Molokane to Journey Soon

Seven Hundred Ready to Go to Island Home.
Glad Over Prospect of Owning Lands and Enjoying Pastoral Life, the Simple Russian Peasants Will Sail Within a Month for Territory of Hawaii.

Arrangements were made ye3sterday for the departure of most of the Russian colony from Los Angeles to Kauai, Territory of Hawaii. The Molokane will leave within thirty days on a special steamer chartered for their use.

The leaders, and 700 others, have expressed a desire to journey to the South Seas and, with their wives and children, the strong, bewhiskered men will soon depart.

As a preparation for their leaving groups of from fifteen to twenty of the simple peasants went before the County Clerk at the Courthouse yesterday and took out their first naturalization papers. They want to become American citizens, since they will still be where the Stars and Stripes float.

Either a steamer of the Pacific Coast line or a special boat will be chartered to take the men to the islands. There is joy among the simple folk because of the opportunity offered for them to again become farmers, and enjoy the sweets of a pastoral life.

Since coming to Los Angeles, the Molokane have learned much. Several speak English after a fashion, and among the leaders are those who can converse fluently. A number have learned useful trades. Some of these have elected to remain in Los Angeles.

The backbone of the colony will go to Hawaii. All of the older members have decided to leave. The all-absorbing desire is to become possessors of land. On the steppes of their native soil many left homes which represented the result of years of labor. Several gave up small fortunes to come to America. Most of the colonists arrived penniless, as their scanty hoard, hastily gathered, was eaten up by greedy officials on the boundaries of the countries through which the emigrants were obliged to pass.

They have worked faithfully since coming to Southern California and have saved most of the money earned. They ask odds of nobody, and have learned to be independent since leaving Russia. They are suspicious to a degree, and loath to trust any one.

The United States government has offered to the local Russians an opportunity to earn homes. They will be allowed to take up forty acres of land on the fertile island for each person. This land can be purchased outright at $15 an acre, or proved up on in twenty-one years.

The island leases held by sugar cane companies are about to expire, and the land has reverted to the United States. Almost every acre is under cultivation and much of the land is in full bearing with heavy crops of cane. The sugar factories will take all the cane that can be supplied. The cane is worth $70 a ton in the fields.

The Russians will be cared for during the first year, and to each will be advanced $20 a month, which they will pay back when the returns from their crops are realized.

The government is said to be facing a serious problem in connection with oriental labor in Hawaii. The coolies have practically swarmed over the islands, but are available for certain kinds of labor only. There is a desire for the importation of white labor, and business men and capitalists have interested themselves in the plan to bring the Russians.

United States Land Commissioner Pratt, under whose supervision the Russians are to be transported to Kauai, has offered the men every advantage possible. He will also endeavor to persuade white families to take up the proffered land.

The Pacific Coast offices of the Hawaiian company on West Third Street, near Spring, will handle the transportation of the Russians from Los Angeles. At the offices yesterday it was stated that 700 have already signed to go, and that probably may more will do so.

Kauai, the goal of the Molokane, is the fourth in size of the Hawaiian group, and contains 547 square miles. The soil is fertile, and pineapples, bananas and cane can be grown in abundance. Much of the land is available for pasture. The condition on which land can be taken up, in the island is that at least 25 per cent must be placed under cultivation. The climate is said to be all that could be desired, resembling that of Southern California.

Los Angeles Times Feb 11, 1906; ProQuest Historical Newspapers Los Angeles Times (1881 - 1985) pg. II2