The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1860-03-01
r-e.ranlenee Pae. Commercial Aarera.er.I
WaiT- from Boston.

DECEMBER -, 1909.
M DEAR CoMNERcIAL:-YOu island readers will
be glad to learn that the RIiGue4, the new and beau
tiful propeller built by Paul Curtis for the e~uterpris-
ing firm u c. \. Williams * Co, and intended for the
island trade, has made u most successful trial trip,
and sailed for New London, where she viii load i'm
meii,tely fr the islands. She Is pronounced the
finest vessel OF her class ever built here, and with
that reputation Hlwaiilns may well be satisfied. She
will be the ornament and pride OF the Hawaiian Ma
riue, aud many a pleasant excursion will be enjoyed
By the Honoluluans in this model yacht, during the
dull months.
Affairs continue to look squally in Congress, where
the Representatives. after being in session q fortnight
have not yet elected 4 speaker, but have occupied the
time in stormy and exciting discussions of the John
Brown tragedy and the slavery question generally.
In these random debates, the Republicans get the
most u~nsparing abuse from the pro-slayery demo-
Gratis, and threats of immediate disunion in case q
Republican speaker is elected are rife with the South
ern fre-eaters. In all this tumult, the Republicans
preserve a calm demeanor and a studiei silence, and
certainly cannot be charged with wasting the time Of
the session. Sherman, their canlilaie for speaker,
lacks but three or four votes Of an election, and will
probably be the final choice Of the majority, nOtwith-
standing the fierce denunciatiOns Of his opponents.
The threats Of disuniOn all come from the South, who
will be however, the greatest sufferers If they carry out
their threats. \ marked sensation was caused by
the speech of Mr.. Hickman of Pennsylvania, q demo
crat, who voted for James Buchanan, but now op-
poses the administration with the Douglas party.
After charging the South with fomenting the present
agitation, he said that ''if disuniOn meant a dividing
line Of sentiment and virtual non-intercOurse, the
Union was already dissolved; for II was well known
that Northern men cannot now travel at the South,
and any Southern Postmaster might open and burn
as incendiary documents, letters or papers bearing
has frank; but If il meant a division Of territory by
Mason * Dixon's line, or by any other line. the North
sir, will never tolerate anything ike it, never - Be-
ing asked by some Of the Southern members, how the
North could prevent it, he replied 81 stated my con-
viction from the fact that there is as much true cour-
age at the North, though it may not be known by the
name of chiraiTy, as ut the South, and that with all
the appliances OF arr TO assist eiShteeR millions OF
men, reared to industry and with habits of the right
kind, will always be able TO cope successfully, if need
be, with eight millions without those auxiliaries.'
This simple statement of figures, shows ut once the
folly of any attempt by the South to coerce the North.
We need more patriots and fewer politicians in our
National Councils, to reconcile the discordant ele-
ments and cllshing interests that now threaten our
glorious Union.
Four of Browns party were executed last Friday,
one Of whom, Cook, was the brother-in-law of the
of Indiana. He and his room mate Coppic,
their escape the night before the execution
very nearly effected it. By the aid of n knife,
they had sawed their manacles OF, and with n bed
screw had removed the bricks of the prison wall, and
made a hole sufficient for their escape into the Jail
yard, which was surrounded bya wall 10 feet high.
This would have been insurmOuntable, but for the
timbers of the gallows on which their chief had been
executed, and which was to be used for themselves.
By their aid they mounted the wall, and could they
have dropped to the ground unobserved they would
probably have made their escape, as the Shenandoah
were but a few minutes run from the Jail,
md Cook was familiar with the country. The senti-
mel however espied them, gave the alarm, and
they were retaken. The affair had been managed
great address and secrecy, and the excitement
was intense on its discovery. 1t would have been
singular indeed, if the gallows destined for their exc
pn ffa. Elntai1 h1ya r,y fha rnpa ne II hpfr aseln 10 /
IS was SO nearly the case.
Our last mail from Honolulu brought the sad in
Of the death Of Mr.. John Ladd and Mr.. ].
II. Sleeper, on the same day, in the same house.
What a shock this startling event must have been to
your small community, which can i'll afford to lose
men. Honolulu has received of late many such
-eminders of the uncertainty of human life, and there
he lesson which death teaches US, seems 10 come with
more impressive force, from the fact that he takes
his victims from among those in the prime Of life and
iigor of manhood.
Honolulu seems to be fast losing its reputation for
healthy climate. The frequent intercourse of late
ears, with Australia and California, has introduced
many new diseases. But the main cause of this I'M
lealthiness, in my opinion, is one that can be remov-
"a by prompt and efficient action on the part of the
.uthorities-I mean the want of proper sanitary
The filthy condition III which a large
of the tenements and enclosures IN the
crowded portions of Honolulu are kept, render
ng them rs it were the lighthouses of pestilence, is not
of by those who have never had occasion TO
'isit them. Disease and death are the natural results
t such Il state of things, and unless this increasing
vii is speedily r~emedied, Honolulu will become al
unfit for a residence. The large number of
,hinese, of the lowest class with their filthy habits,
together like pigs. and the substitution OF
wooden houses for the we'll ventilated grass
luts, are among the causes of disease. 4 course of
ectures is now being delivered in Boston on the sub
ect of sanitary science" which is attracting much
ttentiOn among those who have the welfare of the
ace, or tie prosperity of our city at heart Some
taTtllng facts are stated to show how much the an
mortality in cities can be controlled by the auOD-
ion of proper sanitary measures. lfthese statements
Ould be properly laid before the residents of Homo
1lu, they would be reused from their apathy on this
italy important subject, and an efficient municipal
would be at once formed. that by the
doption of proper measures would soon purge the city
+ Its present sources of disease. Where there are no
OmmOn sewers or other drainage, attention TO this
natter becomes more imperative, and II Is surprising
the community have not taken measures to RENE
y the evil before now. By the sanitary reports of
'Oston and Providence, it is found that classes of peO-
lie who live in pent up tenements, and accordingly
impure air, live not so long by ten 10 tre1ty
ears rs those who live in more roOmy houses, IN
streets, and consequently breathe purer air.
was ascertained by the English Commission. form
/ some years ago, to investigate the facts which gov
m human life in this particular, that the class who
we'd where they could breathe pure air, and were
to select their food with care, attained an aver
sc age of ffty years, while in the other extreme
ASS Of life, the average age attained was but ten
ears. IL had been stated on good authority that the
lumber of prereHta6le deaths in the city of London
lone, amounted annually TO fifteen thousand, and
OndOn was now much healthier than either New
Ork or Boston. Great attention has been paid to
lis subject III England. The first men of the king
ON had been on the sanitary commissions, and great
Improvement had been made in ventilation and clean
ness. The national mortality in England now was
IS than III the United States. Owing mainly to the
ant of proper sanitary regulations and the over
population of the cities, the average age at
lined in Massachusetts, had decreased from twenty
x to twenty years. and in New York from twenty
&c TO fifteen years. These facts show the great i'm
Jrtance Of attention to the subject of sanitary science
our country. and will apply with equal force to
.onolulu. In a report before the X. II. y. 5. in
500, DR.. Hillebrand, the present efficient Secretary,
,eaks of some portions of Honolulu as ']'crammei