Buildings | Page 57 | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

April 1, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Aztec

June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to Austria-Hungary’s throne, and his wife, Sophie, were visiting Sarajevo; Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip assassinated the couple. A month later, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.

Within days, other countries got into the fray, including, Germany, Russia, France and United Kingdom; US President Woodrow Wilson announced the US would remain neutral.

After the German sinking of the British passenger ship Lusitania in May 1915 (which killed 1,201 people, including 128 Americans,) Wilson sent a strongly worded warning to Germany. After attempts to broker peace, then sinking of the American cargo ship Housatonic, Wilson broke off diplomatic relations with Germany.

With German submarine warfare continuing unabated, the final straw came on April 1, 1917, when the armed merchant ship Aztec was sunk off the northwest coast of France by U-boat 46 under the command of Leo Hillebrand. The Aztec was on its way from New York to Le Havre, France with a cargo of timber, copper, steel, chemicals and machinery.

All twenty eight members of the crew were killed, including Boatswain’s Mate First Class John I Eopolucci, a Naval Armed Guard – the first US Navy sailor killed in action in World War I. The attack on the Aztec was the final straw and led to America’s intervention into World War I.

“There are five Hawaiian boys thought to have been killed along with 16 Americans when the American steamer the Aztec was sunk.”

“This ship was sunk outside of the seas of France by the German submarine without being given prior time for the captain and his sailors to prepare themselves on the previous Sabbath.”

“Amongst the Americans who are thought to have died are some sailors of the navy which the government placed aboard the ship ….”

“These are the first sailors of the navy to become victims of the Prussians as they attacked without giving time for them to distance themselves from the calamity of the sea placed upon them, and it is believed that Germany is at fault for breaking the pact with America by Germany starting its massacre with its submarines.”

The Hawaiian boys killed on the Aztec by the Germans were: Julian R Macomber, Honolulu; Charles Pinapolo, Honolulu; Ekila Kaoki, Hawai‘i Island; Tato Davis, Hawai‘i Island and HK Price, Hawai‘i Island.

“When (Charles G) Macomber, the father of Julian Macomber, one of the Hawaiian boys whose bones were left at sea, heard the news, the father said:”

“‘My dear son as an American sailor, and a Hawaiian sailor, died a desirable death and I am happy. My son returned the other month in July of last year …’

“‘… and I told him that if he returned to the Atlantic coast, his life would be in danger, but he said that he was an American sailor so he was not frightened to go someplace, because he will only die once, and that he will die sometime. He was not going to be scared by Germany; I am a Hawaiian and an American sailor.’”

“This father repeated that he was happy to hear this news, but not over the death of his son.” (Aloha Aina, April 6, 1917)

On April 2, 1917, President Wilson appeared before Congress to deliver his historic war message and asked for a declaration of war against Germany.

Then as Congress convened, two more ships were sunk, the large freighter Missourian and the schooner Marguerite, with no casualties aboard either ship. On April 6, 1917, after twenty-nine months of official neutrality, the US declared war on Germany, formally entering World War I.

Support grew for an event to mourn the loss of Hawaiʻi’s first war dead. In a memorial service for the five, held April 22, 1917, “The dead were eulogized as heroes who lost their lives while maintaining the right of the principle that the seas are free to all. About a pavilion platform that was decorated with the Star Spangled Banner and the flag of Hawaiʻi … more than 2000 gathered …”

“That the Hawaiians died in the service of their country in upholding American right of legitimate commerce at sea was emphasized by the presence on the platform of the heads of the military and naval service in Hawaiʻi, and there was a solemn martial atmosphere to the gathering to remind even casual spectators that this was a memorial service in war time.” (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 23, 1917)

“Senator HL Desha speaking in Hawaiian delivered an oration appropriate to the occasion. He spoke of the five brave men who died doing their duty and declared that for all we know on this earth, these men might have sacrificed their lives for the peace of the whole world.” (Hawaiian Gazette, April 24, 1917)

“An incident of unusual interest took place just prior to the reception. Colonel ʻIaukea had told Lili‘uokalani of the sinking of the Aztec, resulting in the death of five Hawaiian sailors, and asked her if on that account she would like to raise the American flag over her home.”

“She replied, most emphatically: ‘Yes. Have you a flag?’ When he said, ‘No’ an army officer who happened to be present offered to procure one. On its arrival the Queen went into the yard to watch the ceremony of raising the Stars and Stripes for the first time over Washington Place.” (Kihapi‘ilani; Ola o Hawaii, June 21, 1917)

“For the first time in its long and picturesque history, Washington Place, home of Queen Liliʻuokalani, was decorated today with an American flag.”

“It was the occasion of the visit of the legislators to pay their respects to the aged queen and in view of the extraordinary crisis in international affairs and the prospect of patriotic war action by congress …”

“… the queen allowed the flag to be flown in honor of the government which years ago was responsible for her loss of a monarchy.” (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 3, 1917) (Reportedly, the American flag continued to fly over Washington Place.)

Lorrin Andrews delivered an oration on what the American flag represents, “There is a Flag floating over this building which symbolizes to all of us that which we hold most dear.”

“It was conceived in a struggle for liberty against oppression. It presided over the birth of the greatest republic that the world has ever seen, and it has always represented honor, freedom and justice.” (Hawaiian Gazette, April 24, 1917)

Liliʻuokalani continued to occupy Washington Place until her death later that year (November 11, 1917.)

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SS Aztec

Aztec-torpedoed-1917

Declaration of War

Declaration of War -Wilson Delivering War Message

S_flag_48_stars-in_1917-(WC)

Liliuokalani_in_1917

Washington_Place,_Honolulu,_Hawaii,_1899

Liliuokalani_outside_Washington_Place_with_Captain_Nowlein

Exterior_of_Washington_Place_with_guards,_old_photograph

Washington_Place_Honolulu_HI-1

March 29, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Theo H Davies & Co

Englishmen James and John Starkey and Robert Cheshire Janion founded Starkey, Janion, & Co, a trading company in Liverpool, in April 1845.

They chartered a vessel and filled it with general merchandise valued at $80,000; it set sail for Honolulu. On arrival Janion rented a room on Nuʻuanu Street near the waterfront and hung out a sign “Starkey, Janion & Co.”

Later the same year, he negotiated a lease for a Ka’ahumanu Street site from Kamehameha III for “only 299 years,” as he wrote to the Starkeys, since “this was the best I could do.” (It was part of the claim of former British Consul Richard Charlton.

The firm quickly prospered, thanks to the whaling trade and prosperity on the Pacific coast. Transactions with the Hawaiians were bartered, coins and gold dust with the whalers.

They soon had their own fleet of ships sailing the seas between Hawaiʻi, the West Coast and England. As agent for Lloyd’s of London, Janion began underwriting cargoes leaving Honolulu harbor, later introducing fire insurance into the Islands.

By 1851, Janion and the Starkeys parted company. In the following year, Janion left Hawaii to return to Liverpool; to succeed him in Honolulu, Janion appointed a fellow countryman named William Green, whom he had hired two years earlier.

Then in 1856 he persuaded a Welshman, 23-year-old Theophilus Harris Davies, to go out to Hawaiʻi as a clerk for Green under a five-year contract. Eventually the Janion-Green partnership was dissolved and Davies became Janion’s partner.

In 1876, Davies incorporated Honolulu Iron Works with Janion, Janion’s wife, Green’s mother and Alexander Young. Janion died in 1881, leaving Davies in control.

Davies proved himself an aggressive promoter, playing a key role in the organization of Hāmākua, Laupāhoehoe, Niuliʻi, Kaiwiki and Union Mill plantations on the Big Island. He was adept at raising capital in London and helped finance a total of 22-plantations during his career.

Years later, Davies was a stockholder with Young in the organization of von Hamm-Young Company, forerunner of The Hawaiʻi Corporation. Principals were Young’s son Archibald, and Conrad C. von Hamm. An early project was the Alexander Young Hotel.

Toward the end of his career, Davies divided his time between Honolulu and his Nuʻuanu home, Craigside, and England, where he maintained a home at Southport called Sunset in Hesketch Park. It was there that he served as guardian to Princess Kaʻiulani during her years in English schools.

Back in the Islands, his business was thriving despite political upheavals and sugar setbacks. In 1892, the company opened a steamship department as agent for Canadian-Australasian Line, which began service in that year. Later the department represented Canadian Pacific, Cunard and many others.

In 1893 grocery, dry goods and hardware departments were set up and the following year, when the company incorporated, a Hilo branch was opened. Four years later Davies died.

Formerly organized into merchandise, insurance and shipping departments, Theo H Davies set up subsidiaries for all its activities.

Merchandise lines are primarily heavy equipment: Pacific Machinery’s Caterpillar tractors, Hawaiian Fluid Power’s hydraulic lines, Stubenberg Company’s manufacturing of field equipment, Davies Building Materials, and Hilo Iron Works.

Inter-Island Equipment handled lighter lines such as lawn mowers and air compressors while Davies Brokerage handled some grocery lines. Davies Marine Agencies operated the former steamship department.

Davies Insurance Agencies acted for underwriters Janion represented. They also acquired EH Campbell Tire, Honolulu’s Goodyear Tire distributor, and Atlas Electric, electrical equipment distributor.

Davies expanded to the Philippines in 1928, opening a Manila branch. In the 1930s the company built up a heavy investment in four Philippine sugar plantations.

One of Hawaiʻi’s Big Five (Amfac – starting as Hackfeld & Company (1849;) Alexander & Baldwin (1870;) Theo H. Davies (1845;) Castle & Cooke (1851) and C. Brewer (1826,) Davies grew to be second only to Amfac in territorial wholesaling.

It operated Honolulu’s pioneer retail grocery chain, Piggly-Wiggly, until the mid-1950s; it was also involved with Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, the Mandarin, Mercedes and Jaguar.

For a time in the 1960s Davies operated a building materials subsidiary in Spain with headquarters at Madrid but back in Honolulu the parent company was barely treading water. In the late 1960s and early-70s the company closed or sold off the drugs, dry goods, hardware and contract furnishing departments.

Mergers and consolidations reduced the company’s Big Island sugar plantations from five to three. Profits in merchandising were meager and returns on plantation investments were low. The iron works affiliate was sold to a mainland buyer that retrenched its activities drastically.

In 1967 Dillingham Corp. made a tender offer for Davies stock to the company’s 200 stockholders in Hawaii and England; the bid for control failed. In 1972, the 22-story Davies Pacific Center replaced the former Davies corporate headquarters. In 1973, Jardine, Matheson & Co., based in Hong Kong, acquired Davies. (Lots of information here is from Greaney and Engle.)

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Theo. H. Davies Co., Bishop St-PP-8-3-014-00001

Theophilus_Harris_Davies

Theo. H. Davies Co., Bishop St-PP-8-3-012-00001

Theo. H. Davies Co., Bishop St-PP-8-3-013-00001

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Theo. H. Davies Co., Bishop St-PP-8-3-010-00001

Theo. H. Davies Co., Bishop St-PP-39-3-010-1935

Theo. H. Davies Co., Bishop St-PP-8-3-006-00001

Theo. H. Davies Co., Bishop St-PP-8-3-009-00001

Theo_Davies-Ad

March 28, 2017 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Timeline Tuesday … 1920s

Today’s ‘Timeline Tuesday’ takes us through the 1920s – dredging of the Ala Wai Canal, Hawaiian Pineapple buys Lāna‘i, billboards outlawed and Honolulu Hale is completed. We look at what was happening in Hawai‘i during this time period and what else was happening around the rest of the world.

A Comparative Timeline illustrates the events with images and short phrases. This helps us to get a better context on what was happening in Hawai‘i versus the rest of the world. I prepared these a few years ago for a planning project. (Ultimately, they never got used for the project, but I thought they might be on interest to others.)

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March 25, 2017 by Peter T Young 2 Comments

‘Biggest Single Gate in the History of Show Business in Hawai‘i’

“The ultimate completion of the USS Arizona Memorial will be a constant reminder of the heroes’ deeds performed by our armed forces on Dec. 7, 1941.” (Rear Adm Roy S Benson, Cincinnati Enquirer, Dec 8, 1960)

President Dwight D Eisenhower had approved the creation of Arizona Memorial in 1958. $500,000 was needed for its construction. (Ho‘okele)

The public law stipulated that the monument would be built without federal funding. Several organizations and individuals helped in the effort to raise the required amount. In 1958, the Territory of Hawaii contributed the initial $50,000.

On December 3, 1958 the popular television series, ‘This is Your Life’ hosted by Ralph Edwards kicked off the public fundraising campaign. The program featured Samuel Fuqua, Medal of Honor recipient and the senior surviving officer from the USS Arizona.

Over $95,000 was raised for the new permanent structure. However, within a couple of years, donations slowed and the memorial fund was in dire need of cash. USS Arizona Memorial historian Dan Martinez credits newspapers for keeping the memorial concept alive.

“Editors of daily newspapers across the country were connected in their profession, that was how they kept the story going. … The total already raised at that time was $250,000, which was only half of what they needed.” (Martinez; Star Bulletin)

George Chaplin of the Honolulu Advertiser mailed something like 1,500 letters, asking for articles or editorials about the Arizona Memorial. (Star Bulletin)

The Los Angeles Examiner responded with an editorial on December 4, 1960 … “and a very fine gentleman read an editorial in one of the California newspapers.”

“That man (Colonel Tom Parker) called George Chaplin and said: ‘I know a young man whose services can be a big help.’” (Advertiser, March 26, 1961)

Parker, Elvis Presley’s manager, thought this would be a good publicity for the new film ‘Waikiki Beach Boy’ (later renamed to ‘Blue Hawai‘i’ that was filmed in Hawai‘i.)

Parker offered a benefit concert with Elvis. Parker came to Hawai‘i and set up the show and stipulated that every cent would go toward the War Memorial fund.

“‘Forty eight hours ago we met in this very room and we were $10,000 short,’ said H Tucker Gratz chairman of the memorial fund commission. “We made an agreement with Parker that he and Elvis would raise $5,000 if the War Memorial Commission would raise the other $5,000…” (Advertiser, March 26, 1961)

Rear Adm. Robert L Campbell introduced Elvis, saying, “He is a fine American. He has had many starring roles, not the least of these has been as a soldier in the US Army.”

(Elvis was drafted into the Army at Memphis, Tennessee, on March 24, 1958; his overseas service took place in Germany from October 1, 1958, until March 2, 1960, as a member of the 1st Medium Tank Battalion. He left active duty at Fort Dix, New Jersey, on March 5, 1960.) (Army)

March 25, 1961, during his hour on stage, Elvis sang 15 songs: ‘Heartbreak Hotel,’ ‘All Shook Up,’ ‘A Fool Such As I,’ ‘I Got a Woman,’ ‘Love Me,’ ‘Such a Night,’ ‘Reconsider Baby,’ ‘I Need Your Love Tonight,’ ‘That’s All Right,’ ‘Don’t Be Cruel,’ ‘One Night,’ ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight,’ ‘It’s Now or Never,’ ‘Swing Down Sweet Chariot’ and ‘Hound Dog.’

The show was “fastpaced and slick. It jumped. When Elvis came on the teenagers screamed for 2 ½ minutes without let-up. Elvis was wearing his famous gold jacket with silvery glints like sequins, dark blue trousers and a white shirt and a blue string tie.” (Advertiser, Ho‘olele)

Appearing along with Elvis were Minnie Pearl, The Jordanaires and DJ Fontana and Scotty Moore, two members of Elvis’ original backing band. Sterling Mossman, a local Hawaiian comedian, also served as master of ceremonies and performed.

“It was a crackjack show, a sellout, and the biggest single gate in the history of show business in Hawai‘i.” (Advertiser, March 26, 1961)

All receipts, $54,678.73, were donated to the construction of the Arizona Memorial. The concert accounted for more than ten percent of the $515,728 cost of constructing the memorial. (HABS)

This Bloch Arena performance was Elvis’ last live concert until June 27, 1968 when he recorded two shows in front of a live audience at NBC’s Burbank studios.

The day after the concert, filming began on O‘ahu for the motion picture ‘Blue Hawai‘I,’ starring Elvis and Joan Blackman. (HABS)

In 1960 the construction of the Arizona Memorial began; it was dedicated Memorial Day, May 30, 1962 just over a year after Elvis’s charity concert.

It marks the resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 Sailors and Marines killed on the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. (Ho‘okele)

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Elvis at Bloch Arena March 25, 1961

Elvis and The Jordanaires

Elvis at Bloch Arena-March 25, 1961

Elvis arriving at HNL airport

1961-march-25-hawaii-uss-arizona-benefit-concert

Elvis at Bloch Arena Poster March 25, 1961

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Arizona Memorial-under construction

Arizona Memorial under construction

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Arizona Memorial-Missouri

March 23, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Nikai Camp

A shortage of laborers to work in the growing (in size and number) sugar plantations became a challenge. The only answer was imported labor.

Starting in the 1850s, when the Hawaiian Legislature passed “An Act for the Governance of Masters and Servants,” a section of which provided the legal basis for contract-labor system, labor shortages were eased by bringing in contract workers from Asia, Europe and North America.

The first to arrive were the Chinese (1852.) In March 1881, King Kalākaua visited Japan during which he discussed with Emperor Meiji Hawai‘i’s desire to encourage Japanese nationals to settle in Hawaiʻi.

Kalākaua’s meeting with Emperor Meiji improved the relationship of the Hawaiian Kingdom with the Japanese government, and an economic depression in Japan served as an impetus for agricultural workers to leave their homeland. (Nordyke/Matsumoto)

By 1884, Hawai‘i Island counted more than thirty plantations, many of them in the Hilo area. Immigrants were arriving by the thousands, mostly from Asia. They fulfilled labor contracts and afterward stayed on. (Olson)

“Upon their arrival in Honolulu those desiring help were permitted to select their labourers and take them to their plantations. Each man was allowed from twelve to fifteen dollars a month, and each woman thirteen, a house to live in, fuel, free water and medical attendance.”

“The labourer was allowed to return to his country at the end of three years, and while here he was not to be separated from his family. … Living largely upon rice raised by himself, and under the favourable condition of the climate, the labourer could lay by a modest sum each year if he chose.” (Browne)

The first ship of Japanese sugar workers, City of Tokyo, arrived with 944 emigrants on February 8, 1885. The second ship, Yamashiro Maru, brought 988 more Japanese (930-men, 34-women and 14-children, most of them from Hiroshima and Kumamoto. They arrived on June 17, 1885; their living quarters were called ‘Nikai-sen Camp’ (second ship camp.)

There used to be a Japanese plantation workers camp associated with Wainaku Mill known as Nikai Camp – for most, it was referred to as the Japanese Village.

It became an attraction. “A mile and a half from Hilo, above the Wainaku mill, there is to be found, in a green, fern-clad valley with a sparkling stream and a dashing waterfall, a complete Japanese village, with thatched roofs and bamboo walls for its houses.”

“Few strangers know of its existence, but it is, to my eye, the most picturesque and unique cluster of dwellings in the Hawaiian isles. Many of the doors of the cottages are shaded by luxuriant banana trees, bearing bunches weighing from sixty to seventy pounds.”

“The hamlet is swarming with rosy babes and smiling young mothers. All look healthy, contented and happy. Mr. Furneaux has some very artistic photographs of this Arcadian village, as well as other scenes in the environs of Hilo.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, May 17, 1892)

“One of the curious and interesting sights around Hilo is the Japanese village of bamboo huts on the Wainaku plantation. Every foot of space is utilized. Cucumbers and squashes covet the thatched roofs with luxuriant growth.”

“The Board of Health has had to interfere, however, with some of their curious and malodorous processes of utilizing fertilizing material.” (Daily Bulletin, January 20, 1892)

However, tragedy struck the village … “During Monday afternoon, the 15th (January 15, 1895,) the Japanese camp at Wainaku was completely destroyed by fire.”

“The village consisted of fifty or sixty thatched houses fashioned from bamboo and cane leaves which formerly had been often pointed out to tourists as one of the most picturesque sights in Hilo district.”

“It is stated that Manager Scott will immediately rebuild the camp but this time the dwellings will be constructed of prosaic northwest lumber.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, July 24, 1895)

Hilo wasn’t the only Japanese Village attraction … “By the way it would repay one to mount his horse and ride away to a little Japanese village nestling on the mountain side amid the corn lands of Haleakala Ranch.”

“Perhaps Fukuda who keeps a neat little store there would kill a chicken and entertain a well-dispised stranger most hospitably.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, September 25, 1893)

In 1971 Wainaku, Hakalau, Pepe‘ekeo and Pāpaʻikou sugar companies were consolidated in a processing cooperative that also included independent cane growers. Two years later, Pepe‘ekeo Sugar merged with Mauna Kea Sugar to form Mauna Kea Sugar Co., Inc., the state’s fourth largest sugar company with 18,000 acres of cane.

The mills at Wainaku and Hakalau were closed as the Pepeʻekeo mill was modernized to double its capacity by 1974. (HSPA) The Hilo Coast Processing Company and the Mauna Kea Sugar Company (at that point called Mauna Kea Agribusiness Company) mill shut down in 1994.