Hawaii | Page 386 | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

November 21, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Kaiwiki Milling Company

“Hilo district is to have an Independent sugar mill. Capital sufficient to establish a company, which is to be known as the Kaiwiki Milling Company, has already been paid in, and the promoters expect to begin operations in March, 1916. The 150 stockholders holders are all Portuguese.”

“More than 500 acres of cane are now being cultivated by Hilo ranchers for the first crop. The factory is to be located on the old Correa property in Kaiwiki, several miles from the town. The corporation will not cultivate any cane of its own at the present time.”

“The mill will be able to produce 12 tons of sugar daily and will cost, with complete equipment, $50,000. The Honolulu Iron Works is to be the builder.” (Star-Bulletin, August 4, 1915)

“Work on the erection of the sugar mill now being constructed by the Kaiwiki Milling Company, just adjacent to Hilo, is proceeding apace and within another six weeks the mill should be grinding cane.”

“This is the mill which is being built by the home-steaders, who have heretofore sent their cane to the Hilo Sugar Company’s plant, and the progress which has been made is considered very satisfactory considering the weather conditions which have prevailed.”

“Almost all of the foundations are now in; the two boilers are installed and a great deal of the milling equipment is up at the mill site. This site is approximately one thousand feet above sea level and considerable difficulty is experienced in hauling the material up, everything having to be brought up in an auto truck and placed into position by manual labor.”

“For the past five months the erection of the mill has been slowly progressing, but better progress is now being made. The mill is situated close to the head of the spring which supplies the surrounding land with water and in this respect there should be nothing wanting in future, as there is a plentiful supply of water at all times.”

“When the mill is operating, which is expected to be by the end of June, it is hoped to crush approximately one hundred and fifteen tons of cane per day of twelve hours.”

“For the season it is expected to derive between three hundred and fifty and four hundred tons of sugar, which, at the present price of sugar, will go a long way towards recompensing the homesteaders for the amount expended in the erection of the mill.”

“Peter Silva, president of the Kaiwiki Milling Company, is in personal charge of the erection of the mill.” (Planter and Sugar Manufacturer, June 17, 1916)

However, the opening of the mill ended is disaster … “This company had erected a mill … for the purpose of manufacturing sugar from cane to be grown by the homesteaders and independent land-holders in the vicinity of the mill.”

“The mill had just been completed, and … the mill machinery was to be started up for the first time and it was decided by the manager, after consultation with several of the directors of the company, who approved of the plan, that this occasion, which was of great interest to the company as well as to the community, should be duly celebrated.”

“On the day mentioned the mill machinery was started in operation, a bottle of champagne was broken over the rollers, speeches were made and a general feast was indulged in.” (Supreme Court)

“As so many Japanese were taking part in the celebration it was determined to have one part of the ceremonies devoted to them and for this purpose a small platform had been built upon the top of the mill tower … who would throw small ceremonial (rice) cakes to the crowd.”

“Before the eyes of two or three hundred men, women and children, four men tumbled from a lofty platform on the top of the tower of the Kaiwiki Sugar mill … falling forty or more feet to a shed roof and thence to the ground.”

“All four were rushed to the Hilo Hospital, where it was thought at first that two at least were fatally injured”. (Hawaiian Gazette, July 21, 1916)

Later, the future of the company looked promising, “According to the estimate of AM Cabrinha, president and manager of the Kaiwiki Milling Company, of Hawaii, this season crop of cane ground at the mill will amount to 1000 tons of raw sugar. … ‘The prospects of the company are very good.’” (Hawaiian Gazette, March 6, 1917)

Then, bad news, “A Kaiwiki Milling Company warehouse was destroyed by fire last night.” (Folks were on alert for arson.) (Star-Bulletin, March 20, 1917) Kaiwiki Milling eventually was absorbed into Hilo Sugar, then Mauna Kea Sugar/Hilo Coast Processing.

Kaiwiki Milling Company should not be confused with Kaiwiki Sugar Company; the latter started in the 1860s and later became O‘okala Sugar (1869,) then owned by the Hitchcock brothers (1875.)

The latter declared bankruptcy in 1909 and the plantation was bought out by Theo H Davies & Co (and renamed Kaiwiki Sugar Company,) then it merged with Laupāhoehoe Sugar Co. in 1957 and then ended up as part of Hāmākua Sugar. (HSPA)

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November 20, 2017 by Peter T Young 3 Comments

Kaisera

Caesar (Kaisera) Kaluaiku Kahanupauokalani Kamakaehukai Keolaokalani Kapaʻakea “was born in Hāmākua, Maui, in the year 1817 (many say 1815)…”

“He was not generally considered of the highest ali‘i rank, but of the same grade as Namakeha and some others. When quite young, he married a chiefess of Hawaii, Keohokālole”.

“For many years Mr Kapa‘akea was a Privy Councilor and member of the House of Nobles, in both which bodies he was noted for his independent spirit, whenever his own rights and privileges or those of the people were assailed.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, November 17, 1866)

His father was High Chief Kamanawa II and mother was Kamokuiki. He was a great grandson of Kame‘eiamoku (one of the Four Kona Uncles (Keʻeaumoku, Keaweaheulu, Kameʻeiamoku and Kamanawa) and royal twins (Kameʻeiamoku and Kamanawa) on the Coat of Arms of Hawaii).

Kapa‘akea’s Christian name was spelled several different ways, such as “Caesar” in the state archives, or “Kaisera” in the style of the Hawaiian language.

In 1835, he married the High Chiefess Analea (Ane, Annie) Keohokālole; she was of a higher rank than he. They were cousins and their union was considered sacred because of their close blood relationship.

Keohokalole was born at Kailua-Kona, Hawaii in 1816. She was daughter of the Chiefess Kamaeokalani and the High Chief ʻAikanaka.

Through her father she was descended from Kame‘eiamoku and Keaweaheulu (of the Four Kona Uncles) that supported Kamehameha I. Her first marriage was to John Adams Kuakini; they had no children. (Kravitz)

Kapa‘akea and Keohokālole had over 10 children although several died young.

Kapa‘akea was the patriarch of the Kalākaua dynasty. He was father of future King David Kalākaua, future Queen Liliʻuokalani.

Other children were James Kaliokalani, Anna Kaʻiulani, Kaiminaauao, Likelike and Leleiohoku. Each of his children were hānai or adopted by different noble families.

Kalākaua was given to the Chiefess Haʻaheo. Liliʻuokalani was given to Abner Paki and Laura Konia. Kaliokalani was given to his maternal grandfather Aikanaka.

Leleiohoku was given to the Princess Ruth Keelikolani. Kaʻiulani was given to the Princess Kekauonohi. Kaiminiaauao was given to Kamehameha III and Queen Kalama. Likelike was given to family in Kona. (Kravitz)

Kapa‘akea served in the House of Nobles from April 4, 1845 to his death and Privy Council from 1846. He served Kamehameha III, Kamehameha IV and Kamehameha V. (Kravitz) He died November 13, 1866 and was buried in a tomb at Kawaiaha‘o Cemetery.

His remains, and that of his wife, Ane Keohokālole, were transferred to Mauna Ala on November 30, 1875. “The transfer was made under military escort, with torches, between the hours of eight and nine pm.” (Hawaiian Gazette, December 1, 1875)

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Kapaakea,_photograph_by_Henry_L._Chase-WC

Caesar Kapaakea and Analea Keohokālole, parents of King Kalakaua and Queen Liliuokalani

Caesar Kaluaiku Kapaʻakea (1815 – November 13, 1866)

Kapaakea_and_Kalakaua

A daguerreotype of a Caesar Kapaakea and his son David Kalakaua-WC

November 19, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Collaboration

Definition of collaborate – “to work jointly with others or together …” (Merriam-Webster)

The recent Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives project “Letters from the Ali‘i,” more than 225 letters written by 42 different ali‘i between 1820-1907, helps illustrate the collaboration between the missionaries and the ali‘i.

These letters have been digitized, transcribed, translated and annotated by interns under the direction of Dr. Puakea Nogelmeier, Executive Director of the Awaiaulu Foundation.

Jon Yasuda was one of the intern translators who participated in the translation project. He received his Master’s Degree in Hawaiian Language from UH Mānoa. He currently teaches Hawaiian Language at Punahou School.

In a November 4, 2016 interview on ‘Ōlelo’s ‘First Friday’, interviewer Manu Ka‘iama noted that “the nice thing about these letters is it kind of is a portal” that illustrate the feeling at the time and “you have some proof of that”.

She asked what Yasuda found interesting in the letters; he noted:

“I think one thing that is interesting is that it really shows the way that the missionaries and a lot of the chiefs at the time needed to work together. They worked together, and through their letters we can see the ways … that they helped each other. And I think that both sides had things to share with each other that were beneficial to both sides.”

“I think that one thing that is commonly believed is that the missionaries really came in and started barking orders, and saying this is how it’s going to be … and you are going to do this and you are not going to do that and this is how you need to be. But what we are really seeing is that it wasn’t quite like that.”

“There were very few missionaries in comparison to how many Hawaiians there were at the time. And so, the letters really show us the way that the missionaries and Hawaiians worked together and how some of the things the missionaries brought, for example, sewing and some business, and trade were attractive to the Hawaiians at the time. And, they really had to work together for a lot.” (Jon Yasuda)

Manu Ka‘iama then noted:

“I think I hear what you are saying, and it is an important point to make and to remember is that their mission was very different, that first generation of missionaries. Their mission or their reason to be here, and the assistance that they provided the ali‘i goes without saying. I guess these letters probably pretty much show that.”

“You can see the relationship and you can see how they worked together and that they learned from each other. And, I would assume that is so and I think we are hard on the missionaries because of maybe the next generation of missionaries …”

“We do, many times, kind of just brush over that earlier history, and we shouldn’t make that mistake, because the fact that these letters show a relationship that you think is honorable….” (Manu Ka‘iama)

Jon Yasuda then added,

“I think literacy was … almost like the new technology of the time. And, that was something that was new. … When the missionaries came, there was already contact with the Western world for many years…. But this was the first time that literacy really began to take hold. The missionaries, when they came, they may have been the first group who came with a [united] purpose. They came together as a group and their purpose was to spread the Gospel the teachings of the Bible. …”

“But the missionaries who came, came with a united purpose … and literacy was a big part of that. Literacy was important to them because literacy was what was going to get the Hawaiians to understand the word of the Bible … and the written word became very attractive to the people, and there was a great desire to learn the written word. … Hawai‘i became the most literate nation at one time.” (Jon Yasuda)

Click HERE for a link to comments by Jon Yasuda.

Puakea Nogelmeier had a similar conclusion. In remarks at a Hawaiian Mission Houses function he noted,

“The missionary effort is more successful in Hawai‘i than probably anywhere in the world, in the impact that it has on the character and the form of a nation. And so, that history is incredible; but history gets so blurry …”

“The missionary success cover decades and decades becomes sort of this huge force where people feel like the missionaries got off the boat barking orders … where they just kind of came in and took over. They got off the boat and said ‘stop dancing,’ ‘put on clothes,’ don’t sleep around.’”

“And it’s so not the case ….”

“The missionaries arrived here, and they’re a really remarkable bunch of people. They are scholars, they have got a dignity that goes with religious enterprise that the Hawaiians recognized immediately. …”

“The Hawaiians had been playing with the rest of the world for forty-years by the time the missionaries came here. The missionaries are not the first to the buffet and most people had messed up the food already.”

“(T)hey end up staying and the impact is immediate. They are the first outside group that doesn’t want to take advantage of you, one way or the other, get ahold of their goods, their food, or your daughter. … But, they couldn’t get literacy. It was intangible, they wanted to learn to read and write”. (Puakea Nogelmeier)

Click HERE for a link to comments by Puakea Nogelmeier.

The Hawaiian frustration with the early foreigners and support for the missionaries is illustrated in comments from a couple chiefs of that time, Kaumuali‘i (King of Kauai) and Kalanimōku (chief councilor and prime minister to Kamehameha I, Kamehameha II and Kamehameha III.)

Missionary Samuel Ruggles notes in in his Journal entry on May 8, 1820, “The inhabitants treated me with all the attention and hospitality which their limited circumstances would afford; and even carried their generosity to excess …”

On May 10, 1820, Ruggles notes, “This afternoon the king (Kaumuali‘i) sent to me and requested that I would come and read to him in his bible. I read the first chapter of Genesis and explained to him what I read as well as I could.”

“He listened with strict attention, frequently asking pertinent questions, and said I can’t understand it all; I want to know it; you must learn my language fast, and then tell me all. No white man before ever read to me and talk like you.”

An 1826 letter written by Kalanimōku to Hiram Bingham (written at a time when missionaries were being criticized) states, “Greetings Mr Bingham. Here is my message to all of you, our missionary teachers.”

“I am telling you that I have not seen your wrong doing. If I had seen you to be wrong, I would tell you all. No, you must all be good. Give us literacy and we will teach it. And, give us the word of God and we will heed it … for we have learned the word of God.”

“Then foreigners come, doing damage to our land. Foreigners of America and Britain. But don’t be angry, for we are to blame for you being faulted. And it is not you foreigners, (it’s) the other foreigners.”

“Here’s my message according to the words of Jehovah, I have given my heart to God and my body and my spirit. I have devoted myself to the church and Jesus Christ.”

“Have a look at this letter of mine, Mr Bingham and company. And if you see it and wish to send my message on to America to (your President,) that is up to you. Greetings to the chief of America. Regards to you all, Kalanimōku.”

Click HERE to view/download Background Information on the Ali‘i Letters

(This includes links to the letters and discussions about them.)

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November 18, 2017 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Have Nots, Can Nots and Will Nots

A hundred years ago, “The need of a home for small children was emphasized yesterday as never before. Early in the day Sheriff Iaukea was notified that there were four youngsters down in the John block in Kaka‘ako who had no one to look out for them.”

“Investigation showed that the father had gone to San Francisco several months ago and had not been heard from. The mother, who has had a struggle to make both ends meet, is now in the hospital seriously ill.”

“Since Saturday these little ones have been alone and their condition was pitiable when the police took them to the station-house.”

“The Sheriff then made enquiries about the town, trying to find a place where they could be taken in. The Salvation Army Home was crowded, but after a consultation with the matron it was decided that the home would take them temporarily.”

“The eldest child, Manuel Delgado, a bright boy of ten years, had done his little best to take care of Puration, a girl of six; little Censio, aged four, and the wee little baby, Anita, aged seventeen months …”

“… but he looked very much relieved when the motherly matron of the Salvation Army Home gathered them all in and started for the home in a carriage.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, May 26, 1908)

Today, at all levels of government, homelessness (houselessness) remains an issue.

I have been fortunate to work in the private sector for most of my career, but I also worked in senior administrative positions in County and State government (and worked closely with our federal partners).

When I worked with the County, a homeless service provider helped me better understand the homeless situation.

She noted there are generally three types of homeless – the Have Nots, the Can Nots and the Will Nots.

She didn’t mean these references to be derogatory descriptors, rather a way to better understand the diversity and complexity of the problem.

The people without the financial means (Have Nots) or with some kind of disability (mental or physical) (Can Nots) are generally the ones who eventually seek and benefit from services provided by the many service providers across the State.

Regrettably, it is the Will Nots, those that can but don’t seek help, that sometimes get the limelight and many times shed a bad light on the rest.

Some refuse to enter a shelter because they aren’t willing to follow the rules, have alcohol/drug dependency or simply would rather live on the beach.

An unfortunate stigma is cast over all, because of the actions of a few.

Another component of homelessness are the Hidden Homeless (the ones, night by night, that are staying at someone else’s house – rotating between others, sleeping on a couch with family or friends).

Likewise, there are many At Risk families, who have limited savings (no more than 3-months savings), where some kind of event (loss of job, accident, illness, etc) could put them on the streets.

When we read about the ‘Homeless’, or related statistics, we tend to hear more about the Will Nots; the latter two, Hidden Homeless and At Risk, are typically not included in the statistics.

I believe the real homeless numbers are significantly higher than present County and State administrations are willing to admit, or report.

As an example, when I was Deputy Managing Director of Hawai‘i County, the estimate was that 700- people were homeless – however, the estimated Hidden Homeless was 10,000 and 24,300-people were considered At Risk.

When speaking of the homeless, I believe we need to be more open and honest with ourselves and others.

Hawai‘i has many in need. I appreciate the good work of the many homeless service providers; they are an important and special group of folks.

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Homeless Shelter

November 17, 2017 by Peter T Young 6 Comments

Flagpole

Actually, this is a about a family that ended up in Kailua. We’ll get to the ‘flagpole’ portion of their adventures at the end of the summary. This is about Lloyd and Joanie Osborne; they married in 1938.

Lloyd was born in Newtonville, Massachusetts, on March 14, 1909; he graduated from Phillips-Exeter Academy and Yale University, where he was captain of the swimming team.

He led an all-star US swimming team on a Pacific and Japan tour in 1931, but passed up 1932 Olympic tryouts in order to enlist as a Naval Aviator, after earning his mechanical engineering degree.

Joan (Joanie) Dowsett Osborne, born July 26, 1916, was the daughter of Herbert and Laura Dowsett; she was a descendant of Gerrit Parmele Judd, a missionary physician in the Third Company of American Protestant missionaries to the Islands. Judd later resigned from the mission and became an advisor and translator to King Kamehameha III.

Joanie was a member of the Punahou School class of 1933, attended the Schools at Dobbs Ferry in Westchester, NY and Tufts University of Occupational Therapy.

Although Joanie was a swimmer from an early age, marriage and childrearing interrupted her swimming until her mid-fifties. It was as senior swimmers that inspired Joanie to join competitive swimming with Lloyd in the Masters Swim events.

In 1984, at the age of 75, Lloyd set two national records, the 200-meter butterfly in 4:51:77 and the 200-meter individual medley in 4:01:34. He has numerous other accolades in swimming (from the 1970s to 1990s.) His last, in 1992, was 1st Place in 400 freestyle (8:08:40;) he was 82.

He swam competitively, he told a reporter in 1985, because he wanted to stay healthy enough to make one particular financial transaction: “I’d like to write a check dated Jan. 2, 2000.” (He made it.)

During 14 years of competition, Joanie was listed in the US Masters National Top Ten Times in 174 events: ranking first in 53 events; second in 29; third in 20; and fourth in 22. She has held 28 pool event USMS National Records, one Long Distance National Record and four Master’s Age Group World Records.

Back to Lloyd’s aviation experience … After earning his wings in 1933 at Pensacola, Florida, Lloyd piloted landings and take offs from the world’s first aircraft carrier, the US Langley, a converted Navy oiler.

Following a stint in the engineering design department at Martin Aircraft, he joined Pan American Airways as a pilot, flying throughout the Caribbean and South America; one of his passengers was President Franklin D Roosevelt.

His WWII duty included command of an air control unit during amphibious operations at Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima, for which he earned two combat Bronze Star medals. He later served on the staff of Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet.

After WWII, a unique type of air service called ‘flight seeing’ came into being. On April 2, 1946, Osborne started Hawaiian Air Transport Service Ltd, “a deluxe charter and tour service.”

It provided non-scheduled service to all Territorial airports and provided special tourist sight-seeing flights to the Neighbor Islands, and charter services as required. (hawaii-gov)

After operating for about 4-years, Hans Mueller took over the certificate and expanded that operation into Hawaiian Air Tour Service (HATS,) a full-fledged flight-seeing operation. (Allen)

The accomplishment that Joanie is most proud of is not her swimming, but the role she played in establishing Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park in Kona. Joanie lived in Kailua-Kona in the 1950s. During this period, she served on the Governor’s commission to save historical sites. Through her efforts, and others, the park was eventually created.

On August 13, 1959, over a thousand people gathered near the Sears’ end for the grand opening of Ala Moana Center. Lloyd Osborne was there, he was the center’s first general manager.

OK, the flagpole …

The Osbornes had a house on Kailua Beach. Most folks who surf or walk the beach will recall a flagpole standing proud and tall near the edge of the beach. The surf spot “Flagpoles” is right off shore.

That was the home of Lloyd and Joanie Osborne and their family. On July 4, 1969, to honor both his nation and his state, and to salute other states and countries he had visited, Lloyd put up the 30-foot flagpole himself.

Lloyd died April 19, 2001 at the age of 92; Joanie, his wife of 63 years, died July 20, 2014, missing her 98th birthday by six days. (Lots of information here is from Advertiser, Star-Advertiser and Punahou.)

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Lloyd Osborne-Adv

USS Langley (CV 1)-1st Aircraft Carrier

Hawaiian Air Tour Service-planes

Long one-quarter front left side aerial view from above of two Hawaiian Air Tour Service (HATS) Cessna T-50 “Bamboo Bombers” in flight over Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, circa 1955. In the foreground is the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, with the Waikiki Theater behind; at far right is the Matson Moana Hotel. Believed to be the cover of a Hawaiian Air Tour Service (HATS) brochure.

Aimakapa_Pond_(NPS)

Kaloko-Honokohau_National_Park-(NPS)-Map

Ala Moana-1960