100 Years Ago – Shipping Molasses
One of the by-products of refining sugarcane into sugar is molasses.
Although ships have been carrying molasses from Hawai‘i to the Mainland for years, most locals were unaware of this until the molasses spill in Honolulu Harbor made the news in September 2013.
From the 21 July 1917 (Extra) issue of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin:
TANKER TAKING MOLASSES AWAY
Having brought oil here from California oil ports, the Associated Oil tanker J. A. Chanslor, which has not been a visitor here for about two years, is taking molasses back to San Francisco.
The big tanker will steam probably tomorrow morning for Hilo. She has loaded 1500 tons of molasses here and will take on a good sized quantity at Hilo, besides loading several hundred empty oil barrels and drums at this port and the Crescent City.
Cargoes of molasses are carried regularly from the islands to San Francisco by the Associated’s tank ships Marion Chilcott and Falls of Clyde, but this is the first tank steamer used for molasses shipments in some time.
Honolulu Star-Bulletin. (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii), 21 July 1917. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
