,100 years ago. (The Hawaiian and the geologic versions of the Wailuku River story have many similarities, including the pools – ‘pots.’ (USGS)

The pots, each about 50-feet in diameter, are eroded into the 10,500 year old Mauna Loa lava flow. When the water is low, the river does not flow over some of the pot rims but it continues to flow through them. (USGS)

An average of 275-million gallons of water flows through the Wailuku to Hilo daily – during intense storms, the discharge can be more than 20 times greater. On average, the Wailuku transports approximately 10 tons of suspended sediment into Hilo Bay each day.

About a half mile up the river from the boiling pots is Peʻepeʻe Falls.  Waiānuenue Avenue (rainbow (seen in) water) is named for the most famous waterfall, Ka Wailele ʻO Waiānuenue, Rainbow Falls on the Wailuku River.

DLNR operated the Wailuku River State Park, here. There are two separate park areas, Boiling Pots and Rainbow Falls. Flash flooding is common, and because there are no lifeguards, many have perished in the river by getting sucked into the water and becoming trapped within concealed lava tubes and caves.

The best way to experience this beautiful and deadly natural phenomena is from a cement overlook, just a short walk from the paved parking lot.

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Cow Palace

“It was built in 1916 by a Hackfeld & Co as a lumber warehouse. The firm later was sold to the American Factors, now Amfac, and the building continued to be a warehouse until World War II. … It endured the 1946 and 1960 tidal waves.” (HTH, April 14, 1970)

“Anyone who looks at the modified false front of the building, which stores in those days thought necessary to identify themselves, can read the date 1916 near the top and the faded inscription ‘American Factors Ltd.’ below it.”

“It was a proud building in those days and a big one for Hilo. The train which ran just sea ward of the building ran its freight cars on special tracks to the Hamakua side of the building to unload merchandise onto the broad lanai which runs the length of the building.”

“Another track led to the extensive lumber yard on the opposite side of the building. Here the lumber was piled by hand in neat stacks under an open sided shed which protected the clean smelling lumber from sun and rain yet let the air play through.”

“This building and the one now housing Koehnen’s store at Waianuenue and Kamehameha Avenues in Hilo were the chief warehouse facilities on this island for American Factors, Ltd., now known as Amfac Inc.” (Baldwin, HTH July 28, 1969)

“During the war, the building was turned into a recreation center for servicemen and acquired the nickname, ‘Cow Palace.’ Ever since, the Cow Palace has been the official name for the building.”  (HTH, April 14, 1970)

“The ‘Cow Palace’ building housed hardware, general building supplies, farm equipment, etc., and had its own office. The uptown one stored dry goods, drugs and sundries on its top floor; office space, groceries and general merchandise on its main floor, and larger items and crated goods in Its basement.” (Baldwin, HTH July 28, 1969)

“We have been renting the waterfront property on a permit issued to us by the Commissioner of Public Lands since February 1, 949. An Indenture of Exchange was made between the Territory of Hawaii and American Factors on May 17, 1949 …”

“… in which our waterfront properties were exchanged for a parcel of land in the Waiakea area. Here a lumberyard was established and a mill erected and an area cleared for the erection of a warehouse.”

“In the early part of 1950 we were advised by the Territory to vacate one end of our building to make way for the highway through the Hilo waterfront. This received our immediate attention.”

“On August 21, 1951, Frank G. Serrao, then Commissioner of Public Lands, gave us a copy of a letter [that states] ‘I wish to assure you that the American Factor warehouse and the surrounding premises on Kamehameha Avenue, Hilo, Hawaii …”

“… will be made available to the County of Hawaii within two years.’ This would indicate that we could continue our tenancy into 1953.” (EG Solomon, President of American Factors)

Then, “The old American Factors warehouse in the bayfront zone is going to be given some repairs and turned into a band practice hall and recreation department center.”

“After repairs are completed, members of the county band will hold their practice sessions there. Currently, they practice in their old facility on Kaiulani street.”

“Offices of the Hilo recreation committee will move into the old Amfac building from Piihonua gymnasium, which is being used now. Summer program indoor activities will also be held in the repaired bayfront facility. (HTH, June 9, 1954) It “became a sports center of the County Department of Parks and Recreation.”

“Until a roof cave-in last February [from significant heavy rains], Cow Palace was home for the County Band and several civic organizations. … But now it is coming down as required by the County General Plan.” (HTH, April 14, 1970)

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Hilo Gas

“Hawaii … has two public-utility gas companies, the first having been incorporated April 15, 1903 for the purpose of supplying Honolulu with a manufactured supply of gas for fuel and illuminating purposes.”

“Ten years later, the second utility, the Hilo Gas Company was incorporated, and a franchise was obtained for manufacturing and supplying gas in the district of South Hilo on the Island of Hawaii.” (Historic Inventory of the physical, social and economic, and industrial resources of the Territory of Hawaii, 1939)

“Hilo Gas Company Formed – Articles of incorporation of the Hilo Gas Company, Ltd, were filed with the territorial treasurer yesterday, the capital stock being given as $100,000.  Bids for the erection of a gas plant have already been advertised for by the company and the contract will be let the latter part of this month.” (Hawaiian Gazette, January 5, 1917)

One of the incorporators and President of the new Company was Peter Carl ‘Pete’ Beamer, “who became the patriarch of a famous music and hula clan in Hawaii”. (Downey, Civil Beat)

Hilo Gas “was engaged as a public utility in the manufacture and distribution of gas in the City of Hilo and in the nonutility business of distributing bottled liquefied petroleum gas outside of the city.” (Hawaiian Trust Co. v. United States, 1961)

Over the years, this facility manufactured water gas [a kind of fuel gas], butane, and propane. Their facility was on Ponahawai street, down by Kamehameha Highway; Hilo Gas Company constructed its original oil-gas facility on the site in 1917.

“By 1935, the facility could produce 120,000 cubic feet of gas in eight hours. The facility was upgraded periodically, and over the years included a 45,000-gallon capacity above ground fuel storage tank, two 52,000-cubic foot gas holder tanks, a gas generator, a water filter, a scrubber tower, storage tanks, gas purifiers and pressurized gas cylinders.”

“The manufactured gas process was reportedly operated 24 hours per day and involved the injection of pre-heated crude oil and steam in a fire brick-lined gas generator to produce the raw gas. The crude oil was delivered to the site by rail car and stored in the 45,000-gallon storage tank.” (Weston)

“In 1948 and 1949 Hilo Gas lost money and was in financial difficulties. In the spring of 1950, Orlando Lyman, its president and largest stockholder, approached AE Englebright, the general manager of [Pacific Refiners], for assistance in solving the problems of Hilo Gas.”

“It was first proposed that Hilo Gas should cease the manufacture of gas and buy butane from Refiners, thus saving manufacturing costs. Further negotiations, in which alternative plans were considered, proved unsuccessful.”

“About the middle of September, 1950, Lyman offered to sell his shares of Hilo Gas to Refiners or Honolulu Gas. With his stock and that of another stockholder who was willing to sell, Refiners could acquire in excess of 75% of Hilo’s stock.”

“The original plan of Refiners as controlling stockholder of Hilo Gas had been to sell the utility assets to Honolulu Gas and dissolve Hilo Gas at such a time as the directors determined to be convenient.”

“On September 27, 1950, the directors of Honolulu Gas authorized the acquisition of the assets of Hilo Gas … subject to the approval of the Public Utilities Commission.” (Hawaiian Trust Co. v. United States, 1961)

“Purchase of the recently organized Pacific Refiners, Ltd is the first step in moves which will ultimately lead to acquisition of the Hilo utility firm by the Honolulu Gas Co.” (HTH Oct 7, 1950)

“‘The purchase by Pacific Refiners and ultimately by Honolulu Gas Co. means in effect,’ Mr. Lycurgus asserted, ‘the investment of some 2,500 gas consumers in over a quarter of a million dollars in gas appliances has been saved.’ Better utility service and lower rates sum up the ultimate effects of the purchase, according to Mr Lycurgus.” (HTH Oct 7, 1950)

On May 22, 1960, a tsunami struck Hilo town, destroying many homes and businesses, and claiming 61 lives while causing $24 million in damage. The Hilo Gas Company facility was destroyed. 

Following the disaster, the State of Hawaii assumed ownership of the parcel and designated it part of a tsunami buffer zone. Hilo Gas Company relocated to an inland site and recommenced operations in 1962.  (Weston)

In 1960, “The gas-fired luau torch, developed by Honolulu Gas Co, has been accepted for patent by the US Patent Office … Gasco engineers first developed it in 1953, and have since made refinements.”

“The company says thousands now are used in Honolulu, and that a ‘considerable quantity’ is sold on the Mainland … Queen’s Surf had the first major installation here.” (Adv Dec 3, 1960)

What was Hilo Gas is now a part of The Gas Company, LLC dba Hawaii Gas.  The Gas Company has grown to serve Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Kauai, Molokai, and Lanai. (Legislature)

(In 1997 folks found that the former Hilo Gas site was contaminated with Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and sulfide compounds stemming largely from Hilo Gas Company’s former activity on-site.)

(In response, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) encapsulated and removed the contaminated soil in a plastic liner resembling a ‘burrito.’ The burrito was left near the site until 2004 when Hawai‘i Health Department, USACE, and the County of Hawai‘i removed the extracted soil encapsulated in the burrito and the additional soil from the second portion of the site. (EPA))

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