General | Page 242 | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

June 10, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Government Employees Mutual

Closed door (or membership) stores were discount stores that existed in the US since the late-1920s, when some retailers distributed ‘membership’ cards to some of their customers. In some cases, only card holders could shop there; at others, the card holder received lower prices than the noncard holder.

One of the largest was GEM International. GEM (Government Employees Mutual) had units from Boston to Honolulu (and even into Canada, England and Puerto Rico.) (Rotary) (GEM was also referred to as Government Employees Mart.)

The overall operation of the GEM store is that portions of the facility were leased to various merchandising enterprises; the commodities in which they deal were sold to members of the GEM; a percentage of the gross sales was paid for the use of the space occupied by the merchants.

Only members of the GEM were permitted to make purchases in this warehouse store and prices prevailing at the GEM store are substantially below prevailing retail prices elsewhere. (Supreme Court of Colorado)

A GEM membership cost $1 to $2 and was open to active and retired members of any level of government, the military, educational institutions, businesses with government contracts, and non-profit organizations. (Torontoist)

It started in Denver, Colorado; the Women’s Wear Daily June 12, 1956 issue reportedly noted, “New Discount Setup For Government Help Is Opened in Denver.”

“GEM, Government Employees Mutual, Denver’s first large discount house, carrying both hard and soft lines opened here at 5200 Smith Road. Shopping at the new firm will be restricted to city, county, State and Federal employees and military personnel.”

Glenn Kaya is credited with bringing the GEM stores to Hawaiʻi – starting with Kapalama, on Dillingham Boulevard (July 17, 1957) and Ward Avenue (August 1, 1962.) (Ulukau) Following the mainland model, GEM itself did not carry inventory, it leased space to concessionaires operating different ‘departments.’

Later, stores were added at Waipahu, Hilo, Kauai and Kaneʻohe and GEM became the No. 2 retailer in the state (behind Sears.) Shortly before the Waipahu GEM opened in 1970, the membership requirement was eliminated. (Sigall)

“Many of Hawaiʻi’s well-known companies were GEM departments. ABC Stores, Wong’s Drapery, CS Wo, Mid-Pacific Lumber, Kim Chow, Honolulu Sporting Goods and Hauoli were all GEM tenants.” (Kaya; Sigall)

It was creative with promotions, too. “When GEM Stores in the new state of Hawaiʻi hooked Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear and Quick Draw McGraw for personal appearances to build store traffic and plug the stores’ third anniversary promotion … KHVH-TV, Honolulu, was used to implement the program.”

“Starting almost two months before the visit, a strong TV spot campaign was initiated to recruit members for the H Hound fan club and plugging Huckleberry for President buttons.”

“When Huck and his pals armed at Honolulu International, about 10,000 of their loyal Hawaiian fans turned out to great them — the largest crowd in the airport’s history.” (Source – The Weekly Magazine Radio and TV Advertisers Use, February 1961)

“The crowd out to greet Huckleberry with campaign manager Yogi Bear and Quick Draw McGraw (who is slated for a high State Department post if Huckleberry Hound wins) exceeded that drawn earlier by President Eisenhower and visiting royalty from Japan and Iran.”

“Traffic was tied up in the air and on the ground, and the (GEM) store had to lock its doors when 25,000 had thronged in, according to Ed Justin, assistant campaign manager”. (Broadcasting, August 8, 1960)

“Glenn Kaya, general manager of GEM, reported that store sales were way up during their Honolulu junket. Results were equally record-breaking on their visits to other islands”. (The Weekly Magazine Radio and TV Advertisers Use, February 1961)

Later, GEM International merged with Parkview Drugs of Kansas City. In 1965, GEM had 34 stores across the country and Parkview had 39 drug stores and other leased departments, including 22 in GEM stores. Control would be vested in Parkview. (Southeast Missourian, December 22, 1965) Kaya was made Parkview-GEM Vice President.

While sales were good, GEM and other discounters were concerned about Hawaiʻi’s Fair Trade Act that had been passed on May 14, 1937. It authorizes minimum price fixing contracts as to the sale or resale of products sold under trademark brand or name. (A manufacturer could state the minimum price a product could sell for.) It noted:

“Wilfully and knowingly advertising, offering for sale or selling any commodity at less than the price stipulated in any contract entered into pursuant to the provisions of this part, whether the person so advertising, offering for sale or selling is or is not a party to such contract, is unfair competition and is actionable at the suit of any person damaged thereby.” (US Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1960)

Through efforts of Kaya and others, “The legislature of the State of Hawaiʻi has repealed that state’s Fair Trade Act, effective May 11, 1967. … Hawaiʻi’s resale price maintenance statutes had favored large mainland manufacturers’ brand name products, and that such a statute tended to keep prices up.” (Journal of Marketing, 1967)

Later (January 15, 1974,) the Washington Post noted that the parent Parkview-Gem, Inc., of Kansas City, Mo., was reorganized under a section of the Bankruptcy Act. The nationwide discount chain has incurred losses for several years, and had closed 35 stores during the past year. The Hawaiʻi stores closed in 1993.

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GEM Ward

GEM-Kapalama

GEM_Ward

Huckleberry Hound for President

June 9, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Dillingham Transportation Building

In 1889, after devoting twenty years to the hardware business, Benjamin Franklin (Frank) Dillingham created the O‘ahu Railroad and Land Company (OR&L.) This company was primarily responsible for the development of the 160-mile O‘ahu Railroad.

Through these rail interests, the corporation became involved with the development of the various sugarcane plantations along its route, and later expanded its cane activities to the islands of Kauai, Maui and Hawai‘i with the McBryde, Kihei, Puna and Ola‘a Sugar Companies. (NPS)

Ultimately OR&L sublet land, partnered on several sugar operations and/or hauled cane from Ewa Plantation Company, Honolulu Sugar Company in ‘Aiea, O‘ahu Sugar in Waipahu, Waianae Sugar Company, Waialua Agriculture Company and Kahuku Plantation Company, as well as pineapples for Dole.

By the early-1900s, the expanded railway cut across the island, serving several sugar and pineapple plantations, and the popular Haleʻiwa Hotel. They even included a “Kodak Camera Train” (associated with the Hula Show) for Sunday trips to Hale‘iwa for picture-taking.

When the hotel opened on August 5, 1899, guests were conveyed from the railway terminal over the Anahulu stream to fourteen luxurious suites, each had a bath with hot-and-cold running water. Dillingham died April 7, 1918 (aged 73.)

Built in 1929, in memory of Dillingham by his son Walter Francis Dillingham, the 4-story Dillingham Transportation Building carries the ‘transportation building’ because at that time the Dillingham family was concerned with various types of transportation to and around Hawaii.

Walter founded the Hawaiian Dredging Company (later Dillingham Construction) and ran the O‘ahu Railway and Land Company founded by his father.

The building was designed in an Italian Renaissance Revival by architect Lincoln Rogers of Los Angeles, who also designed the Hawaii State Art Museum (1928.)

“Lincoln Rogers, architect of the building, in choosing a style of architecture generally called ‘Mediterranean’ with Italian Renaissance as the guiding principle, found a motif ideally suited to a semi-tropic city surrounded by sparkling seas and green-clad mountains.” (Honolulu)

The Dillingham Transportation Building is Italian Renaissance concrete and concrete block structure with three connected wings, and is a good example of the Mediterranean revival style applied to a commercial structure.

The first story round arched arcade, upper story quoins and the low pitched, tile, hipped roof, well convey the style. The Mediterranean and Spanish mission revival styles enjoyed tremendous popularity in Hawaii during the twenties.

These styles, the closest European equivalents to tropical design, were considered to be the most appropriate forms for Hawaii’s climate with their arcades providing a sense of airy openness.

The Dillingham Transportation Building is one of a number of downtown buildings to employ these styles, and is the most imposing of the Mediterranean revival buildings in the area. (NPS)

The structure has a Spanish tile hip roof, and below the eave there is a frescoed decoration. The entrance lobby features Art Deco patterns of variously colored marbles and bricks. (Historic Hawai‘i)

You will note nautical references above the door arches and along the outside walls of the building – noting ships, sailors and twisted rope patterns (even over the elevators.)

The Dillingham Transportation Building shares arcade space with the nearby Pacific Guardian Building, whose street address is ‘through’ the Dillingham lobby. (Star-Bulletin)

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Dillingham Transportation Building-PP-8-4-003-00001

Dillingham Memorial Dedication Plaque-400

Dillingham Transportation Building

Benjamin_Franklin_Dillingham_(1844–1918)

Walter_Francis_Dillingham-(WC)

June 8, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Shave Ice

“The first Boston ice brought to these islands” arrived September 4, 1850, by way of San Francisco aboard the brig Fortunio. On June 22, 1852, “a few tons of ice were brought to this port from San Francisco by the bark Harriet T. Bartlet” and were partly sold at auction; this was hailed as “the first importation of the kind, in any quantity, to this market.” (Schmitt)

The first full cargo of ice came from Sitka aboard the brig Noble in the latter part of 1853. Locally manufactured ice was put on sale December 2, 1871, but the firm providing it went out of business a month later. Local production of ice was eventually resumed in 1875. (Schmitt)

Lots of things changed with ice and, later, refrigeration; among the nice outcomes was Shave Ice.

It is referred to in different ways, depending on where you are from … in Hilo it’s Ice Shave; lots of folks outside the Islands call it Sno-Balls, SnoCones (or Snow Cones) or even Shaved Ice.

Shave ice exists all over the world today and is known as Gola Gunda in Pakistan, Juski in India, Ice Kachang in Malasia & Singapore where it is served with red beans and other fruits, Raspa, Raspado, or Raspadillo in Mexico and Peru (Raspar means “scrape” in Spanish.) (Stever)

The story of when and where the first Shave Ice showed up is unclear. Shaving or crushing ice, or gathering snow and adding flavor has been popular around the world.

Some suggest it dates back to the Roman Empire (27 BC to AD 395). Snow was hauled from the mountaintops to the city, syrup was added and people had flavored snow.

Initially, hand shavers were used to make shave ice, but by the 1890s many inventors were working on easier ways to make them. In that decade alone, six different patents for electric ice shaving machines were invented.

In about the late-1800s, folks used hand-held wooden planes to shave the ice (or snow) off a block. Samuel Bert of Dallas Texas is credited with inventing a machine to do the work in 1920. He reportedly sold cones and cone machines until his death in 1984.

We can thank the Great Depression for helping to expand the popularity of the shave ice, as ice cream was not readily available or cheap. (SnoBallHut)

By 1934, Ernest Hansen, an inventor from New Orleans, patented the first motorized ice block shaver. His syrup flavored shaved ice became known as “snowballs”.

In the Islands, when Japanese immigrants came to work in the sugar fields, they brought the concept of shave ice with them, using hand-operated steel blades to shave the ice in a method very similar to Ernest Hansen’s.

It was in the Meiji period around the 19th century that kakigori (Japanese shave ice) finally became affordable to the general public. Until then, ice was still expensive as people had to import “Boston Ice” from the US, taking half a year for transporting.

However, when the food entrepreneur Kahe Nakagawa succeeded in delivering ‘Hakodate Ice’ from Hokkaido to Yokohama, the first kakigori shop was opened in the Bashamichi area in Kanagawa in 1872.

And then an icemaker was invented in the middle of the Meiji period and an ice-shaving machine in the early Showa period around the 1930s, eventually making kakigori common food as it is now. (inhamamatsu)

Japanese plantation workers in Hawaiʻi enjoyed it as a refreshing break in the hot, tropical climate. In those days it was only sold on Sundays, the only day off for the plantation workers received.

They would use their machetes to shave flakes from a large block of ice into cups and then pour different fruit juices over the top. (Stradley)

The treat quickly became immensely popular throughout the islands where the tropical temperatures ensured “shaved ice” sold all year.

Hawaiian shave ice is known for the ice’s extremely fine – near powdery – consistency, as well as the unusual flavor combinations used: typically, tropical fruit flavored syrups are used, with many variants including a scoop of vanilla ice cream or Japanese azuki, a red, sweet bean.

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June 7, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Irrigation-enhanced Recharge

The early Polynesians brought sugar cane with them and demonstrated that it could be grown successfully in the islands. The first commercially-viable sugar plantation, Ladd and Co, was started at Kōloa on Kauai in 1835. Others followed, including on Maui.

Sugar became part of the Maui landscape. More than 30-plantations of various sizes popped up on Maui. Over time, consolidations and closures gradually reduced the number to fewer, but larger, plantations. (Sugar Museum)

Sugar is a thirsty crop; in order to irrigate, in 1876 the initial Hāmākua Ditch was built, bringing water from streams from the windward and wet East Maui. A total of ten ditches were constructed between 1879 and 1923; this system makes up what is known today as East Maui Irrigation (EMI.)

Under natural conditions, most surface water would flow to the ocean; instead, this water has been diverted and artificially applied to the plant-soil system, creating a net increase in ground-water recharge. Irrigation-enhanced recharge greatly affects the groundwater system in central Maui.

Ground water is one of Hawai‘i’s most important natural resources. It is used for drinking water, irrigation, and domestic, commercial, and industrial needs. Ground water provides about 99% of Hawai‘i’s domestic water and about 50% of all freshwater used in the State.

The amount of recharge available to enter the aquifers is the volume of rainfall, fog drip, and irrigation water that is not lost to runoff or evapotranspiration or stored in the soil. (USGS)

The period 1926–79 had the highest estimated recharge; irrigation rates during this period were at least 50% higher than in any other period considered.

Prior to the early-1970s, about 190-million gallons per day (Mgal/d) of water diverted by East Maui ditches and 170-Mgal/d of groundwater withdrawn from shafts and wells was used to irrigate sugarcane fields in central Maui.

Groundwater recharge concerns have gone from bad to worse. Overall irrigation rates have been steadily decreasing since the 1970s, when large-scale sugarcane plantations began a conversion from furrow to more efficient drip irrigation methods and a reduction in the amount of acreage dedicated to sugarcane production.

Estimated recharge for central and west Maui declined 44% during the period 1979–2004. During this period, on the leeward (Lāhainā) side of West Maui Mountain, sugarcane cultivation ceased altogether.

The decrease in irrigation has coincided recently with periods of below-average rainfall, creating the potential for substantially reduced recharge rates in many areas. (USGS)

The period 2000–04 had the lowest estimated recharge; irrigation rates during this period were 46 percent lower than during 1926–79, and rainfall was the lowest of any period.

With the closure of HC&S’ sugarcane fields in central Maui, and subsequent stoppage of irrigation over the groundwater aquifer, recharge will be reduced and the groundwater flow system will be affected. (USGS)

Population growth on the Island of Maui has led to an increase in ground-water demand. The resident population on the island increased more than 300% percent during the period 1960–2010: from 35,717 to 144,444 (Maui County)

The ‘Ïao aquifer system is the principal source of domestic water supply for the Island of Maui. Ground-water withdrawals from this aquifer system increased from less than 10-Mgal/d during 1970 to about 17-Mgal/d during 2005.

So, there is concern surrounding declines in ground-water levels and an increase in the chloride concentration of water pumped from wells in the ‘Ïao aquifer system.

Even before the contemplated, and later announced, closure of HC&S sugar cultivation, the State Water Commission designated ‘Īao as a groundwater management area because the 12-month moving average pumping withdrawals exceeded the Commission-established trigger.

The effect of changes in irrigation-enhanced recharge was illustrated on a small scale in Wailua on Kauai, and the drying up of ‘Fern Grotto’ was the result. There, the Kapa‘a irrigation system was built in the 1920s to provide water for approximately 6,000 acres of land under sugar cane.

Up until the sugar company closing, the lower portion has been fed by the Hanamaulu Ditch, which ended at ‘Reservoir 21,’ directly above Fern Grotto. The ferns began growing only after sugar was grown on the land 150 feet above the cave.

Plantation workers built a catch basin for storm runoff that became known as Reservoir 21. Water from the reservoir percolated through the ground and came out on the roof and walls of the cave.

The shutting down of the Hanamaulu Ditch has undoubtedly contributed or even was the principal cause of the drying up on the Fern Grotto. The lack of irrigation water caused the cliff-side ferns to dry up.

A 9-month rejuvenation project involved creation of a second waterfall in the grotto and installation of solar panels to power pumps to bring water from the Wailua Reservoir to the Fern Grotto.

Now, the Fern Grotto is back. Solutions in the central Maui isthmus, the principal source of domestic water supply for the Island of Maui, are not as simple.

A century after Captain James Cook’s arrival in Hawaiʻi, sugar plantations started to dominate the landscape. Sugar changed the social fabric of Hawaii. Hawai`i’s economy turned toward sugar in the decades between 1860 and 1880.

The industry came to maturity by the turn of the century; the industry peaked in the 1930s. Hawaiʻi’s sugar plantations employed more than 50,000 workers and produced more than 1-million tons of sugar a year; over 254,500-acres were planted in sugar. (That plummeted to 492,000-tons in 1995; a majority of the plantations closed in the 1990s.)

So, the Islands have not just lost that last remnant of generations of economic and agricultural activity; Maui must now look at ways to manage and provide for water needs and demands, given the loss of irrigation-enhanced recharge. (Lots of information here is from several USGS reports.)

I was fortunate to have served as the Chair and Director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Chair of the Water Commission, working on these and other related issues.

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Central Maui Isthmus-sugarcane

EMI_System-map

EMI_Intake

EMI-Ditch

Installation of a pipeline for Haiku ditch water under the steel railroad bridge crossing the Maliko Gulch-1909

Iao Aquifer-Ditches-USGS

Fern Grotto

June 6, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

‘For Manly Men’

“‘Here’s to another year and years and years of steady nerves, clear brains and vigorous health.’”

“Duncan is a body-builder and a good one. There are others in town all good ones. The town cannot have too many of them.” (Hawaiian Star, January 27, 1912) (Advertisements noted that Duncan’s Gym was for ‘Manly Men.’)

“‘If we can have a boy for two years, say from the age of twelve to fourteen,’ said Duncan, ‘we can make a well rounded youngster of him, and in addition to that the spirit of, true sportsmanship and love of the gym work for the work’s sake is so ingrained in him that he will never stop it.’”

“We don’t aim to turn out prizefighters, but we do aim to put a person in such shape that medicines and physicians will he unknown to him for a long time to come.” (Evening Bulletin, March 1, 1911)

“Duncan’s gymnasium isn’t half big enough to accommodate the youngsters who are anxious to join in the classes, but although the space is limited the boys take delight in playing the games that will make them stronger and fairer in every way.”

“A visit to the gymnasium will show hundreds of devices that have been built to improve the bodies of the youngsters, and the older people as well. Mr. Duncan has gone to much trouble in securing wheels and hundred s of implements of exercise that make for the building up or the youth.” (Star-Bulletin, May 3, 1916)

“At the recent Indoor meet held at the gymnasium a number of the parents looked on, and watched what the boys had accomplished during the class periods.”

“Many of the youngsters had gone into the classes with little of what one might call ‘pep,’ but the feats performed during the meet was enough to convince the mothers and fathers that the boy had been ‘learning the game.’”

“The meet showed the boys how to win; and how to take defeat.”

“The ‘thinking’ races were a big feature of the afternoon’s entertainment, and the race was not always to the swiftest.”

“A number of incidents happened during the afternoon that proved that the boys had teen taught to ‘play fair.’ One youngster with rosy cheeks who had been making a success won in a race, and after he had crossed the tape acknowledged to the referee that he had missed one of the relay pins.”

“In speaking of this incident afterwards Mr. Duncan said: ‘Things of that kind do the boy more good than a medal won, and I always try to encourage the boys to play fair at any cost.’”

“‘I wish that I had more room so I could cater to more of the boys and give them more room for the accomplishment of athletic features.’”

“Each afternoon many of the businessmen of the city spend an hour or so at the gymnasium, and the universal opinion is that it is more than worth the time spent.”

“Among the men of the city are many who have taken a deep interest in the youngsters, and at the recent track meet John Guild and Fred Wichman donated cups to the boys who competed in the various events.” (Star-Bulletin, May 3, 1916)

“Because of the great success made by GM Duncan in building up the weakling, there is much interest in his competition this afternoon. Mr. Duncan has divided the boys into two groups, the Reds and the Blues, and there is certain to be a number of events stated.”

“Fred Wichman said, ‘Mr. Duncan is doing a great work in developing the youngsters in every way, and he richly deserves credit for the manner in which he has helped the boys.’ Many of the leading businessmen of the city patronize the gymnasium and all join in singing praises for the manner in which the exercises are handled.”

“‘Mr. Duncan is doing a great work for the youngsters and for the older men as well. I use the gymnasium every day and find that it builds you up, and you can see that it has made the youngsters stronger. I would like to see a larger building where more boys could receive benefits from the exercise.’” (Guy Macfarlane) (Honolulu Star Bulletin, April 25, 1918)

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