Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Hula Cop

In the heyday of the Queen’s Surf (flagship property for the Spencecliff Corporation,) the Barefoot Bar was ground zero for local comedy and entertainment. Sterling Edwin Kilohana Mossman was the ringleader.

Mossman sang and did comedy and included a lot of others in the evening’s entertainment.  The footprints of many of these Island and internationally known entertainers lined the stairway up to the second floor bar.

A detective with the Honolulu Police Department during the day, after dark he was one of Hawaiʻi’s most popular entertainers. His diversified careers earned him the nickname “Hula Cop”. (TerritorialAirwaves)

But this story is not about that Hula Cop, this is about Pedro Jose, another ‘entertainer’ who earned that local moniker.  Due to his looks and 6-foot, six-inch frame, he was also known as the “Tall and Handsome One.”

Pedro (Peter – Pete) Jose (Hose) was born in Honolulu on September 29, 1881. His father came from the Cape Verde isthmus off the coast of Africa.  Cape Verdeans were of African Portuguese ancestry.

While directing traffic, Pete danced the hula on Downtown Honolulu streets. (Guttman)

“As he motions with his original comical gestures to the drivers of vehicles when to come ahead, Peter wears that everlasting smile.  No traffic is dense enough, no weather is too hot nor is any driver too grouchy to spoil that smile.  And the result is that everybody else smiles, too, and there is no pessimism at Merchant and Fort street.” (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, August 11, 1917)

“Like William Shakespeare, Peter Hose believes that when you smile the world smiles with you, and when you weep you weep alone. Hence it has become Peter’s business to keep the populace of Honolulu smiling when it happens down around, the corner of Merchant and Fort streets during the morning and late in the afternoon.”

“Peter Hose is the great tall six foot, six inch traffic cop whom everybody who ever passed along Merchant or Fort street when he was on duty remembers. Aside from his broad and everlasting smile, one discovers; upon closer examination, that Peter wears about the broadest brimmed hat made and the largest shoes obtainable in the city about twelves it was said the other day.”  (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, August 11, 1917)

“The sidewalk on Merchant street; from a point in front of the entrance to the savings department of Bishop & Co bankers, to the entrance of the Henry Waterhouse Trust Co on Fort street, opposite C Brewer & Co office, is considered the financial curb of Honolulu for there at almost any time of the day, except during the Exchange session, will be found the brokers, tipsters and stock traders swapping yarns, swapping tips, making bets, and winning the war.”

“But even these pursuits are apt to grow dull at times and in those dull moments Traffic Policeman Peter Hose, better known as “The Tall and Handsome One,” who holds sway at the corner of Merchant and Fort street, supplies the comedy element and keeps the broker throng amused with his Chaplin stunts.”  (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, December 17, 1917)

“Pete Hose, the ‘hula cop,’ … was a traffic cop who could make motorists laugh. To make motorists laugh in a traffic crush is no small accomplishment. …. Pete made the drivers laugh with just a suggestion of ‘the immortal Hawaiian hula dance when he beckoned to traffic.”

“’Hula cop’ was the nickname he went by. Besides being courteous he was efficient. He did favors for people, but never forgot that he was an officer. The people liked and respected him. That little touch of the clown in his makeup won their hearts.”

“A modern electric traffic device was installed recently at one of the busy corners in Honolulu, and the people dedicated it to Pete Hose. At a short ceremony, city officials spoke, and members of the traffic department and friends of Pete Hose praised his work.”

“(T)he courtesy that Hose expressed in his whole life perhaps could be copied with benefit by some of them.  A little touch of humor makes the whole world kin – and often brings humanity’s homage, as in Pete Hose’s case.”  (Manitowoc Herald Times, December 13, 1926)

“Honolulu’s “hula cop,” who has caused thousands of tourists to laugh at his downy antics as he directed traffic through the downtown thoroughfares, has been ‘promoted’ from the ‘stop and go’ job to a position as waterfront policeman.”

“Peter will now direct the tourists as they set foot on Hawaiian soil, and there is little doubt that a few weeks of acquaintance with the new surroundings will set him ‘hula-ing.’”

“Indeed, when the white-suited Hawaiian band strikes up the strains of ‘Honolulu Tomboy’ or ‘Hula Blues’ as the boats come in or sail away, no one who knows Peter Hose would rightfully expect him to make those arms and legs behave. (New Castle News, PA, April 23, 1924)

“He is philosophically inclined, Peter is, and he believes in the plain, honest smile. He first went on the police force about 10 years ago and he has discovered in his long experience that there is one thing that does more to prevent collisions, hard words and ill feeling one thing that keeps the traffic moving smoothly and that as a real smile.”   (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, August 11, 1917)

 “Peter Hose, Honolulu’s ‘Hula Cop,’ big, smiling, hearty, known by nearly every man, woman and child in Honolulu and easily remembered by tens of thousands of world tourists who have passed through Honolulu the last 18 years, is no more.”

“‘Pete’ made a gallant, though a losing, fight with tuberculosis. One morning… he left Lēʻahi for home. ‘I know I am going to die,’ he said, ‘and I am going to die at home, among my own kin folks.’”  (Knowlton, Advertiser, Advertiser January 5, 1925)  The image shows Pedro Jose, Honolulu’s Hula Cop.

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Cook’s Voyages to and from Hawai‘i

Between 1768 and 1778 England’s maritime explorer, James Cook, made three expeditions to the Pacific. Astronomy played a vital role in navigation and coastal cartography, and consequently there were astronomers on all three Pacific expeditions.

Cook’s third (and final) voyage (1776-1779) of discovery was an attempt to locate a North-West Passage, an ice-free sea route which linked the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.  Cook commanded the Resolution while Charles Clerke commanded Discovery.  (State Library, New South Wales)

They left Portsmouth, England in the late evening of July 12, 1776 – almost exactly four years after leaving on the previous successful voyage – a coincidence that some viewed as a favorable omen.

The commander of the second ship, Discovery, was Lieutenant Charles Clerke (1741–1779), who had sailed with Cook on both circumnavigations but was currently in prison for his brother’s debts; he was not released until the end of July, unwittingly having contracted tuberculosis.

Among Cook’s officers were George Vancouver, who would later lead a four-year survey of the northwest coast of America, and William Bligh, destined to be made famous by the storied mutiny on the Bounty. Also on board were Nathaniel Portlock and George Dixon.

After a year among the islands of the South Pacific, many of which he was the first European to make contact, on December 8, 1777, they were in Bora-Bora.

Proceeding north, they discovered the Pacific’s largest atoll, Kiritimati (what Cook called Christmas Island (where they celebrated Christmas)) and Cook observed an eclipse of the sun. After stocking up on over a ton of green turtles, the ships departed on January 2, 1778. (Smithsonian)

Then, “We continued to see birds every day … sometimes in greater numbers than others; and between the latitude of 10° and 11° we saw several turtle. All these are looked upon as signs of the vicinity of land.”

“However, we discovered none till day-break, in the morning of the 18th, when an island made its appearance, bearing northeast by east; and, soon after, we saw more land bearing north, and entirely detached from the former.”  (Cook’s Journal)

Cook’s crew first sighted the Hawaiian Islands in the dawn hours of January 18, 1778.  His two ships were kept at bay by the weather until the next day when they approached Kauai’s southeast coast.

On the afternoon of January 19, native Hawaiians in canoes paddled out to meet Cook’s ships, and so began Hawai’i’s contact with Westerners.  The first Hawaiians to greet Cook were from the Kōloa south shore.

The Hawaiians traded fish and sweet potatoes for pieces of iron and brass that were lowered down from Cook’s ships to the Hawaiians’ canoes.

The Islands “were named by Captain Cook the Sandwich Islands, in honour of the Earl of Sandwich, under whose administration he had enriched geography with so many splendid and important discoveries.” (Captain King’s Journal; Kerr)

Hawaiian lives changed with sudden and lasting impact, when western contact changed the course of history for Hawai’i.

Throughout their stay, the ships were supplied with fresh provisions which were paid for mainly with iron, much of it in the form of long iron daggers made by the ships’ blacksmiths on the pattern of the wooden pāhoa used by the Hawaiians.

After a month’s stay, Cook got under sail again to resume his exploration of the Northern Pacific.  The maritime sea-fur industry of the northwestern Pacific coast was almost accidentally begun when in 1778 Captain Cook brought back from the Nootka Sound region a few pelts whose great value was learned in China.

The maritime fur trade in skins of the sea otter (and beaver, seal, etc) was the stimulus for the unofficial earliest explorations of the coast and islands of what is now British Columbia and southern Alaska.

Although seven years passed before Cook was followed by another European vessel, the year 1785 opened a lively period of trade. Within a few years the flags of seven nations were flown in these waters by merchant vessels seeking their booty on uncharted coasts. (US Naval Institute)

After being in the Northwest, Alaska, they headed back to Hawaii to provision (November 1778).   “Dec2d …We got to windward of Mowee & this Morning came to another large Island called by the Natives Ou-why’ee (Hawai‘i:) in the afternoon we stood close in shore & lay to trading with the Natives, who brought us a large quantity of Breadfruit & roots & a few Hogs.”

“We saw many Houses on the low land & Thousands of people collected together to look at the Ships. This Island has a pleasant Appearance, the Land from the Waterside sloping gently upwards to the foot of the Hills. The top of one of the highest mountains is covered with Snow…” (Journal of Captain Cook)

“Jan.16th [1779] … This morning seeing the appearance of a Bay a Boat from each ship was sent to examine it. We have had more Canoes about us to day than in any place this Voyage; …”

“… we counted 150 large sailing Canoes many of which contained thirty & forty men – we reckoned that all together there could not be less about the 2 Ships than 1000 canoes & 10,000 Indians…”   (Journal of Captain James Cook)

“Jan.17th … We entered with both ships, and anchored in the middle of the bay having on one side a town containing about 300 hundred houses called by the inhabitants Kiverua [Ka’awaloa,] and on the other side a town contained 1100 houses, and called Kirekakooa [Kealakekua]…”  (Journal of John Ledyard)

“As soon as the Resolution was moored Capt. Cook went on ashore … the chiefs had each two long white poles which they held upright and waved to the people in the canoes, to make room, and as they passed through the throng, the chief cried out in their language that the great Orono [Lono] was coming …”

“… at which they all bowed and covered their faces with their hands until he was passed, but the moment this was done they resumed their clamorous shouts, closed the vacant place astern, and as many as could crowded upon his rear to the shore. …” (Journal of John Ledyard)

At that time of Cook’s arrival, Kalaniʻōpuʻu was on the island to Maui to contend with Kahekili, king of Maui. The east side of Maui had fallen into the hands of Kalaniʻōpuʻu and Kahekili was fighting with him to gain control.

Kalaniʻōpuʻu returned to Hawaiʻi and met with Cook on January 26, 1779, exchanging gifts, including an ʻahuʻula (feathered cloak) and mahiole (ceremonial feather helmet.)   Cook also received pieces of kapa, feathers, hogs and vegetables.

In return, Cook gave Kalaniʻōpuʻu a linen shirt and a sword; later on, Cook gave other presents to Kalaniʻōpuʻu, among which one of the journals mentions “a complete Tool Chest.”

The natives were permitted to watch the ships’ blacksmiths at work and from their observations gained information of practical value about the working of iron. (Kuykendall)

Shortly thereafter, Cook got under sail again to resume his exploration of the Northern Pacific. “At midnight, a gale of wind came on, which obliged us to double reef the topsails, and get down the top-gallant yards.”

“On the 8th [of February 1779] at day-break, we found, that the foremast had again given way … and the parts so very defective, as to make it absolutely necessary to replace them, and, of course, to [remove] the mast.”

“In this difficulty, Captain Cook was for some time in doubt, whether he should run the chance of meeting with a harbour in the islands to leeward, or return to Karakakooa [Kealakekua.]”

“In the forenoon, the weather was more moderate, and a few canoes came off to us, from which we learnt, that the late storms had done much mischief; and that several large canoes had been lost.”

“During the remainder of the day we kept beating to windward, and, before night, we were within a mile of the bay; but not choosing to run on, while it was dark, we stood off and on till day-light next morning, when we dropt anchor nearly in the same place as before.”

“Upon coming to anchor, we were surprised to find our reception very different from what it had been on our first arrival ; no shouts, no bustle, no confusion …”

“… but a solitary bay, with only here and there a canoe stealing close along the shore. The impulse of curiosity, which had before operated to so great a degree, might now indeed be supposed to have ceased …”

“… but the hospitable treatment we had invariably met with, and the friendly footing on which we parted, gave us some reason to expect, that they would again have flocked about us with great joy, on our return.”

“… there was something at this time very suspicious in the behaviour of the natives; and that the interdiction of all intercourse with us, on pretence of the king’s absence, was only to give him time to consult with his chiefs in what manner it might be proper to treat us.”

“For though it is not improbable that our sudden return, for which they could see no apparent cause, and the necessity of which we afterward found it very difficult to make them comprehend, might occasion some alarm”.

“[T]he next morning, [Kalaniopuʻu] came immediately to visit Captain Cook, and the consequent return of the natives to their former, friendly intercourse with us, are strong proofs that they neither meant nor apprehended any change of conduct.”

However, “Soon after our return to the tents, we were alarmed by a continued fire of muskets from the Discovery, which we observed to be directed at a canoe, that we saw paddling toward the shore in great haste, pursued by one of our small boats.”

That night a skiff from the Discovery had been stolen.  “It was between seven and eight o’clock when we quitted the ship together; Captain Cook in the pinnace, having Mr Phillips and nine marines with him; and myself in the small boat.”

“Though the enterprise which had carried Captain Cook on shore had now failed, and was abandoned, yet his person did not appear to have been in the least of danger, till an accident happened, which gave a fatal turn to the affair.”

“The boats which had been stationed across the bay, having fired at some canoes that were attempting to get out, unfortunately had killed a chief of first rank.”

“One of the natives, having in his hands a stone, and a long iron spike (which they call a pahooa), came up to the Captain, flourishing his weapon, by way of defiance, and threatening to throw the stone. The Captain desired him to desist ; but the man persisting in his insolence, he was at length provoked to fire a load of small-shot. “

“Our unfortunate Commander, the last time he was seen distinctly, was standing at the water’s edge, and calling out to the boats to cease firing, and to pull in.”

“If it be true, as some of those who were present have imagined, that the marines and boat-men had fired without his orders, and that he was desireous of preventing further bloodshed, it is not improbable that his humanity, on this occasion, proved fatal to him.”

“For it was remarked, that whilst he faced the natives, none of them had offered him any violence, but that having turned about to give his orders to the boats, he was stabbed in the back, and fell with his face in the water.” On February 14, 1779, Cook was killed.

Captain Charles Clerke took over the expedition and they left.  (The quotes are from ‘The Voyages of Captain James Cook,’ recorded by Lieutenant James King (who, following these events was appointed to command HMS Discovery.))

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Friday Female Meeting

The missionaries led busy lives, and the wives worked from dawn to well after dark. Their first and perhaps most monumental task was recording the Hawaiian language so that the scripture could be translated, and Hawaiians could be taught to read Hawaiian. (Fullard-Leo)

Before becoming members of the church, folks needed to be prepared.  Those who belong to the po‘ahā are brought, in some degree, under the watch and care of the church, and, so far as they are conscientious, they are bound to correct principles and practices.  (Missionary Herald)

Po‘ahā – Thursday – a reference to these Bible study meetings, held on Thursdays at Kawaiaha‘o Church in Honolulu, that prepared one for baptism and membership in the church congregation.

“The numbers of the natives, both men and women, who desired admission to the church, multiplied, and some were formed into classes which met weekly, on Thursday, for prayer, inquiry, and instruction, and from which candidates were, from time to time, selected, propounded, and received to fellowship.” (Bingham)

Then, “Under the direction of the missionary females, an association of women to meet weekly for prayer and improvement, was commenced on Friday of that week.”

“It embraced, at first, twelve or fifteen native females, among whom there appeared some evidence of sincere love to the truth, and of understanding the duty and privilege of prayer.” (Bingham)

Lucy Thurston, wife of Asa Thurston, and Elizabeth Bishop, wife of Artemas Bishop, “conceived the idea of endeavoring to lift our female population, by meeting with them every Friday PM.”

“We were each to sustain the responsibility of the thing, by alternately presiding at the meetings.” (Elizabeth (Edwards) Bishop had been childhood friend of Lucy (Goodale) Thurston; both became missionary wives who came at separate times, but were reunited in Hawai‘i.)

Lucy tells us, “For many months they have been attended. At first, I think, there was not an individual who had learned to say ‘Our Father.’ Now they can lead in prayer with great propriety, and think it a great privilege.”

“In acquiring this gift, they exhibit the greatest simplicity and freedom, never neglecting to exercise one talent, because they have not ten. With great freedom, and seriousness too, they express their religious convictions.”

“We read to them a portion of scripture. But Bible leaves in the Hawaiian language have been very scarce. Once I was driven to extremity, being obliged to take the first chapter of Matthew, the only portion remaining. That was the way they rehearsed the names of their own kings, and preserved them by simply retaining them in memory.”

“Two women of cultivated tenacious memories, came up to our house after meeting, and wished me to read that chapter again. After I did so, they assisted each other, and began by repeating the line of names from Abram to David, to the captivity, to Jesus. They went through successfully only asking aid in recalling two names.”

“One more subject was brought up in these meetings. This people were in a state of nature. There was only one point where I ever saw them exhibit shame. Both men and women were disposed and allowed to move around in public in a state of perfect nudity.”

“But if they appeared so without having one hand become a substitute for an apron of fig leaves, it would among themselves be severely condemned.”

“Childhood was ever taught to press in and be present at the birth of children. In all social acts, they too were taught to be alike skilled with those of adult years.”

“They divided and subdivided this knowledge, laid it up on their tongues, and then scattered it right and left to vaunt their own knowledge or promote their pastimes. Impurity of speech with both parents and children had become a giant in the land, stalking everywhere. We could not defy it in its native element.”

“But we were moved to drive it from our retired sitting rooms, the homes of our children. Whoever wished the privilege of crossing the thresholds to those apartments, consecrated to purity, must be subject to criticism. Whatever was there uttered which we disapproved, we penned, and read in the Friday meeting.”

“Thus we tried to give them a standard of what was right, and began by endeavoring to form a healthy moral atmosphere in two rooms, eighteen feet square, where natives were allowed to tread.”

“I carried my little manuscript book and pencil in my pocket, and used them on the spur of the occasion, and thus prepared notes for a future meeting.”

“I had a severe struggle with my own feelings in establishing these things, and passed painful, sleepless hours, lest I had offended. But it proved the reverse. For heavenly dews had prepared the soil to receive seed as into good and honest hearts.”

“Mr. Thurston has only been able to command time for his meals. From morning till night he has been in his study chair, with an individual or a cluster at his feet; sometimes a company of fifty or sixty, which entirely filled the room. Some days we have received calls from several hundreds.”

“I devote as much time to the instruction of the women as I can redeem from my family. My labors are more particularly directed to the members of the Friday Female Meeting.”

“Two years ago their names were enrolled and a discipline introduced. A moral standard was raised. Whoever wished to join the Society must forsake all their former vile practices, and pay an external regard to the Word and Worship of God.”

“They must uniformly have a full covering for their persons, both at home and abroad, and follow whatever is lovely and of good report. Such has since been the change in public opinion, that scenes which were then familiar to the eye, would now be scouted out of the village as shameful indecencies.”

“This Society has prospered; meetings were all divided into classes, and each class has a particular teacher to whom to look for instruction. The number of female teachers has risen to twenty, all hopefuly pious. This is my class. I teach them what I wish them to teach others.”

“The men’s society is conducted on the same plan. Two large thatched houses have been erected for the accommodation of these societies.” (Lucy Thurston, Life of Lucy Thurston)

Elizabeth (Edwards) Bishop died February 28, 1828, after a lingering and painful illness, the first adult death in the mission family. (Wagner)

The ‘Friday Female Meeting’ began in 1827, which in two years grew from 70 to 1,500 members, then by 1830, 2,600 women attended the weekly classes. (Zwiep)

“That organization being increased from time to time, has doubtless, in the course of twenty years, tended not only to call into healthful action many of its regularly entered members, and to incite others to the important duties which it was designed to encourage, but also in some measure to call down successive showers of spiritual blessings upon the nation.” (Bingham)

As noted by Lucy Thurston in 1830, “Mr. Thurston is entirely devoted to works of a public nature. My duties are of a more private character. I am the housekeeper, the mother, and the domestic teacher.”

“What time I can redeem from family cares, I give to our native females. Twenty-six hundred have been gathered into our Friday meetings. This society is in a very flourishing state.”

“As I cannot see them all at our house, I teach them by proxy, selecting from the most intelligent ones a class of teachers to come under my instructions.”

“When night closes upon me, and there is a suspension of maternal and domestic duties, I take my chosen season to meet the natives. I pass from a hushed nursery to the long dining room, where a table is extended for the accommodation of twenty-five.”

“It is lighted up and the women are in their seats. Our governor’s wife attends. It is on the whole a social interview. But one theme is before us in everyone’s hand. We turn over together the pages of Holy Writ, as it is issued from the press.  The Word of God is powerful.”

“I have lived to see both sides of the picture. I saw this neglected portion of our race, groping along in all the darkness of nature, listening to messages from Heaven with indifference and contempt, and for a long time hearing as though they heard not.”

“Man can speak only to the ear. I looked again, and a secret energy was transforming their moral characters. Those very beings who were once bowing down to stocks of wood and stone, worshiping sharks and volcanoes, and slaves to all the sins which degrade human nature, are now sitting at the feet of Jesus, learning and doing his will.”  (Lucy Thurston, October 30, 1830 letter)

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Hale O Aloha

The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) was founded in London, England, on June 6, 1844, in response to unhealthy social conditions arising in the big cities at the end of the Industrial Revolution (roughly 1750 to 1850).

Growth of the railroads and centralization of commerce and industry brought many rural young men who needed jobs into cities like London. They worked 10 to 12 hours a day, six days a week.

By 1851 there were 24 Ys in Great Britain, with a combined membership of 2,700. That same year the Y arrived in North America: It was established in Montreal on November 25, and in Boston on December 29.  (YMCA)

“One of the most interesting foreign YMCA’s of this period was that of Honolulu formed … by ten young Americans, (including) the Association’s first president, Sanford B. Dole”.  (Hopkins)

“In Spring 1869 in Honolulu, three friends met at Peter Cushman Jones’s home and decided to form the Young Men’s Christian Association of Honolulu.”

“In the first year, many community leaders joined the YMCA Honolulu, including Sanford B. Dole, Theo H. Davies, and Samuel M. Damon.” (UH)

“From 1887 to 1922, Hawaii newspapers ran the ‘YMCA Notes,’ which reported the local YMCA news, including club meetings and events (e.g. preparing for boy summer camp). The content would usually fit in one to two columns and appear in a middle page of the newspaper.”  (UH)

Then, associated camps started to form across the Islands.  “Dr and Mrs WD [William Drake] Westervelt at a meeting of the YMCA board at noon today presented the board the keys to their mountain home near Kilauea, symbolic of the deed which had already been executed ….”

“The property consists of five acres of fine timber land with improvements of two houses, garages, water tanks and equipment. … In speaking of the gift Dr Westervelt said ‘We want that beautiful mountain home, 4,000 feet above sea level, to be available for a vacation home and center for Christian workers and, as the YMCA sees fit, for groups pf boys and girls.’” (Star Bulletin, Nov 16, 1933)

“If it is possible to develop there, particularly for the boys of Hawaii Island, a camp similar to the fine Harold Erdman camp on Oahu, it will be our pleasure. We have every confidence in the YMCA and are glad to turn over the property without strings. For it to be used in the interest of youth and character building.” (Westervelt, Sat Bulletin Nov 16, 1933)

“Camp Westervelt is the former volcano home of Mr and Mrs WD Westervelt, who, seeing the need of a YMCA camp to accommodate parties … deeded the home over to the YMCA during the past year.” (Star Bulletin, July 14, 1934)

Then “the gift of a five-acre lot on the Volcano Road adjoining Camp Westervelt, the YMCA Volcano campsite” was donated by Mrs Catherine W Deacon and her three sons as a memorial to the three sons’ aunt, Francis M Wetmore. “It is the plan of the Hawaii County YMCA to enlarge their volcano campsite whenever finances permit.” (Hawaii Tribune Herlad, April 27, 1935)

“Camp Westervelt has been used extensively during the past several years”. Then, in 1937 the YMCA announced plans for “the construction of a new and larger volcano camp building”; [t]he new building will be located on the Deacon property, which adjoins the present Camp Westervelt site.”

Then, “Due to the sustained and sustaining generosity of Mr Frank C Atherton; to the old-time open-handedness of the Rev and Mrs WD Westervelt; to the unflagging interest of our own Dr Thomas A Jaggar, who has other matters on his mind than seismic disturbances …”

“… there has been quietly and unostentatiously created at 28 miles from Hilo on the Volcano road a resort for the foregathering of Christian young men which is splendid monument to the quality and cumulative interest of all those persons who are interested in the betterment of their fellow men.”

“In these rather troublesome days when the minds of men appear to be centered upon politics, labor troubles, or other definitely worldly matters, the enterprising and alert persons who have other aims in life than political preferment, or personal ambitions …”

“… have established … one of the best builded and adequately and comfortably arranged YMCA camps to he found within the jurisdiction of that useful institution in the vicinity of cities where the membership is counted by the thousand, instead of by the score, as is the case of the Hilo YMCA.”

“Not the least of the many attractive features of this well-designed gathering place for young men is the unique feature of the Fireplace of Friendship, and it is a distinctive pleasure to chronicle the fact that Supervisor August S Costa brought to this fine occasion the kindly greetings of the board of supervisors, and that the Hawaii county band was also present to add its quota of harmony to this important event.” (Hawaii Tribune Herald, Oct 12, 1938)

“Built of lava-rock masonry, the construction includes ‘100 stones sent from 34 countries and coins from 56 countries, as well as 1200 friendship tokens, bought by individuals at 25 cents to $100 each to honor friends’”. (NPS)

The tradition of the Friendship Fireplace is to exemplify “world brotherhood, peace or friendship” hence the different stones from around the world were “in keeping with the spirit of the fireplace that arrowheads and such implements of war should find their proper place in decorating a fireplace of friendship as well”. (NPS)

“This ideal of a “Christian Brotherhood” promoted to the young men involved in YMCA manifested in the construction of the “Fireplace of Friendship” at the Lodge. Hardly a new idea, Friendship fireplaces began in the YMCA Seattle, Washington chapter under the leadership of Tracy Strong. The Friendship Fireplace at Hale-o-Aloha was similar to the fireplace at Camp Erdman.” (NPS)

“[T]he objective of the fireplace was to promote a perspective in the boys and a value at the camp that extended beyond its isolated, rural locale.” (NPS)

Now known as Kilauea Lodge and operated as a B&B lodge/restaurant, the property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013; its contributing elements include the YMCA Lodge, Dormitory, and Bunkhouses, the Westervelt Caretaker’s Cottage, two original redwood water tanks, and four entrance and exit stone pillars placed along the front semi-circular driveway. (HHF)

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Young Brothers – Innovation and Opportunity

John Nelson Young had 5-kids – Edith, Herbert, William, John and Edgar; they hailed from San Diego.

In the summer of 1899, the four boys ran a glass-bottomed boat at Catalina Island; this was the beginning of the famous glass-bottom boat rides that continue today.

It marked the beginning of the innovation and opportunity that followed the brothers.

They took guests out fishing during the day; to help promote their activities they took hotel employees on moonlight sails.  It’s not clear if this was the beginning of the booze cruise or pau hana parties.

They saw opportunity in Hawai‘i; in January 1900, Herbert (29) and William (25) arrived in Honolulu; in October of that year, their younger brother, John Alexander Young, arrived – they called him Jack (18).

They formed Young Brothers.

Their early years were focused around Honolulu Harbor.  They would run lines for anchoring or docking vessels, carry supplies and sailors to ships at anchor outside the harbor, and various other harbor-related activities.

They built a glass bottom boat and started a sport fishing service – and would take pictures of the people with their fish. Some suggest this was the beginning of the charter boat business in Hawai‘i. 

They expanded into shark fishing … Jack also saw another opportunity and a new sport was born – they took customers out to ‘hunt’ flying fish, with customers at the bow of their skiff with shot guns “taking pot shots at fish on the fly”.

Back then, there were two inter-island freight carriers, Inter-Island Steam Navigation and Wilder Steamship Company.  In 1905 Inter-Island bought out Wilder. (Later Inter-Island became Hawaiian Airlines.)

Opportunity knocked again for Young Brothers.

Libby’s shut down its pineapple operation in windward O‘ahu and started planting pineapples on the west end of Molokai.

Libby’s built a wharf at Kolo,  just below Maunaloa.  Kolo had a shallow channel and the Inter-Island Steam Navigation ships couldn’t get in.

The brothers made a special tender and with its first barges, YB-1 and YB-2, Young Brothers got into the freight business, carrying pineapple from Kolo Wharf to Libby’s O‘ahu cannery.

With expanded freight service to Molokai (to Kolo and Kaunakakai,) Young Brothers further innovated with the practice of tandem towing – towing two barges with one tug.

They pioneered the system because two barges were needed to serve Molokai – they would drop one off at Kolo and then carry on to Kaunakakai; they’d pick up the Kolo barge on the way back to Honolulu.

(The 1946 tsunami destroyed Kolo Wharf. Rather than repair it, Libby’s bought trucks and shipped their pineapples out of Kaunakakai.)

Young Brothers’ innovation did not stop.  In 1929, their new tug, the Mikimiki, was launched.

The excellent performance of the original Mikimiki led to the adoption of her basic design for a large fleet of tugs that the US Army Transport Service copied for World War II service.

Young Brothers continued with another innovation; the Kapena class tugs that modernizes the Young Brothers’ fleet.  They are named for two prior captains; the first was named for Jack Young Sr and his oldest son Jack Young Jr.  Both were instrumental in making Young Brothers a leader in inter-island shipping. 

Jack Young had three children, Jack Jr, Babe and Kenny.  Jack Sr had 11 grandchildren, but he and his wife had died knowing only one of them. Jack Sr is my grandfather, but I never knew him or my grandmother; Kenny is my father.

While the Youngs have been out of Young Brothers for a long time, we still feel very much a part of it and its heritage.

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