HomeMy WebLinkAbout1926-1955 - Schoenbachler Dairy Farm in Tukwila South AreaShipment of 60 head of cattle from the Schoenbachler Farms, on the Matson
Line's 33 HAWN TRADER VOY 13, marks the beginning of the 30th year of
cattle shipments from Mr. August Schoenbaohler and his son, Herman
Schoenbachler to the Hawaiian Islands.
The cattle, over the past years, have been shipped to various dairies in
the Islanfls and are purchased and shipped by the Schoenbachler farms on
a rather close timing situation. The cattle are all to freshen within a
minimum of 30 days after arrival in the Hawaiian Islands. Generally
speaking, the vast majority of stock has been Holstein.
Mr. Schoenbachler states that they have shipped in the past 29 years,
slightly over 12,000 head to the Islands on Matson vessels and that the
outturn of the cattle in the Islands is near perfect. Actually, Mr.
Schoenbachler estimates that they have lost, during the voyage, not over
6 head since the start of this business.
This also marks the 61st trip for Mr. Charlie Keller to the Islanfls, who
acts as stock tender for Mr. Schoenbachler's cattle.
The cattle are brought in from Mr. Schoenbachler's farm by truck to the
Matson Terminals, Pier 44 Seattle, early A.M. the day of sailing, and
generally with tide conditions being favorable, the cattle are loaded at
8 A.M. The cattle are delivered from the truck to a corral, which is
provided by the terminals, the sides of which are made out of empty pallet
boards stacked approximately 6 ft. high. With a low tide the deck of the
vessels are generally very close to the level of the dock, and the cattle
are run from the corral on the dock, aboard vessel, and to their stalls
over the high sided gangway. The stalls which contain four head each, are
placed aboard the vessel prior to the loading of the cattle.
Matson Linea HAWN TRADER sails directly from Seattle to Honolulu, sailing
every 35 days. The actual ocean voyage is slightly less than 6 days. The
cattle are unloaded at Honolulu in the same manner in which they are loaded
in Seattle. The HAWN TRADER is one of three express cargo vessels which
provide the Northwest ports, including Portland, Tacoma, and Seattle, with
approximately three sailinge every 35 days. Regular service is also
provided for British Columbia ports. In addition, Matson Lines have two
other vessels which provide direct service from lumber mill berths to the
Hawaiian Islands.
Matson's experience with livestock has not been limited to cattle, as in
past years there have been large quantities of live hogs, and game cocks,
shipped to the Hawn. Islands from the Northwest ports. In addition, horses
have been shipped to the Islands, and from the Islands to the Northwest
ports. In past years, Matson has also carried circuses to and from the
Islands, which included animals such as elephants, monkeys, etc. On
occasions the Matson vessels, sailing from the Northwest, have resembled
a floating farm as frequently there have been shipments of cattle, hogs,
game cooks, dogs, etc., on one vessel.
PWS/dn