The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-09-05
HALF A CENTURY AGO.
RECOLLECTIONS OF AN OLD
WHALER.
Honolulu as it Appeared Fifty Years
Ago - Its Grass Church and
Other Buildings.

Everyone who has lived in Honolulu
any length Of time must know
E. w. Norton, who formerly had a
cooperage business here and now keeps
store on Fort street, but everyone
does not know that it is nearly fifty years
since he first came to Honolulu. In
July, IS43, Mr.. Norton sailed from
New Bedford, Massachusetts,, in the
whaler Phebus, occupying the position
of cooper, one of considerable import
ance on board whaling ship. The
vessel put into Hlo in the following
spring, staying there some five or SIX
weeks. AT that time Hilo was
not much of a place, although
Mr. Norton recolects there we're
three or four ship chambers stores,
one being owned by man named
Ptman and another by George Moore.
1t raned nearly all the time the PhGbus
was off Hilo The vessel then sailed
for Honolulu and stayed here about
three weeks. The following description
of the appearance of Honolulu at that
time, the spring of 1884, is taken from
Mr.. Norton's lecole ctions as given to
a STAR representative this morning,
but the time being SO long since, the
dates may not be exact in every in.
stance.
AT the time of Mr.. Norton's first
visit there were no regular wharves Oh
the Honolulu water front. The water
at high tide came up to the foot of
Fort street which at that time extended
no further than where Queen street
now is. The whalers then anchored
two or three miles out, all communica-
tion with the shore being had by their
own boats which landed at the foot of
Nuuanu street at a landing built on the
spot now occupied by the Office of
the Inter Island Steamship Company.
Honolulu was the last port of call for
whalers before proceeding to the north
and it was here that the main water
supply for the cruise was taken on
board. The empty water casks were
brought from the various ships in
whaleboats, rolled up to the spring
which used to bubble forth at
spot little behind the
building now occupied by M. S.
Grinbaurn & Co., filled by hand and
rolled back again to the boats. There
were no water works or pipes in Homo
lulu in those days, and it was not till
several years after that that very
necessary fluid was even peddled
around from carts.
The principal building in the city in
1874, with the exception of the Fort,
was the one now occupied by J. A,
Magoon and others for Office purposes
1t was then used as a Custom House,
and if Mr.. Nortons memory serves him
correctly, C. R. Bishop was the Col
lector at that time, There were very
few lumber buildings, and none of
brick. The Fort, which stood on the
block extending from Leveys corner to
Hopper's planning mill, was built of
stone and adobe and was the most i'm
posing building in the town. Its lower
end formed a sort of sea-wall against
which the surf was continually washing.
On the top of this wall several cannon
were mounted, which gave the building
its name. 1t was used in those days
as a prison, police court, and for other
purposes. The streets above Queen
were laid out, what there were OF them,
on present lines but the houses were
nearly all of grass, many large build
ings being constructed of that material.
Mr.. Norton remembers the old Kau
makapili church as being the largest
of these grass structures. 1t was
about 100 feet long by 80 or
40 wide, and would hold seven
or eight hundred people. OF the few
wooden buildings in existence the ship
chandlery store of Pearce & Brewer on
Nuuanu street, the Liberty Hall on
Maunakea and the Bungalow on Palace
square we're about the largest. There
were numerous saloons in those days
which did Furnishing trade with the
crews of the whale ships, and Mr..
Norton remembers one called "The
Blonde" kept by J. Booth, which oc-
cupied the corner where the |. X. L.
store now stands another one on tn
site of Horns candy store, kept by
Jack Bartlett, and afterwards by man
named Bowen. There was another
one on Nuuanu street, kept by one
Pearson, which ran through to Rose
Cottage lane, besides others. The
only hotel in the city was called the
"White Swan" and was situated on
King street, near Nuuanu, and
was carried on by Bill Gill; the
old Commercial Hotel on King
street and Rose lane was built
soon afterwards. Below Queen street
in those days was sandy beach
over which Mr.. Norton has rowed
many a tine in a whale boat
After stay Of about three weeks the
Phebus sailed for the north, the cruise
being long one, and it was not til
I847 that her oil barrels were filled and
she sailed for home. The vessel put
into San Francisco for water just after