The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-01-02

in this city with which his name had
been identified for more than fifty
years. The doctors son, A. l.. Smith,
died after short illness, few
months later than his father. Mrs.
l.. A. Thurston, Mrs. Jas. I. Dowsett,
ST., Mrs. A. Rosa, were all natives of
these Islands, the two latter of Ha-
waiian descent, and Mrs. Jno. T..
Warehouse, Sr. ,one of the oldest and
most respected Of the British resi-
dents, all passed away during the
year, with many others known in the
business circles OF the Kingdom.
The general health of the Islands
has been equal to the average,though
the prevalent influenza and its COM
plications increased the death rate
somewhat in the spring months.
The Fire Department has had
numerous calls, to which it is need
less to say it answered with prompt
tude and efficiency. One new steam
fire engine and one chemical engine
have been imported from the United
States, and horses have been spec1-
ally trained for service with the
former.
The most considerable contlaSra'
ton in or near the city was, however,
entirely beyond the extingulshing
power of these or any fire engines.
The Government kerosene ware
house, which, owing to several recent
arrivals, was unusually full, took fire
from the upsetting of a plumbers
soldering furnace, and $4,000 cases
of kerosene and a large number Of
drums of gasolene were destroyed.
Fortunately, the fire was confined to
the warehouse premises. It took a
week to burn itself out.
Before 1892 is many days old, we
hope to see the dredging machine at
work upon the bar of this har-
Dor. The scow is launched and
the machinery nearly ready for trial
When this great work is completed
it will be unquestionably the most
important work ever executed in
these Islands. The entrance to Hon
olulu harbor which has now a scant
% feet on it is to be dredged out to
a uniform depth of 80 feet, which
will enable the large ironclad flag
ships of our visitors to enter the har-
Dor, as we'll as the great ocean racers
which run to China and Japan, but
have to take and discharge passen-
gers from outside by means of ten
ders and tugs; and the harbor once
known to be accessible, new lines
from the Western States, from Van
couver, from Mexico, and in due
time from the Nicaragua canal will
pour in to the benefit of all parties.
The place of the late Ell. A. p. Car
ter at Washington has been tempo
rarily filed by the appointment of
the Hon. Mott-Smith, Minister of
Finance. This gentleman is univer-
sally held to be the right man for the
place, and it may be hoped that he
may be induced to occupy it perma-
nently.
Amongst other new enterprises
started in the year 1891, the Hawai-
ian Tea & Coffee Company, limited,
must not be omitted. Several pri-
vate persons, notably, Hon. J. M.
Horner and Robert Rycroft, have
started coffee plantations with, so
far, every prospect Of success. Fruit
growing, especially pineapples and
lines, has attracted attention, and
grape culture is decidedly increas-
ing.
Rarnie too is being taken up, and
other kindred industries bid fair to
increase the ""riety of products of
the islands
We may now bid farewell to 1891
with the hope that the chronicler
of the coming year may have to re-
cord continuous advance in the pros
perity of this kingdom. That her
flag may still wave Independently;
that the Grown and the people may
work i'll harmony; chat the forth
coming legislature may execute it's
functions with wisdom and foresight;
that our harbors may be crowded
with a greater number of traders,
and that our ships may carry forth
greater and more various cargoes
than ever.