Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Queen Anna

“I was greatly surprised when the committee at Honolulu appointed by the good Kansas people selected me. I hesitated about so long a journey, as I have never been away from these islands.”

“I am placing myself in the hands of committee from Kansas, which is to meet me in San Francisco. As a native Hawaiian and now an American by the force of events I am anxious to see the main land of my new country.” (Ana Kanaina Loke; The Sun, October 3, 1898)

“Ana Kanaina Loke, queen of Topeka’s annual fall carnival, is a native of Honolulu, and she travelled the long distance from her island home to the Kansas metropolis especially to take the prominent part in the festivities which was assigned to her.” (The Sun, October 3, 1898)

“She was a teacher in Hilo and made the trip to the States especially for the fete in Topeka. The Karnival Knights met her in San Francisco, and escorted her to Topeka, where she was entertained and paraded with the utmost ceremony. Many Topeka people met her personally, and others saw her at her various public appearances.” (Topeka Daily Journal, April 25, 1916)

“By some brilliant inspiration it was suggested that this year’s queen be a newly annexed American belle from Hawaiʻi.… (Daniel Case, a former Topeka resident, but then a citizen of Hawaiʻi) was told that a Hawaiian belle was wanted in Topeka to fill a short engagement as queen.” (The Sun, October 3, 1898)

“The idea was a bright one for Topeka, which place having transportation influences with the Santa Fe, which road, in turn, can work the steamship company, this girl, half German and half native Hawaiian, was induced to make the trip to play the part.”

“She talks English and presumably was an every-day bright sort of a Honolulu girl, with an unexpected chance to visit the continent.”

“She was met by a delegation of Topeka magnates at San Francisco, where she was written up, put into the associated dispatches, and after thus being scattered all over the continent was shown around generally. Having got the queen well-advertised they started eastward to fill a program of receptions and ovations enroute.” (Wichita Daily Eagle, September 30, 1898)

Her name translates to Anna Rose; they dubbed her ‘Queen Anna,’ paid all of her travel expenses and saw to it “that she had a royal time while wielding the scepter.” (The Sun, October 3, 1898)

“Society has been so completely occupied with Queen Anna Rose for the past few days that there is little left for the society chronicler but to record the comings and goings of those who waited upon the fair Hawaiian.”

“Praises are heard on all sides of the womanly dignity with which Miss Rose has received the homage bestowed upon her, and the utter absence of frivolous vanity which marks her entire bearing meets with universal approval.”

“Wednesday night the reception at the state house opened the round of gayeties prepared in her honor. Topeka turned out with one accord and visited the Senate chamber where Miss Rose received them, assisted by a committee of Karnival Knights and ladies.” (Topeka Daily Capital, October 2, 1898)

“The Hamilton band led the flower division of the parade. This was by far the most beautiful feature of the entire afternoon’s program. Not only did it contain the Queen’s float but the many other beautiful floats designed by the committee of ladies.”

“Miss Anna Rose, the Fall Festival Queen, appeared in a magnificent float of white and green flowers, drawn by four black horses. It is perhaps the prettiest float that ever appeared in a parade in Topeka.”

“But it would not have been complete without Miss Rose. As she sat in regal state she appeared a queen in reality, and the bow she gave her subjects was royal in its graciousness.” (Topeka Daily Capital, October 1, 1898)

“Mr Dana, in behalf of the citizens of Topeka, presented her with a magnificent chatelaine watch and pin. The idea for this gift originated In the minds of the Karnival Knights and met with such approval that it was generally taken up and with the 135 thus accumulated the watch, was purchased for the Karnival Queen.”

“The watch is of Swiss manufacture and the case is handsomely enameled in royal crimson set with jewels. The chatelaine pin is in fleur de lis pattern, enameled and set with a good sized diamond.”

“The watch is engraved with the inscription ‘Topeka’s Gift to Anna Rose.’ The dainty little timepiece is hardly larger than a 23-cent piece. Miss Rose showed it with animated pride to her guests. ‘And just think. I never owned a watch before!’ she smiled, with almost childish joy.” (Topeka Daily Capital, October 2, 1898)

The regal reference followed her home.

A little later (November 8, 1898,) approximately 200-soldiers of the 1st New York sailed from Honolulu to Hilo to inspect sites for a possible permanent military post. (Greguras) The troops landed at Waiākea in Hilo and stayed in a large warehouse for one night.

“The mariners under Christopher Columbus were no more anxious and certainly no happier to set foot on land in 1492 than were the New York Volunteer troops which left Honolulu last Tuesday morning on the Kinau, to feel the terra firma of Hilo under them this morning.”

“To say that the trip over was rough is putting it mild. In fact, judging from the number of men who cast their bread upon the (rough) waters, it could not have been worse. After leaving Diamond Head shoal the Kinau tossed, rolled and pitched so heavily that at times many of the men made frantic efforts to reach life preservers.”

“Miss Anna Rose, who was a passenger on board the steamer won the hearts of all the boys by her kindly interest and solicitation in their welfare. She cheered and comforted the sick, brought them little delicacies and in diverse other ways did she make herself the most popular person on board.”

“In appreciation of her service the band serenaded Miss Rose a number of times. She was also voted unanimously the queen of the First New York Volunteers.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, November 14, 1898)

She participated with them in a flag raising at Riverside Park, formerly known as Reed’s Island. “The commanding officers of this portion of the 1st New York Volunteers, kindly asented to give a military air to the flag raising by the presence of the troops and regimental band, while Queen Anna graciously consented to hoist the American emblem.”

“The troops marched up Waiānuenue street about 2:30, seized the ravine which bounds that side of Reed’s Island without opposition and scaled the opposite cliffs, preceded by the Queen who proved her physical powers again. The flag was hoisted to the music of the ‘Star Spangled Banner.’”

“A large crowd of townspeople viewed the ceremonies from the Island and from the opposite banks. The day was one of the most perfect which even Hilo affords the occasion was one of great interest to the Hiloites.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, November 15, 1898)

Ana Kanaina Loke later moved to the continent, married a man named Anderson and resided in San Francisco. (Topeka Daily Journal, April 25, 1916) The image Queen Anna – Anna Rose.

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by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Waikamoi

The kahakai (shoreline) and the lowlands were the Wao Kanaka (the realm of people,) where fishing, farming, and activities of daily life took place. Further inland was the Wao Kele (the inland forest region) and above this was the Wao Akua (the realm of the gods.)

In ancient Hawaii, the Wao Akua was accessed only by trained professionals for specific purposes (medicinal practitioners gathered specific plants and bird men caught birds for their vibrant feathers,) after respects were paid and permission was granted.

Even then, however, entry into the Wao Akua (a dense native cloud forest) was seldom. It was recognized that the health of the watershed in the Wao Akua was essential to the health of the Wao Kanaka. (Hana Pono)

Hawaiians did not as a matter of course penetrate the Wao Akua if the trees they needed could be gotten elsewhere, because of the priority of promoting new growth through non-disturbance of seed-producing forest areas.

Hawaiians realized the importance of the food source and the regenerative energy of the forest. Therefore it was necessary to leave some areas or groves of trees as they stood originally, thus the name Wao Akua. (DLNR)

Waikamoi takes its name from a variety of taro named for a variety of fish, the moi. The moi kalo (taro) is a very nice tasty variety good for wetland, flood style irrigation taken to great heights by the Hawaiians system of aqueducts and loʻi kalo.

The naming of Waikamoi indicates that at the lower elevations, the stream fed loʻi kalo, taro patches, of moi taro which was a favorite of the people living in the area. (Hana Pono)

Roaming ungulates (typically cattle and pigs) and non-native habitat-modifying weeds/plants, insects and other invasive species took their toll on the mauka forested resources.

In 1876, the Hawaiian legislature also passed ‘An Act for the Protection and Preservation of Woods and Forests; this was the first step in creating what would later become the forest reserve program.

Then, on April 25, 1903, the legislature created Hawaiʻi’s forest reserve, sparking the largest public-private conservation partnership in the history of the state. Ralph S. Hosmer was Hawaiʻi’s first Superintendent of Forestry. (Hosmer’s Grove in Haleakala National Park adjoins the Waikamoi Preserve.)

In 1983, Waikamoi Preserve on the slopes of Haleakala on Maui became a reality when the Haleakala Ranch granted a conservation easement to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) over 5,230-acres (in 2014, Alexander & Baldwin conveyed a conservation easement over an additional 3,721-adjacent acres, bringing the total to 8,951-acres – the largest private nature preserve in the Islands.)

The preserve protects part of the 100,000-acre East Maui Watershed, which provides 60-billion gallons of clean water annually to Maui’s residents, businesses and agricultural community.

It is a sanctuary for native Hawaiian species, many of them endangered or rare (including several native birds: the rare ‘akohekohe, the scarlet ‘i‘iwi, the crimson ‘apapane, the bright green ‘amakihi, the yellow-green Maui creeper, the pueo (Hawaiian owl,) nene (Hawaiian goose) and the native ‘ua‘u (dark-rumped petrel.))

The preserve also shelters a large variety of native ferns, herbs, shrubs and trees that reflect the biodiversity of Maui; many are rare plants unique to East Maui.

The Nature Conservancy protects the native species that live in Waikamoi by managing this koa and ʻohi‘a forest against threats to this diverse forest ecosystem. Like other Hawai‘i rain forests, invasive species and feral predators threaten Waikamoi’s delicate ecosystem.

Waikamoi Preserve is managed in partnership with the State Department of Land & Natural Resources through the Natural Area Partnership Program. (TNC)

The National Park Service leads hikes through Waikamoi on Mondays and Thursdays; the hike focuses on the unique history, plants and animals of the area. Reservations are accepted up to one week in advance. Call (808) 572-4400. Please call early since there is limited space available.

While I was Director at DLNR, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to walk the boardwalk in the Waikamoi Preserve. The trail led to a deck in the middle of the forest … waaay cool.

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by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Ties to the Santa Fe

While small gravity and mule-powered rails popped up here and there in the eastern United States, it was the coming of the steam locomotive that truly allowed railroads to prosper.

In August 1829, Horatio Allen tested an English-built steamer named the Stourbridge Lion in Pennsylvania; by the time of the Civil War there were more than 60,000 miles of railroad in the country, by the 1870s, the Transcontinental Railroad stretched all the way to California and there were more than 190,000 –miles of rail at the beginning of the 20th century.

During the height of the industry, commonly referred to as the ‘Golden Age’ from the late 19th century through the 1920s there were more than 254,000 miles of railroad in service.

The expanding rail system needed material to tie the rails – then, in 1907, the ‘Santa Fe’ came to the Islands.

“Among the passengers for Hawaii on the Kīnaʻu yesterday were EO Faulkner (head of the tie and lumber department of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad) has come to this Territory to investigate the ʻōhiʻa ties”. (Pacific Commercial Advertising, September 25, 1907)

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company (distinctively known as the Santa Fe) was founded by Cyrus K Holiday in Kansas in 1859. A line that reached from Kansas to California and from Kansas to the Gulf of Mexico was the vision of Holiday.

The desire to tap into the cotton and cattle markets in Texas combined with the promise of Texas as a market for Kansas wheat led the Santa Fe to seek an entry into markets in Texas and the Gulf of Mexico. (American Rails)

Before he left the Islands, Faulkner “signed a contract with the Hawaiian Mahogany Lumber Company which will mean the exportation of 90,000,000-board feet of ʻōhiʻa to the mainland within the next five years.”

“While the representatives of their lumber company are unwilling to state the exact price obtained for their lumber under the contract, the fact was obtained that it was between $2,500,000 and $3,000,000.” (Hawaiian Gazette, October 11, 1907)

To fulfill the agreement, “The ties will all be handled by the Hilo railroad. The next work to be done will be making a start on the new mill in Puna and we will also build a railroad, connecting with the main line at Pahoa, and running some four miles into the forest eventually.”

“It will run through the ʻōhiʻa forests which skirt the koa, and thus enable us to reach the koa property easily.” (AN Campbell, Henry Waterhouse Co; Pacific Commercial Advertiser, September 25, 1907)

“The development of the Hawaiian lumber industry stands out preeminent, through the signing in October 1907 of a contract between the Hawaiian Mahogany Lumber Company and the Santa Fe Railway System to supply during the next five years …” (Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Annual Report, 1908)

“According to the terms of the contract the local company is to furnish 500,000 ties six by eight inches and eight feet in length, each year for five years, the same to be delivered at such Coast ports as shall be designated by the railroad company.”

“In addition to this they shall deliver each year 500 sets of switch ties, which are heavier than the regular tie and vary in length from 10 to 22 feet.” (Hawaiian Gazette, October 11, 1907)

“Prior to this contract – in June 1907 – one schooner load of 13,000 ʻōhiʻa ties was sent to San Francisco. Several good-sized orders for ʻōhiʻa ties and ʻōhiʻa piling for use in the Territory have also been filled by the Hawaiian Mahogany Lumber Company.” (Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Annual Report, 1908)

Hawaiian Mahogany Lumber Company (also called Pāhoa Lumber Mill) began in 1907 (owned by James B Castle.) By September 1908, the company was operating a lumber mill in Pāhoa.

A narrow gauge railroad was built from Glenwood to the saw-mill in the woods back of the Volcano House, the mill itself has been erected and some of the machinery installed. Trees were felled in the forest, cut into logs and hauled in to the mill yard.

Most of the ties were to be cut in the Puna District on the homestead lots above Olaʻa, on lands of the Puna Plantation that were being cleared for cane, and on other lands in Puna on which rubber will be planted. The ties will be shipped from Hilo by steamers and sailing vessels, the first shipment being sometime in the spring of 1908.

Between 1909 and 1910, Pāhoa Lumber Mill have lumbered something over 1000 acres. In 1911, the Pāhoa Lumber Mill sought more land for logging. However, by 1914, the Division of Forestry notes that the Pahoa Lumber Mill “has barely reached the section set apart as the Puna Forest Reserve…” (Division of Forestry Annual Report, 1914)

In January 5, 1910 Lorrin A Thruston and Frank B. McStocker of the Hawaiian Development Co. Ltd. appeared before Marston Campbell, Commissioner of Public Lands in Honolulu, to secure rights to log a tract of government lands in Puna.

In January 1913, a fire devastated the Pāhoa Lumber Company mill, and that same year the mill changed its name to Hawaiʻi Hardwood Company. According to government records, the Hawaiian Development Company Ltd. was a successor to the Hawaiian Mahogany Lumber Company (Hawaiian Forester and Agriculturalist)

The contract with the Santa Fe Railway System was never fulfilled. The Division of Forestry noted that by 1914, few ‘ʻōhiʻa was being sold for railroad ties after it was realized that the ‘ʻōhiʻa wood ties did not last in the extreme conditions of the southwest.

Likewise, “increasing attention is being paid to finding a market for ʻōhiʻa for uses of higher tirade. Especially is an effort being made to introduce ʻōhiʻa as flooring …”

“… a use to which the firm, close texture of the wood and its handsome color lend themselves admirably. The waste from the ʻōhiʻa mills (slabs, etc.) is sold for firewood, not a little of it being shipped to Honolulu.” (Report of the Board of Commissioners of Agriculture and Forestry, 1911) (Lots of information here is from Uyeoka.)

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Hawai‘i Seven

“The Alien Registration Act of 1940, better known as the ‘Smith Act,’ was initially designed to monitor immigrants and prosecute those suspected of collaborating with fascist enemy powers.”

“But after World War II, as relations with the US and Soviet Union changed from reluctant allies to avowed enemies, the Justice Department turned the Smith Act into a weapon against the left, manipulating the law to target American citizens alleged to be leaders of the Communist Party.”  (DeLauder, University of Washington)

“The Alien Registration Act was introduced by Virginia Congressman Howard Smith, passed by Congress, and signed by President Roosevelt on June 28, 1940, World War II was raging in Europe and Asia and Congress, worried about espionage, passed the law to keep track of immigrant noncitizens.”

“It required adult noncitizens to register with the federal government and be fingerprinted.  (DeLauder, University of Washington)

Then, in the Islands, seven were arrested at or near their homes in the morning of August 28, 1951 and were charged with “conspiring with each other”. “According to the complaint, the alleged conspiracy has continued since April 1, 1945.” (Star Bulletin, August 29, 1951)

The “Hawaii Seven” were Jack Wayne Hall, John Ernest Reinecke, Jack Denishi Kimoto, Koji Ariyoshi, Dwight James Freeman, Charles Kazuyuki Fujimoto and Eileen Toshiko Fujimoto. (State Bulletin)

“The arrests came when sugar negotiations were in progress and on the day of the arrest, the ILWU sugar negotiating committee came to the Federal building to hold a conference with Hall, who was held in custody there. The arrests came when 750 ILWU pine workers were on strike on Lanai.” (Honolulu Record)

“Six defendants spent a week in jail while $15,000 bail was being raised for each. For travel outside of Oahu, an additional $10,000 was required.” (Star Bulletin)

“The longest and hardest fought case in the Territory’s history lasted seven and a half months from late 1952 to the summer of 1953 in the whipped up atmosphere of cold-war McCarthyism.” (Honolulu Record)

“Hawaii’s seven top Communists, including Longshore Boss Jack W Hall, were convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the Government today [June 19, 1953] and stevedores immediately halted work on all island docks, possibly foreruning a general protest strike.”

“Within two hours after the verdict was announced Hall’s International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union suspended negotiations on a new contract and longshoremen began walking off the job at Castle and Cook Pier 32.”

“Conviction of the ‘Hawaii seven’ brings to 51 the number of United States Red leaders convicted since the Nation’s 11 top Communists were found guilty in New York in 1949.”  (The Tribune, Pennsylvania, June 20, 1953)

They appealed … “The US Court of Appeals, acting in line with the Supreme Court’s California Reds ruling of last June, Monday reversed the Smith Act convictions of seven persons in Hawaii and four in the State of Washington.” (Subcommittee on Territories and Insular Affairs)

(The “US  Supreme Court established a distinction between advocacy of a political doctrine and advocacy of action.” (Advertiser))

The Hawaii Seven were contacted after the Ninth Circuit reversal and provided the following comments to the Honolulu Record:

Jack W. Hall. “This period has certainly been a time when we as a union found out who our friends are. I found out as an individual, too Prom the beginning, I have had confidence that our union program and my part in it would be vindicated.”

Jack D. Kimoto. “The acquittal of the Hawaii Seven means a resounding defeat for reactionary elements who used the Smith Act as a vehicle in their conspiracy to smash militant trade unionism and progressive political movement in Hawaii The vehicle, itself, is on the way to the ash heap of History I congratulate everyone who did his share to defeat this abominable conspiracy.”

Charles K. Fujimoto. “I am happy that the courts have finally handed down a decision in our favor. It is a victory not only for the Seven, but for all Americans in the preservation of their civil liberties.”

Eileen Fujimoto. “I want to thank all the ILWU members, our attorneys and friends and all those who had the intellectual integrity and courage to support us in our fight for those basic civil rights guaranteed all Americans.”

Dr. John Reinecke. “My strongest impressions after more than six years of the Smith Act case and 10 years as one of the targets of local witch-hunting are of the kindliness of the average person, but also of a very general lack of civic courage.”

Koji Ariyoshi. “The reversal of the Smith Act conviction shows once again that laws are not always right, that government, or that part of government that enforces the laws, is not always right The Bill of Rights which protects all Americans finally passed after a long struggle by democratic minded Americans The Smith Act must be repealed.”

Dwight James Freeman. “I’m happy about the reversal of course, but it seems an awful shame that so much time and money and energy should have been required to fight charges that should never have been made and a case that should never have been in court.”

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