Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1896-01-23
HAWAII, THE "PEARL OF THE
PACIFIC"

Copyright, 1895, by FUNK s wAGNAILs Com
PANY, New York;
Special correspondence to the Marietta Leader
Honolulu dates it's existence as a
town from 1916. Before this date il
was mere fishing village. At the
time mentioned there were several
white men on the islands, among them
one John Young, whose romantic ca.
reer almost rivals that of Captain John
Smith. Young had been mate on the
American vessel Eleanor, and had been
captured by King Kamehameha to-
gether with sailor named DAVIS from
little schooner, The Fair American.
The commander and all his crew, save
Davis, were killed by the savages,
Kamehameha sparing Young and Davis
only because they We're expert in the
use of firearms. When all of the is
lands had been brought under the con.
troll of Kamehameha, John Young was
made governor of Hawaii, the largest
island of the group.
Young was man of more than or
dinary ability. lie became true sub.
ject of kamehameha, and his successor
on the throne. In 1915 he advised the
erection of fort at Honolulu, to com
mand the harbor He was given full
power to direct its construction, and,
early in January, 1916, the fort was be
gun and completed the same year.
This fort was nearly square, measur-
ing between three and four hundred
feet on side, with walls about lively c
feet high and twenty feet thick. 1t
was built of hard rock and had en-
brasures for cannon. 1t stood on the
seaward side of what is now Queen
street, and across the lower part of
Fort street. About forty guns-six,
eight and twelve Founders after
ward mounted, and the fort placed un-
der command of Captain Becllley.
In November 1920, the king moved
his court to Honolulu, Mr.. Thurston
and his wife, two pioneer missionaries,
accompanying him. Ever since, Homo,
lulu has been the seat of government
for the islands.
There are few residences in the city
which are not surrounded with palms.
The city is rich in vegetation. The
houses are not usually grand or impos-
ing, but very picturesque, and the
grounds are ample. The ILonoluluan
thinks more OF his lawns than of his
house. The approach to the house is
generally through a verita bic flower
garden. Usually there is an avenue Of
palms between which are numerous
plants, or shrubs, crimson, vermillion
and gold. a tall cactus often reaches
the height of twenty feet with flowers
of every hue, and the banana spreads
its broad leaves before you. Oranges.
dates and figs grow in the yards and
Almost everything is tropi-
cal. a few plants, trees and lowers
may be seen which grow also in a cold
er cline, but they reach such gigantic
and are of such gorgeous
co!ors as to be hardly recogniza BILE.
NhNtAS NANCp Nite LOOA AS Ll4OuRA llltE ]
might have had fifty years of growth,
were planted by people vino are still in |
middle age, Walk into one of the |.
numerous yards where plants and
trees and vines are growing, as though |
on their native soil, and you will find |
that every one of them has been i'm !
ported within comparatively recent
period. Almost every quarter of the |
subtropical world has been laid under
tribute. Here is the rubber tree, the !
banyan, the baobab, the litchee, the |
avocado, the mango, and palms innum- |
cradle. Here also are the brilliant !
and gaudy banyain villaea, the prolific
plumeria, the night blooming cereus,
and the bright and attractive crotons. |
We have in this an illustration of the |
transformations effected by |
the enterprise of the foreigners ia Ha. |
wall From the days of Vancouver, |
the foreign residents have been tireless |
in introducing ornamental and useful
plants. /
A smooth path Of crushed and cinder- !
like lava usually leads from the front
gate to the residence, which is almost
hidden in its gorgeous surroundings of |
rich tropical verdure. There are a
thousand shady hooks and cool re-
treats inviting one to come in and rest
from the dust and heat.
The houses OF the Americans are the
most imposing and beautiful, except
ng only the public buildings. They
ire most beautifully decorated with
he greatest variety of trees, flowers,
,lants and shrubs, tastefully painted
md ornamented. The native Hawaii
N also paints his house, and gives
much care to the ornamentatou of his /
while the Chinaman's house
} unpainted, but picturesque in its
'riental style of architecture. Chinese