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August 21, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Statehood

“Hawai‘i is America in a microcosm – a melting pot of many racial and national origins, from which has been produced a common nationality, a common patriotism, a common faith in freedom and in the institutions of America.” (Senator Herbert
Lehman; GPO)

On June 27, 1959, Hawaiʻi registered voters voted on three propositions related to Statehood:

Shall the following propositions, as set forth in Public Law 86-3 entitled “An Act to provide for the admission of the State of Hawaii into the Union” be adopted?

1. Shall Hawaii immediately be admitted into the Union as a State?
Yes – 132,773 (94.3%)
No – 7,971 (5.7%)

2. The boundaries of the State of Hawaii shall be as prescribed in the Act of Congress approved March 18, 1959, and all claims of this State to any areas of land or sea outside the boundaries so prescribed are hereby irrevocably relinquished to the United States.
Yes – 132,194 (94.5%)
No – 7,654 (5.5%)

3. All provisions of the Act of Congress approved March 18, 1959, reserving rights or powers to the United States, as well as those prescribing the terms or conditions of the grants of lands or other property therein made to the State of Hawaii are consented by said State and its people.
Yes – 132,281 (94.6%)
No – 7,582 (5.4%)

(There was a 93.6% voter turnout for the General election – as compared to generally less than 50% in recent times – total turnout for the 2016 primary election was only 34.8% (a new low.))

While Hawaiʻi was the 50th State to be admitted into the union on August 21, 1959, Statehood is celebrated annually on the third Friday in August to commemorate the anniversary of the 1959 admission of Hawaiʻi into the Union.

Contrary to comments by some, the Crown and Government lands were not ‘stolen’ from the people with Territorial status, Statehood or any other change in governance. Those lands have been consistently recognized as part of the public domain or government property, as decided by the Hawai‘i Supreme Court.

That court noted, “In 1840 (Kamehameha III) granted the first Constitution by which he declared and established the equality before the law of all his subjects, chiefs, and people alike.”

“By that Constitution, he voluntarily divested himself of some of his powers and attributes as an absolute Ruler, and conferred certain political rights upon his subjects, admitting them to a share with himself in legislation and government. This was the beginning of a government as contradistinguished from the person of the King …”

“… who was thenceforth to be regarded rather as the executive chief and political head of the nation than its absolute governor. Certain kinds of public property began to be recognized as Government property, and not as the King’s.”

The Court noted, “These lands are to be in the perpetual keeping of the Legislative Council (Nobles and Representatives) or in that of the superintendents of said lands, appointed by them from time to time …”

“… and shall be regulated, leased, or sold, in accordance with the will of said Nobles and Representatives, for the good of the Hawaiian Government, and to promote the dignity of the Hawaiian Crown.”

The Court found, “while it was clearly the intention of Kamehameha III to protect the lands which he reserved to himself out of the domain which had been acquired by his family through the prowess and skill of his father, the conqueror, from the danger of being treated as public domain or Government property …”

“… it was also his intention to provide that those lands should descend to his heirs and successors, the future wearers of the crown which the conquerer had won; and we understand the act of 7th June, 1848, as having secured both those objects.” (Supreme Court Decision in the Matter of the Estate of Kamehameha IV, 1864)

Following the overthrow, these lands remained for public benefit when they were transferred through changing governments and governance to the Provisional Government, Republic, Territory and State.

This was affirmed by the US Court of Claims noting, “The constitution of the Republic of Hawai‘i, as respects the crown lands, provided as follows: ‘That portion of the public domain heretofore known as crown land is hereby declared to have been heretofore, and now to be, the property of the Hawaiian Government …” (Lili‘uokalani v The United States, 1910)

Beneficiaries of these lands have also not changed – those lands remain part of the public trust for the benefit of Hawai‘i citizens. The government and governance of the Kingdom through Statehood has not been, nor are they now, based on race. People of many races have been and continue to be citizens.

Under the Admission Act, about 1.2-million acres are to “be held by (the) State as a public trust” to promote one or more of five purposes:
1. support of the public schools and other public educational institutions
2. betterment of the conditions of native Hawaiians (per the Hawaiian Homes Act, 1920)
3. development of farm and home ownership on as widespread a basis as possible
4. making of public improvements
5. provision of lands for public use

So, as Statehood is celebrated in the Islands, the lands that were in the public domain over the changing levels and entities of government and governance continue to be held in public trust, for all citizens (just as in the times of the constitutional monarchy.)

“Today, one of the deepest needs of mankind is the need to feel a sense of kinship one with another. Truly all mankind belongs together; from the beginning all mankind has been called into being, nourished, watched over by the love of God.”

“So that the real Golden Rule is Aloha. This is the way of life we shall affirm.”

“Let us affirm ever what we really are – for Aloha is the spirit of God at work in you and in me and in the world, uniting what is separated, overcoming darkness and death, bringing new light and life to all who sit in the darkness of fear, guiding the feet of mankind into the way of peace.”

“Thus may our becoming a State mean to our nation and the world, and may it reaffirm that which was planted in us one hundred and thirty-nine years ago: ‘Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.’” (Reverend Abraham K Akaka; Given on: Friday, March 13, 1959)

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August 19, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Puna Plantation Hawai‘i, Ltd

He bought Puna Plantation Hawai‘i, a papaya farm, around the time of the eruption in the Kapoho area of Puna in 1959. Puna Plantation Hawai‘i Ltd became the parent company name for various entities; the most prominent dba bears his name.

Financial records note the company services include: management consulting services; eating place; grocery store Food and beverage industries, Beverage processing, Meat and poultry and seafood processing …

… Fruits and vegetables processing, Dairy and eggs processing, Grains and sugar and oils and fat processing, New business startup consultation services, Corporate mergers consultation services.

Of the 16 officers of parent company Puna Plantation Hawai‘i Ltd., three bear the family surname, but others also are family members.

The company “is held by the family. However, in our organization we do have … nonfamily executives who have been with our organization for a long time have been with (us) so long that we consider them family.” (Company President; Star Advertiser)

Back when the initial company was formed, he and a competitor had identical initials for their company names; merchandise for the competitor, K Tahara store, were marked ‘KT’ at Hilo harbor.

To avoid confusion of deliveries of the goods, his shipments were marked ‘KTA,’ to distinguish them (the ‘A’ has no other apparent significance.) The initials carried on as the company’s name.

Let’s look back …

Koichi, at the age of 17, left his home in Hiroshima, Japan, seeking the opportunities American offered. With the intention to get to San Francisco, he landed first in Hawai‘i on January 14, 1907. He stayed, and found work at Heʻeia Sugar Plantation at Kāne’ohe.

Taniyo, a woman he knew from Japan, arrived in the Islands a few years later; they were married July 7, 1913. A couple years later they moved to Hilo, where Koichi attended a school to learn English and bookkeeping. S Hata, a wholesaling company, hired Koichi as a bookkeeper after he finished his courses.

Their first son, Yukiwo, was born in 1916. That year also marked the founding of K Taniguchi Shoten (store) – a grocery and dry goods store Koichi and Taniyo started to support their son.

They bought a two-story building on Lihiwai Street in Waiākea along the banks of the Wailoa River. The Taniguchis lived upstairs and ran their store downstairs in approximately 500-square feet of space. (Kimura; HRGM)

In the beginning, Taniyo minded the store while watching the couple’s first-born son, Yukiwo. Koichi Taniguchi would deliver orders to Hilo families by bicycle, or customers could come pick up their orders.

Over time, the store’s name changed to K Taniguchi Store, K. Taniguchi Supermarket and, finally, KTA Super Stores. KTA employs about 800 people companywide, making it one of the largest private-sector employers on the island.

The first expansion was in 1939 when the Keawe street store opened in downtown Hilo. Eventually, the company expanded to its present size being a six-store, island wide supermarket chain.

The initial store in Waiākea was lost during the 1946 tsunami. After that operations were consolidated in the downtown Hilo store.

KTA opened in Kailua-Kona in 1959, under the banyan tree, just mauka of the Kailua pier. The Pū‘āinakō store, now its flagship store, on the southern outskirts of Hilo opened in 1966.

In response to the decline in sugar, and anticipating that sugar workers at closing plantations might stay in agriculture, KTA initiated the Mountain Apple Brand of grown-in-Hawai`i foods.

KTA has established many firsts in Hawaii’s grocery industry over the years, claiming to have been the state’s first supermarket to have an in-store bakery, at the Pū‘āinakō store; the first to install UPC bar code scanners at all checkouts; and the first to install and operate energy-saving photovoltaic systems, at its Waimea and Kailua-Kona stores.

Five of the company’s six stores are KTA Super Stores, while the sixth location is a sister-store called Waikoloa Village Market. (Lots of information here is from KTA Super Stores, Engle (Star Advertiser) and Kimura (HRGM.))

KTA now is led by third-generation chairman and CEO Barry Taniguchi and fourth-generation President and COO Toby Taniguchi. Along with third- and fourth-generation family members Lon Taniguchi, Maryan Miyada, Andrew Chun and Derek Taniguchi, they ensure the legacy of Koichi and Taniyo Taniguchi will continue.

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KTA-Keawe Opening-1939

KTA-Puainako Ground Breaking-1965

KTA-Puainako-1966

KTA-Taniguchi

KTA-Taniyo and Koichi Taniguchi with their grandchildren. L-R-Lon, Maryan, and Barry-HRGM

KTA-dry goods

August 18, 2016 by Peter T Young 4 Comments

Kaimuki Subdivision

“If you guided your horse, or trudged the dusty road three or four miles into the country southeastward of Honolulu you came to a barren plateau stepping down from Palolo Hill and the parent Koʻolau range.”

“Eastward it broke away into the lowlands of Waiʻalae. Upon it red dust swirled in the fresh sea breeze that came lacing over its ridgeline.” (Advertiser, September 4, 1939)

“Ostriches used to roam the red dirt hills of Kaimuki. … (Dr Trousseau) a French physician, who served in the court of King Kalākaua, imported the birds that have supplied decoration for the hats of milady for scores of years.” (Advertiser, March 1, 1946)

The first attempt to subdivide city property into house lots seems to have been by Gear, Lansing & Co in 1898. AV Gear and Theodore Lansing formed Gear, Lansing and Co. They bought 260-acres from Paul Isenberg Sr that included the area bounded by Kapahulu Avenue, Waiʻalae Road, Ocean View Drive and the back of Diamond Head.

They also had an option to buy 260 more acres from Paul Isenberg Jr. which adjoined the Kaimuki Tract from Kahala Avenue and Kealaolu Avenue (the old Isenberg Road) to the back of Diamond Head. These 520-acres made up the first major subdivision in Hawaii. (Takasaki) (Ft. Ruger was part of the Gear, Lansing Kaimuki Tract, sold by them to US Army.)

“Development of this vast residential project presented formidable financial problems, chiefly water. At that time the government water works was too small and feeble to consider supply, much less distribution.”

“McCandless Brothers, Hawai‘i’s No. I well borers, were consulted. They thought an artesian well could be brought in somewhere at the north foot of the rise. In due time a 10-inch flowing well of sparkling pure water was delivered for $2500.”

“A reservoir was built on “the crater” or imu (hole-in-the-ground oven) from which Kaimuki did not get its name. … Later the entire layout was sold to the government, incorporated in the city water works. One of the wells is now the Kapahulu station, Honolulu Board of Water Supply.” (Sales Builder, January 1936)

“AB Loebenstein, surveyor for Gear Lansing then plotted his firm’s new purchase into blocks or subdivisions, measuring 600 by 400 feet, then into lots of 15,000 square feet. At the time the only actual road giving access to the heart of the district was the rough trail along the route of what is now Eighth Avenue from Waiʻalae road to Maunaloa avenue.” (Advertiser, March 2, 1946)

At first, people seemed to ‘trickle’ into Kaimuki. Then, following the Chinatown fire in January 1900, many Chinese families and small businesses became homeless, and new homes were sought.

With the fire, Kakaʻako’s Victoria Hospital (also known as ‘home for incurables’ and the ‘old kerosene warehouse,’) was overflowing and Lēʻahi Hospital was built in Kaimuki in 1901. (Takasaki)

As an inducement to the early purchase of sites Gear Lansing offered to run a ‘road’ into a constructed home anywhere within its various subdivisions.” (Advertiser, September 4, 1939)

The first road serving Kaimuki, after the existing Waiʻalae Road, seemed to be 8th-Avenue, established when Mrs Hendrix Prime bought eight lots and insisted on having the old trail paved. (Takasaki)

Then, “In 1925 City of Honolulu put through the largest (Kaimuki) improvement project in its history, paved streets, sidewalks, laid the red dust for good.”

“At the end of the present Kaimuki carline, Gear established an animal zoo, perhaps as a drawing card for prospective purchasers. Among other animals were a couple of brown bears who, when the zoo was closed, were killed (and bear steaks were sold.)” (Advertiser, September 4, 1939)

“At the zoo they had a ‘Hawaiian Zebra.’ It was a ‘Kona Nightingale. Imported from Hawai‘i and painted in zebra stripes. Hundreds went to see the curiosity and marveled until the rains came. Then the stripes washed away and the hoax was revealed.” (Advertiser, March 2, 1946)

“Since that time Kaimuki-Waiʻalae has shot ahead amazingly, acquired a thriving business center, residences almost solid from Kapahulu to Kahala, from Diamond Head to Maunalani Heights, away up the mountain.” (Sales Builder, January 1936)

“Several fine residences were built on the salubrious heights, nobody doubting that here was the natural nifty residential district of Honolulu. They forgot about the red soil which, unchecked by pavements, grass plots, gardens, that since have curtailed its colorful career, soon had everything tinted a rich maroon.”

“Children, dogs, cats, floors, carpets, furniture, walls inside and out, grew rubicund. Red is a nice, cheerful color, but women got fed up on it, demand for large lots struck a snag.” (Sales Builder, January 1936)

While Gear, Lansing & Co didn’t lose money at Kaimuki, a sugar venture of theirs at Maunalei on Lānaʻi did. “Losses sustained in the ill-starred planting venture caused Gear, Lansing & Co, to fold up. Banks took the Kaimuki-Waialae property.”

About that time a new arrival from San Francisco, Charlie Stanton, thought he could galvanize the subdivision with proper advertising, sold the idea to Waterhouse Trust Company’s real estate department manager, FE Steere (now independent realtor)’ and Frank E. Thompson, attorney.”

“The trio formed Kaimuki Land Company, took the tracts over did fairly well. Later, to forestall competition, they bought Wilhelmina Rise near-by, made it pay; finally turned the whole works over profitably to Waterhouse Trust Company at 80 cents on the dollar for agreements of sale and “fire sale” prices for raw land. (Sales Builder, January 1936)

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August 17, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Dole Derby

The basis for the modern pineapple industry in Hawai‘i began when John Kidwell, a trained horticulturist, established a nursery in Mānoa Valley and started a pineapple farm with locally available plants.

The canning industry began in 1889 when Kidwell’s business associate, John Emmeluth, a Honolulu hardware merchant and plumber, produced commercial quantities of canned pineapple.

James Dole established the Hawaiian Pineapple Company in 1901 and is ‘‘usually considered to have produced the first commercial pack of 1,893 cases of canned pineapple in 1903.”

The pineapple plantation concept quickly spread to Kauai and Maui, perhaps because the already well-established sugar industry provided the near-ideal plantation model for those to whom it was not initially obvious.

The Panic of 1907 in the continental US resulted in a reduction in demand for Hawaiian canned pineapple. Under James Dole’s leadership, an industry association was created to organize a cooperative advertising campaign to revive demand.

At that time Dole and the other canners had not developed their own brands. Most of their output was sold with wholesalers’ brand labels such as “Sussman & Wormser.” Demand for Hawaiian canned pineapple revived.

In April 1927, the Hawaiian Pineapple Co began a national advertising campaign, independent of the Association of Hawaiian Pineapple Canners.

The advertisements were centered on the brand name “Dole,” which was stamped in bas-relief on the top of every can of pineapple produced by the company. The advertising was designed to enable consumers to identify the Hawaiian Pineapple Co’s products from other company’s products, no matter what label the can carried.

The advertising campaign was launched in a spectacular way. At the time, Charles Lindbergh successfully completed his solo flight across the Atlantic, leaving New York and landing at Le Bourget Field, near Paris, on May 21 at 10:21 pm. Thousands of cheering people had gathered to meet him. He had flown more than 3,600 miles in 33 ½ hours.

On May 25, 1927 James D. Dole offered $25,000 to the first flyer to cross from the North American continent to Honolulu, Hawai‘i, in a nonstop flight (second place would receive $10,000.)

Before the Dole Derby got off the ground, on June 28, Army aviators Lester J Maitland, 29, and Albert F Hegenberger, 32 took off from Oakland Airport, headed west and after 25 hours and 50 minutes landed safely at Wheeler Field, Oahu; the first to complete a West Coast to Hawai‘i flight.

Then, on July 14, 1927, airmail pilot Ernie Smith and his navigator, Emory Bronte, lifted off in a monoplane called City of Oakland from Oakland field – they ran out of gas and crash-landed on Molokai 26 hours and 36 minutes later (the first civilian to complete the route.)

Not discouraged, the Dole Derby was still on. A committee of the National Aeronautic Association (chaired by chapter president, Clarence H Cooke, assisted by Frank O Boyer, Commander HB McComb of Pearl Harbor, Captain Lowell H Smith of Wheeler Field, John H Kangeter and Kenneth Barnes) established rules and other flight details, to ensure that “—it may cost no brave man either his life or limb.”

Thirty-three entries were narrowed down to 8-finalists (Aloha, Dallas Spirit, Miss Doran, Golden Eagle, El Encanto, Oklahoma, Pabco Flyer and Woolaroc were the eight finalists.)

Ships were lined up at sea for marking and emergency purposes. Along the route would be the Wilhelmina, 1,400 miles from Honolulu; Los Angeles, 800 miles from Los Angeles; SS Manukai, 950 miles from San Francisco; SS President Harrison, 800 miles from San Francisco; SS Manulani, 1,160 miles from Maui; SS Inora, 800 miles from Honolulu; SS Manoa, 1,820 miles from San Francisco.

The entire Pacific fleet was to be placed in readiness. The aircraft carrier LANGLEY, two destroyers, two mine sweepers and an aircraft tender were to be in position in San Diego.

“It was August 16th, 1927, only 86 days since Lindbergh had single-handedly fired the world’s imagination with his stunning solo flight from New York to Paris. On the field at Oakland California’s municipal airport next to San Francisco Bay, a bevy of would be ‘Pacific Lindberghs’ readied their aircraft for a flight to Hawai‘i.”

Thousands of bystanders lined the field. There were more atop buildings; and some watched from surface craft at sea. At noon, Ernie Smith fired the starter’s pistol and the race was on. The race had an inauspicious start …

At 12:01, the first airplane became airborne. It was the Oklahoma, a blue and yellow monoplane with Bennett Griffen and Al. L. Henley. The Oklahoma passed the Golden Gate but then returned with mechanical difficulties.

Navy Lieutenants Norman A. Goddard and K. C. Hawkins moved their silver monoplane El Encanto down the runway at 12:03. Goddard was with the U.S. Naval Reserve at San Diego and his navigator, Hawkins, was an active duty naval officer from the San Diego Naval Air Station, on special leave to participate in the race.

Thrown off course by a side wind, Goddard managed to get about four feet into the air but then crashed to the ground at the 7,000 foot mark, completely demolishing the left wing. The rudder had failed to react properly. It was damaged sufficiently to be out of competition.

In third position, at 12:11, was war ace Major Livingston J. Irving in his orange monoplane Pabco Pacific Flyer. He rose as high as 10 feet into the air then plummeted suddenly back to the ground, ending up in the marsh and water. Tail wheel shattered, Irving pulled off for repairs and another start at the end of the line, intent not to let down fellow employees of the San Francisco firm who were his backers.

The Golden Eagle took off without incident at 12:31 and headed west with its crew of John W. Frost and Gordon Scott. The Lockheed plane was a Vega cantilever type monoplane, cigar shaped, with a 200 hp radial engine, put in the race by George Hearst, publisher of the San Francisco Examiner.

John Augie Peddlar took off in his Buhl Airsedan biplane, Miss Doran, at 12:33. His navigator was Lieutenant Vilas R. Knopie, U.S. Navy, and a 22-year-old school teacher passenger named Miss Mildred Doran—inspiree for the first woman passenger title.

Movie stunt flyer Arthur C. Goebel guided Woolaroc ,his yellow and blue Travelair monoplane, down the runway with Navy Lieutenant William V. Davis as his navigator. Davis was an active duty Navy pilot on 30 days leave from his North Island, San Diego station. He was formerly an Annapolis swimming star

Taking off next was Honolulu’s Martin Jensen in the Aloha, with Paul Schluter as navigator. The ALOHA was previously christened with a bottle of Waikiki water, complete with Hawaiian singers and hula dancers.

Miss Ruby Smith, an Oakland beauty queen, broke the bottle amidst Hawaiian strains and dances. Jensen was particularly proud of the painted Hawaiian flower lei which draped comfortably around the plane’s nose.

The Pabco Pacific Flyer’s tail wheel was repaired and Irving attempted another takeoff. The overloaded plane crashed, smashing one wing. Pilot and navigator came out unhurt.

Dallas Spirit took off at 12:37, flown by Captain William P Erwin with AH Eichwaldt as navigator. Erwin returned because of torn wing fabric.

Four airplanes were in the race, winging across the Pacific: Aloha, Golden Eagle, Miss Doran and Woolaroc … later, only two landed in Hawai‘i (Woolaroc (the first finisher that landed August 17, 1927 at Wheeler Field after a flight of 26 hours, 17 minutes and 33 seconds) and Aloha.)

When it became obvious the other two contestants were lost, Dole put up a $10,000 reward for anyone finding each of the missing planes. Sponsors of the Golden Eagle put up an equal amount for their plane, so did sponsors for the Miss Doran.

A huge search party was set up, soon swelling to 42 ships and planes. The amazing Jensen took off in the Aloha for a five-hour search over O‘ahu, Molokai and Maui. One of the Army planes on search crashed into the sea, killing its two occupants. The search was to no avail.

In Honolulu, the following day, the Star Bulletin carried James Dole’s statement: “Hawaii is on the lips of the world today, in the minds of countless millions of people.”

“Aviation during this year 1927 has definitely brought our own Hawaiian territory closer than ever before into the consciousness of the whole American people. Time and distance between Hawaii and the Pacific Coast are magically shortened.”

“I feel that this has great practical as well as sentimental value to the people of Hawaii. Business and commerce, social and civic relations, national and international contacts, are the better served, the more greatly inspired and stimulated.”

“There is, I feel, immediate and substantial advertising value to Hawaii, to Hawaii’s business, and to Hawaii’s resources and products, in giving to many millions of people the picture of the modern American community which can be reached from the Pacific Coast in 24 hours.”

“There is also, I feel, a definite stimulus to commercial aviation on the Pacific in the ‘Dole Derby.’ It is my hope and belief that the achievements of the trans-Pacific flyers today point to the early establishment of commercial aviation in Hawaii with regular and ample facilities for business and pleasure transportation.”

“In this spirit of building for Greater Hawaii, I join with my fellow citizens everywhere over the territory in welcoming contestants in this great competition of skill, science and experience, in the conquest of the air.” (Lots of information here is from hawaii-gov, Bartholomew and Hawkins.)

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DoleDerby-Competitors Line up in Oakland-hawaii-gov

1927-8-16 Dole Derby Woolaroc-William W. Davis, navigator, and Arthur C. Goebel, finished first lin a time of 26 hours, 17 minutes and 33 second

Start of the Dole Air Race in Oakland, California on August 16, 1927

Aloha takes off from Oakland

1927-8-16 Dole Derby Aloha 03-Capt. William P. Erwin and A. H. Eichwaldt took off in the Dallas Spirit and returned because of torn wing fabric.

1927-8-17 Dole Derby 06-Dole Derby winner Art Goebel lands the Woolaroc at Wheeler Field, August 17, 1927

1927-8-17 Dole Derby 07 Woolaroc- finished first landing at Wheeler Field on August 17, 1927

1927-8-17 Dole Derby 05-Woolaroc taxis at Wheeler

1927-8-17 Dole Derby 08-Dole Derby winner Art Goebel lands the Woolaroc at Wheeler Field, August 17, 1927.

Winner Art Goebel’s Woolaroc and runnerup Martin Jensen’s Aloha, Wheeler Field

1927-8-17 Dole Derby 18-Dole Derby runnerup Martin Jensen's Aloha at Wheeler Field, August 17, 1927.

Aloha Arrives in Honolulu

Travel_Air_5000_Woolaroc_NX869,_winner_of_ill-fated_Dole_race_in_flight

Woolaroc

Dole Air Derby-map of contestants-1927

August 16, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Mary Hannah Krout

“Learning that a revolution was imminent in the Hawaiian Islands, she induced her editor to send her to Honolulu. She would have been the only special correspondent upon the ground at the time of the Queen’s disposition; but two days before she was to set out, she made a misstep and broke her foot.”

“This postponed her departure until the revolution was an accomplished fact. But eventually, with the foot in a silicate cast and on crutches, she made the journey, reached Honolulu safely, and remained until the American flag was hauled down from the government building – a ceremonial of which she was an eyewitness …”

“(S)he was at once placed in personal communication with the heads of the government, even Queen Liliʻuokalani giving her an audience.” (Hawaiian Gazette, December 24, 1901)

“When I visited the Islands first, in 1893, I went prejudiced in favour of the natives, deeply sympathising with them because they had been dispossessed of their lawful possessions.”

“A careful and conscientious study of the situation on the spot led me to change my views absolutely, and I perceived that whatever had been done had been done of necessity and with wisdom and forbearance.” (Krout)

Mary Hannah Krout was born on November 3, 1851 in Crawfordsville, Indiana, daughter of Robert Kennedy Krout and Caroline VanCleve Brown Krout. She was the oldest of eight children, and after their mother died early in Mary’s life, they were raised by their strict father.

Mary Hannah Krout traveled the world at a time when women stayed home and tended the hearth, but she always returned to her family on West College Street in Crawfordsville. (Turchin)

Mary became one of the leading feminists in Indiana, perhaps in reaction against the strict social structure that she and her other sisters were forced to follow by her father.

She was educated in Crawfordsville, first in subscription schools, then in Crawfordsville public schools. Like many women of her time, Mary Hannah chose teaching as a career and taught in the Crawfordsville schools for about a dozen years.

But her passion was for journalism, a field almost completely closed to women in the 1800s, except for occasional articles on homemaking and other feminine pursuits. First writing for area newspapers while she was still teaching, in 1879 she got a job on the Crawfordsville Journal and contributed to Indianapolis and Cincinnati papers.

On the Journal, besides reporting, she wrote a gossip column under the pseudonym “Heinrich Karl,” a lively, perhaps libelous account of Crawfordsville people and their activities, which was also sold to other papers.

In 1881 she became associate editor, and in 1882 was hired as editor by the Terre Haute Express. Long hours eventually forced a partial retirement during which she kept writing, but was unable to work at a job.

Krout’s career took a great leap forward in 1886 when she began a ten-year affiliation with the Chicago Inter-Ocean, presumably as a result of her position as a writer for the Chicago Interior.

The Inter-Ocean was a weekly paper delivered by mail via the transcontinental railroad across the country. For about forty years beginning in 1872, the paper was a definitive source of business news to subscribers throughout the American west. (Turchi)

That paper sent her to Hawaiʻi to cover the installation of the new provincial government. This led to her first book, Hawai‘i and a Revolution, in 1898, and later, two biographies of prominent Hawaiian women. In 1900, Alice’s Visit to the Hawaiian Islands (an ‘imaginary journey’ through the Islands) was published.

After an extended trip to New Zealand, Tasmania and Australia, “In 1895, Miss Krout was sent to London, where she remained nearly three years as staff correspondent of the Inter-Ocean … she saw London as few American women have ever seen it.”

“She was received not only be exclusive English nobility, but by artists, writers, musicians, men and women identified with the universities and worldwide philanthropic work.”

“In 1899, this noted correspondent went to China for a syndicate of newspapers, collecting data mainly relating to the commercial relations of that empire with the United States. “

“From Peking she made a journey into the interior with the wife of the Rev Mr Gamwell, one of the heroes of the siege of the British consulate. On this journey the two women, accompanied only by their native servants, penetrated the very fastnesses of the Boxer country, which was then even in a state of ferment.”

“When asked ‘if the demands of her profession had not overtaxed her strength,’ she replied: ‘On the contrary, I left the position of teacher a nervous wreck.”

“Engaged in a profession to which I felt myself adapted, and even the drudgery of which I loved, my physical condition steadily improved, until I am now in robust health, and good, I hope, for active duty for many years to come.’”

“Asked what she considered to be the chief essentials of good newspaper work, she said: ‘Energy in the doing, a knowledge of what is wanted, and accuracy – accuracy before all else, for, no matter how cleverly a statement may be put, one error invalidates the whole, and it is labor lost.’” (Hawaiian Gazette, December 24, 1901)

“She has an affection for Hawaii strengthened by several visits, and a great many residents here who know her personally are very anxious to make her present stay a permanent one.” (Hoosier State Chronicles, April 2, 1900)

“In my account of the political changes that have occurred, I have had occasion to criticise Mr. Cleveland and his personal representative, Mr. Blount, with some severity, and in defence of my statements I will merely say that much that I have written I saw; the rest is a matter of public knowledge”. (Krout, January 9, 1898)

It had been said, and truthfully, that the greatest influence of the 20th century would be the influence of educated women an influence which civilization had never yet felt.”

“The pupils of the Kamehameha Schools had been preparing themselves for the new duties which changed conditions ordained. The times had changed, and, in the highest and best sense, they were changing with them.” (Krout; Advertiser, October 20, 1907)

“The Hawaiian race had produced great women, who, in their natural qualifications, were equal to the greatest women rulers of Europe – Kapiʻolani, Kaʻahumanu, Kīnaʻu and Bernice Pauahi Bishop (Krout wrote a book, Memoirs of Hon. Bernice Pauahi Bishop.) There would be yet others, whose work and influence would be a blessing to the land and to the people.” (Krout; Advertiser, October 20, 1907)

She never married, but had no lack of suitors and never exhibited the appearance of the daring woman traveler she was. At the same time, she lectured whenever possible on women’s suffrage, in America, in England, in New Zealand, China and Hawai‘i. (Carnegie Museum)

Between 1898 and 1910, seven of her books were published. Krout died on May 27, 1927 at Crawfordsville, Indiana. (Lots of information here is from Carnegie Museum and Turchi.)

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Mary Hannah Krout