Economy | Page 206 | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

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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Kaimuki-Subdivision-Sales_Builder-Jan_1936

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 15, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Waikīkī Inn

The coastal village of Waikīkī was most likely centered around the mouth of ‘Āpuakēhau Stream (between the Royal Hawaiian and Moana Hotels.) Beginning in the 15th-century, a vast system of irrigated taro fields was constructed, extending from Waikīkī to the lower valleys of Mānoa and Pālolo.

This field system, that took advantage of streams descending from the valleys of Makiki, Mānoa and Pālolo, was an impressive feat of engineering, the design of which is traditionally attributed to the chief Kalamakua (grandson of the Island’s ruling chief Māʻilikūkahi.)

The lo‘i kalo, in combination with coconut groves and numerous fishponds along the Waikīkī shoreline, enabled the growth of a sizeable population. (Cultural Surveys)

Fast forward about a century after ‘contact’ (Captain Cook’s arrival) and “The most popular resort of the people of Oʻahu is the famous Waikīkī … Waikīkī is the seaside and pleasure-resort of the island. …”

“There are a number of private residences, picturesque-looking bungalows and cottages, but all airy, comfortable, and close to the murmuring sea. A beautiful grove of towering coconut-trees adds to the tropical charm of the place.” (Musick, 1898)

“The sea bathing is simply perfection. The water is never chilly; and yet it is most healthful and invigorating. The bottom is of nice smooth sand, always warm and pleasant to the feet.”

“There is no fear of undertow or of any finny monsters. Not only is it pleasant to bathe here during the day, but moonlight bathing is indulged in. … It is a novelty, worth seeing, if not worth trying. (Whitney, 1895)

Just as “sea bathing” were gaining popularity on the American and European continents, private bathhouses, like the Long Branch Baths, Ilaniwai Baths and Wright’s Villa, began to appear in Waikīkī. (White)

“Bath-houses that equal those in Long Branch (New Jersey) are found here, and sea-bathing in January is as pleasant as in July. There is no clearer water, no finer beach, no smoother bottom in any of the many famous watering-places than are found at Waikīkī.” (Musick, 1898)

This is where Thomas and Elizabeth (Applegarth) Wright made their home. They came to Hawaiʻi from England in the early-1880s. Thomas was a carriage maker who came to Hawaiʻi with two brothers who operated a carriage business. (Krauss)

Their home was built in about 1890, on the water, across from Uluniu Street on Kalākaua.

Then tragedy struck the Wright family. First, their 10-year old son, Gladstone, was struck and killed by a falling rock while on a Sunday school outing in Manoa. The Sunday school teacher carried him unconscious down the trail to his carriage and drove to Queen’s Hospital; there, treated by Dr. Hildebrand, unfortunately, he died. (Krauss)

A memorial “Gladstone Wright Killed May 14 1891” chiseled into a hard to find boulder on Waiakeakua Stream (between its upper and lower falls on the east side of Mānoa Valley) is a vigilant reminder of the hazards of hiking in Hawaiʻi’s wilderness – and it continues the memory of its focus.

Gladstone’s sister Cicely died (at the age of 7) of an undisclosed disease the year after he was killed. It was shortly after when the Wrights opened their home as a bath house and accommodations (food and lodging.) It was initially known as Wright’s Villa.

It received favorable success, “Over one hundred bathers visited Wright’s Villa and Ilaniwai yesterday.” (Evening Bulletin, June 24, 1895) “Over fifty bathers visited Wright’s Villa last Sunday, Mr Wright will shortly erect a number of new dressing rooms and a two-roomed cottage on his premises.” (Evening Bulletin, July 8, 1895)

Thomas and Elizabeth Wright left in 1899 and returned to Staindrop, England, never to return to the Islands (although they were constantly reminded of the Islands; they named their England home ‘Honolulu House.’)

Back in the Island, “ES Buhlon has bought the bathing resort at Waikīkī, known as Ilaniwai. This will be joined with Wright’s Villa and the two places will be under the management of JB Hayward, the present manager of Wright’s Villa. Now that this consolidation has taken place, people who desire rooms at Waikīkī can find them.” (Evening Bulletin, April 5, 1899)

Then, “Wright’s Villa has been rechristened and will henceforth be known as the ‘Waikīkī Inn.’ … It is conducted under the same management. You can have the same bathing on the best beach in the Islands, the same excellent dinner and if you are so inclined enjoy a bottle of claret while dining.” (Evening Bulletin, October 14, 1899)

For a while, things were looking up, “Waikīkī Inn has undergone considerable improvement under the management of Almy, vice Mr. Hayward retired, and many more changes are contemplated. Mr Almy hopes to make Waikīkī Inn the resort of the beach.”

“He is prepared to take orders for special dinners and is even contemplating making a café of his ‘lanai’ and putting in a grill room where short orders may be served at any time. No more genial host can be found than Mr Almy and his enterprise deserves the patronage of the public.” (Austin’s Hawaiian Weekly, March 17, 1900)

Almy had a bit of a run in with the law, “Because it is illegal to sell liquor on Sundays the Waikīkī Inn will close. HN Almy, manager of this popular seaside resort, said yesterday that the charge of Judge Humphreys to the grand jury was in part directly aimed at the custom of selling liquor at the beach resorts on Sundays.”

“Light wine and beer licenses had been granted, as it was clearly shown that the beach resorts could not compete with the down town saloons if they were made to pay the regular saloon license of $1,000 per year, unless they were allowed to sell on Sunday.” (Honolulu Republican, August 8, 1900)

Later, things got even worse, “Waikīkī Inn has a bad name and if half of the charges against its conduct are true, the bad name has been fully earned. Furthermore, no showing has been made or can be made for allowing still further liberties of liquor selling at the beach resort.”

“The reports of the license inspector, the experience of the police department, the investigations of grand juries, have repeatedly and consistently shown that the greatest danger from the booze business to the young people of Honolulu lies in the night-selling privileges at a beach resort such as Waikīkī Inn.” (Editorial, Star Bulletin, August 19, 1914)

Interestingly, the property was later acquired by Honolulu Brewing & Malting Company. Sometime later the inn was renamed Waikīkī Tavern and Inn. It and surrounding properties were later demolished to make way for the Kūhiō Beach improvements in the early 1960s.

Today, the home of Thomas and Elizabeth Wright is now a small patch of grass and a sandy beach, just ‘Ewa of the hula mound and banyan tree at Kūhiō Beach on Waikīkī. (Lots of information and images here are from Riley.)

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Wright home in the 1890s before it became Wright Villa in 1899 and later renamed Waikiki Inn-HT&N

Waikiki Inn-Ad-PPWD-8-8-003-1898

Waikiki Inn-from Kalakaua

Waikiki Inn and Tavern-1949

Waikiki Inn Ad- Hawaiian Star-Oct_10,_1899

Waikiki Inn Ad-HonoluluRepublican-Aug_30,_1900

Waikiki Inn Ad-SB-Dec_2,_1914

Wright’s Villa Ad-Hawaiian Star-Aug_30,_1899

Wright’s Villa Ad-PCA-Nov_4,_1896

Thomas Wright’s business card 1899 (Jeanne Wright Riley)

August 10, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Mr Smith

It’s not clear when or why his middle and last names were hyphenated to give him a new last name; his father had the same name, but was identified as “Smith, John Mott, Rev Prof” in the Wesleyan University Alumni Record (1881-3) (where he was listed as former faculty.)

The father, professor of Latin and Greek, was the first to be buried in the Wesleyan ‘College Cemetery.’ A Methodist preacher, a sermon of his, ‘The Kingdom,’ was posthumously published; it was attributed as ‘Rev John M Smith’s Sermon.’

When the son died, his widow (and executor of his estate) was identified as Ellen Dominis Smith. His children generally carried the ‘Smith’ last name, as well.

Never-the-less, Hawai‘i’s first royal dentist and last royal ambassador was commonly known as John Mott-Smith. (Gibson) So, we’ll call him what others called him in the Islands.

John Mott-Smith was born in New York City November 13, 1824 (his mother was Amada Day Smith.) Although not schooled in dentistry, Mott-Smith borrowed a book from a friend who was attending dental school and passed the exams to set up a practice in Albany, New York.

Then, “He was among the first in the great migration from the Eastern States to California in 1849, when the news of the great gold discoveries caused one of the greatest stirs of the century. For two years he shared the vicissitudes of the California pioneers, and in 1851 came to Honolulu”. (Evening Bulletin, August 10, 1895)

“Dr Mott Smith in 1859 married Miss Ellen Dominis Paty, a daughter of the late Collector General Paty and cousin of Mr John H Paty. Three sons and four daughters were born to the couple, all having Honolulu for their birthplace but receiving their higher education in the colleges and seminaries of New England.” (Evening Bulletin, August 10, 1895)

He was Hawai‘i’s first dentist to settle permanently in the Islands. A ‘Card’ publishing in the Polynesia (March 8, 1851) announced business:

“Dr J Mott Smith. Dentist, of Albany NY, has the pleasure to inform the citizens of Honolulu that he has opened an office in Hopewell Place, corner of Beretania and Smith streets. He is now prepared to receive all who may desire his services.”

For many years he did virtually all the dental work in Honolulu and maintained a full practice until 1866 and followed his profession on a part-time or intermittent basis.

In 1866 Mott-Smith gave up his dental practice to John Morgan Whitney (the first in Hawai‘i to actually graduate from a dental school. Whitney, MD, DDS, was for more than fifty years regarded as Honolulu’s leading dentist.)

Then, Mott-Smith got into politics and served Kings Kamehameha V, Lunalilo (he was later named to the first board of trustees of Lunalilo Trust,) Kalākaua and Queen Liliʻuokalani.

“He was appointed director of the Government press in 1867, and the following year was sent to Washington as Charge d’ Affaires, where he performed valuable service in advocating the reciprocity treaty. “

“Returning home in 1869 he was appointed Minister of Finance by Kamehameha V, holding that office for the remaining two or three yours of that king’s reign.”

“King Lunalilo appointed Dr Mott Smith president of the Board of Education in 1873, and King Kalākaua on his accession reappointed him as a member of the same body. He was about the same time made a member of the House of Nobles, which was a life position until that body was changed to an elective one by the constitution of 1887.”

“Dr Mott Smith was also a member of the Privy Council of State. He was called to the Cabinet a second time by King Kalākaua in 1876, holding the office of Minister of the Interior for three years.”

“From 1882 to 1891 Dr. Mott-Smith at intervals assisted the late Minister Carter at Washington as Charge d’affaires. He was in his place in the Legislature of 1884, going back to the United States the following year, when he had charge of the Hawaiian exhibit at the New Orleans Exposition.”

“In 1891 the lamented gentleman was appointed by Queen Liliuokalani to be Minister of Finance, the third time he occupied a position in the Cabinet of this country.”

“Upon resigning that office he was appointed Minister to Washington, holding the commission until he was recalled by the Provisional Government in 1893.” After a protracted illness, John Mott-Smith died on August 10, 1895. (Evening Bulletin, August 10, 1895)

Here is a short video about Dr Mott-Smith, portrayed by Adam LeFebvre at a ‘Cemetery Pupu Theatre,’ sponsored by Mission Houses:

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John Mott-Smith-Evening Bulletin-Aug_10_1895

John_Mott-Smith

No._3._View_of_Honolulu._From_the_Catholic_church._(c._1854)-Portion-Dentist

Rev John Mott Smith headsone

August 9, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Hotel Honokaʻa Club

In 1878, three commercial sugar plantations (Honokaʻa Sugar Company, Paʻauhau Sugar Company and Pacific Sugar Mill) existed in Hāmākua in the vicinity of a village that later became Honokaʻa.

A labor shortage beginning in the mid-19th century prompted the importation of foreign workers. The Chinese were the first to arrive, followed by Japanese, Portuguese, Korean, Puerto Rican and Filipinos over the next 40 years.

The workers, many married with families, were housed in 13-camps along the Hāmākua coast near Honokaʻa. As these workers completed their contracts with the plantations, many moved to Honokaʻa and began businesses, providing the impetus for the development of the town.

As Honokaʻa grew and evolved, a variety of businesses, offering wide-ranging choices of goods and services, eventually made Honokaʻa the largest town on the Hāmākua coast and the second largest on the island (behind Hilo.)

In 1910, the population of Honokaʻa stood at 9,037, a population sufficient to support a hotel along with lodging for travelers, salesmen and laborers in transit to the plantations to support the growing village.

Hotel Honokaʻa Club did not have a name when it first opened, and was allegedly labeled as the result of a vote by club “members,” who were likely boarders and community members who frequented the hotel.

The “Club” in the name reflects the use of the establishment from its inception as a nexus for entertainment and drinking, while the hotel portion served as a residence and lodging for immigrants, unmarried sugar cane workers, paniolo (cowboys), and travelling salesmen. (Star Bulletin; March 25, 1948; NPS)

“At that time the majority of the key plantation men were unmarried, and it was their custom to convene on Saturday nights for merry and lengthy sessions at the hotel. They came on horseback and departed the same way although not always with the same horse.”

“As years went by the hotel became the ‘club’ with all its members and eventually in a duly called ‘committee’ hearing the name was voted to become the Honokaa Club Hotel.” (Star Bulletin; March 25, 1948; NPS)

The original site of the hotel complex lay along the Government Road (Māmane Street) on the Hilo-side of the present Bank of Hawaiʻi.

The hotel/club functioned as a local gathering place that provided accommodations, temporary sales space for the display of commercial samples and wares by traveling salesmen, and a dining room and bar facility (that was the site of numerous local social occasions and get-togethers from the 1920s through the 1960s and beyond.) (SHPD)

Salesmen who stayed at the hotel were known as “drummers” commercial travelers, runners or “gripmen” (“grip” referring to the trunk or suitcase carried by salesmen.) These sales personnel travelled through Hāmākua and Kohala approximately every two weeks in a circuit from Honolulu to Kawaihae to Laupāhoehoe to Hilo “drumming up” business. (Star Bulletin, March 25, 1948; NPS)

The Hotel Honokaʻa Club is an example of the small hotels built at the turn of the 19th century by Japanese immigrants to mainly serve their countrymen in towns such as Captain Cook, Waiʻōhinu, Kohala and Honokaa.

Opened in 1912 by Kumakichi Morita, the original Honokaʻa Hotel Club was styled like a modern motor court, with rooms strung together in a row.

By 1915 it is listed in the local business directory as the “Honokaʻa Hotel Club – A First Class Hotel and Boarding House, Rates $3.00 per Day and Up.” By 1920 rates had increased to $4.00 per day. The Hotel Honokaa Club was at the present location by about 1927.

Kumakichi Morita, the hotel’s first manager/owner, trained as a chef in American cuisine and became chef to Prince Jonah Kūhīo Kalanianaʻole. Unfortunately, the Prince did not appreciate the American cuisine and Kumakichi looked elsewhere for employment, arriving in Honokaʻa to cook for the manager of the Honokaʻa Sugar Company.

From 1943-1945, over 50,000 US Marines lived and trained in and around Waimea and the Kohala Coast. Camp Tarawa was originally built by the 2nd Marine Division, but upon the 2nd’s deployment to Saipan, the 5th Marine Division moved in to train for the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Alfred Carter (manager of Parker Ranch) had historically limited the availability of liquor in Waimea, so when the Marines came they found that town dry.

The soldiers simply followed the Waimea ranch cowboys down the hill to “wet” Honokaʻa. Hotel Honokaʻa Club was one of many “watering holes” in Honokaʻa that benefited from the servicemen’s patronage. Camp Tarawa closed in November 1945.

After the war, the hotel expanded its activities focusing on locals, hosting weddings, high school group gatherings and lūʻau events. In 1948, the hotel expanded, adding a second story containing six bedroom suites. Five new bedrooms were added downstairs and new bathrooms were attached to the original bedrooms.

In 1960, the Moritas added a cocktail lounge dubbed the “Waipiʻo Room,” and in the 1970s they inaugurated a bar named the “Dan McGuire Left-Handed Martini Room,” after the well-known sports writer.

Further pranks related to the Martini Room included Jim Nabors’ (Gomer Pyle) dedication of the “Jim Nabors Right-handed Pay Toilet.” (Honokaa Historical Project)

Hotel Honokaa Club is a two story-wood frame “plantation style” commercial building. Defining features include a totan (corrugated metal) roof, single wall construction with vertical wood planks, and numerous double-hung windows.’

The building has three floor levels that include the main floor, a rear second story addition and a basement area. (Lots of information here is from Historic Honokaʻa Project and NPS.)

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