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Hilo Iron Works Historical and Background
Information
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Taken from w ilii Tribune-Herald artii l in August 2001 on the
Pineapple I Canning n lant by Kent Warshauer.
In August 1906 the property of which the Hilo Iron Works now sits was secured
by the soon to be formed Hilo Fruit Co. Work on the factory began on Feb. 12,
1907 and by March 21 the building was nearly completed.
The following newspaper clips speak to production in the coming years along
with hope for the industry based on the quality of fruit being grown.
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Hawaii Tribune,1908 The Pacific,06.24.1909
Production was Smooth until Jure 1 , 1909, when the growers and canners
could not agree on a price, and a glut in pineapple production territory-wide
Spelled doom for the enterprise. Although canning commenced for the 1909
Season on June 22, a price per ton could Mill not be agreed upon, and the
growers Soon began to Ship fruit directly to the San Francisco area on the
Steamer Enterprise. This Shift marked the end of the cannery, which Soon
closed forever.
The cannery, which was mortgaged to Fiat Funk of filo, was later Seized by the
bank, and on August 1911 the property was Sold to Honolulu Iron Works. The
machinery was removed and the corrugated iron building was retained along with
the old warehouse, which was later incorporated into a foundry and machine
shop that would be known as the Hilo Iron Works for the next 72 years.
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Taken from w ilii Tribune-Herald artii l in May 2003 on the HiloIron
Works n Warshauer.
Can Oct. 1, 1903 the Honolulu Iron Works opened a branch office in Hilo due to
the increasing volume of their business with the sugar plantations on the Island
of Hawaii. When the Hilo Fruit Co. went out of business the former pineapple
cannery building and land foreclosed and the Fiat Funk of Hilo assumed control
of the premises. On Aug. 22, 1911 the existing buildings on the site were
purchased for $7,500 and transfer of the lease, which ran until the end of May
1916. On June 16, 1912 work on the reconstruction of the old Pineapple
Cannery began. On March 14, 1913 the foundry began operation and the new
Hilo Iron Works was in full operation.
On Nov. 17, 1917 the largest sugar mill roller was cast in the foundry, weighing 7
1/ tons and plans were being made to cast an even larger one. Nine days later
the lease to the 37,076 square foot parcel was renewed for a period of 21 years
at $750 per annum, and a further parcel adjoining the premises was also
acquired.
In May 29, 1916, the Hilo Iron Works was set to be doubled in size and capacity.
To enlarge the premises, about two acres of swamp land was to be filled in wing
a 5 inch centrifugal pump that sucked up sand from the Wailoa River to provide
space for new buildings. This work began during July 1916. Improvements were
continued including the following years: 1919, 1920, 1921, 1924 and 1934.
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Iron works 1929
Declining demand for the castings and growing demand for steel fabrication led to
the closing of the foundry on Oct. 31, 1953. In a joint operation by the Theo. H.
Davies and C. Brewer sugar plantations and the employees, during April 1974
the filo Iron Works was sold to them by the owner, Ward Foods, Inc., in order
that it would not close, ensuring the fabrication of mill components and specialty
equipment.
During 1932 the sugar plantations on the island of Hawaii suffered large losses
and business fell off at filo Iron Works. Can May 1933 the filo Iron Works went
out of business.
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