The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1866-03-03
NOTES OF THE WEEK.

- ABOUT Observation-Disclosures have been
in progress at the foundry during the past few
weeks for the purpose of testing the qualities OF our
soil for making bricks, which have resulted very
satisfactorily. They were made by Mr.. J. {. Os-
borne, Il German who recently arrived from New
Zealand. and though a mason by trade, Is fully con-
versant with the art of making bricks. Our soil,
though not so clayey as in other countries, is found
to possess the principal qualities required for this
purpose. The red lava soil that abounds almost
everywhere, when united in proper proportions
with the black lava sand, produces a good strong
article of bricks, as the samples at Mr.. Hughes Of
fee will attest. After making further experiments,
and manufacturing a few thousand bricks from diff
ferent soils, Mr.. Osborne proposes to erect machin-
cry to manufacture them on as large a scale as may
be required. Our consumption at present amounts
to five or six hundred thousand per annum, but if
they could be furnished at n more reasonable price,
so as to allow of their being used for erecting
dwellings and stores, we see no reason why a mar
ket may not be opened for ten times the number.
1t may not be generally known that bricks have
been made at the islands before. The old twO-story
house on the premises known as Beretania at La
haina, near the large trees on the shore near the
lighthouse. was built about fifty years ago of bricks
made out of the red soil found on the hills back of
Lahaina. The house was formerly occupied as "a
dwelling, then as a barber-shop, and more recently
as a store-house by Gilman Il Co. 1t is now out of
repair and going to decay but it shows that good
bricks have been and can be made out of our ma
tive soils. We wish Mr.. Osborne success in his en-
~terprise. -
- ETs- 4 rumOr is on the street that the steamship
Ajdr will not return to this port. Captain Moore,
the Company's agent, assured us previous to her
departure, that she would return Immediately. and
that a second steamer would be put on as soon as
the trade calls for it. From San Francisco our
advices are that she would be dispatched at once
for Honolulu. She must have arrived over by the
22d of February, and would leave by the Sd of
March (to-day), 50 that she may be expected by
the 18th to the 18th inst. Her agents here are re-
ceiving freight for her at current rates, and no
fears need be entertained as to her returning: nor
as TO the permanency of a steamer line, though
| some other vessel may be put on in place OF the
Ajdr. should she be found too large. n liberal
support from our merchants and planters Is all
that is required to secure steam between the two
ports =
~ A NOVEL IcE-HoUsE.-On discharging the cargo
of the bark A. 4. E1drjdge from Portland, the tenn
peratIre of her hold was found to be unusually
cold. and everything that came ont Of it appeared
half frozen. On Tuesday the cause was discovered,
for in breaking out the lumber, it was found actu-
ally frozen together. so that a crOwbar was neces-
sary TO separate the planks, the ice around which
was an inch or more thick. Several buckets-full OF
ice were secured by the staring natives, who enjoy
ed it with a little fresh cider.-all direct from Ore
gon. 1t seems that the Eldrjdge loaded at Portland
during a heavy snOwstorm, and the planks were
slowed away in her hold covered with snow and
ice. which remained compact till brought out into
sunlight on the wharf here. The apples. though
over forty days on board. were discharged IN fine
order. =
u The COURT ~HoUsE-During the past week, has
L7 ~ ii AaF 10
ored. The spacious halls of justice now present
so attractive an appearance that we fear the temp
tation to 90 to law will be irresistible with many
who are sometimes undecided on the subject. We
certainly are inspired with no i'll motives when We
wish the Judges and ~jurymen no increase of business