The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-01-31
The City of HONOLULU Bit of
its History, and a Climb up
to the ''Punch Bowl"

Honolulu dates its existence as a tow
from 1916. Before this date it was mer
fishing village. At the time menti nee
there were several white men on the islands
among them one John Young whose 70
matte career almost rivals that of Captain
John Smith. Young had been mate OF
the American vessel Eleanor, and had beer
captured by King Kamehameha together
with sailor named Davis from little
schooner, The Fair American. The com
mander and all his crew, save Davis, were
killed by the SaVageS. Kamehameha SparlnS
Young and Davis only because they were
expert in the use of firearms. When all Of
the islands had been brought under the con
troll of Kamehameha, John Young was made
governor of HAWAII, the largest island OF
the group.
Young was a man of more than ordinary
ability. He became true subject of Kane
hameha, anu his successor on the throne
In 1916 he advised the erection of fort al
Honolulu. to command the harbOr. He was
given full power to direct its construction
and, early in January, 1915 the fort was be-
gun and completed the same year. This
fort was nearly square, measuring between
three and four hundred feet on a side with
walls about twelve feet high and twenty
feet thick. II was built of hard rock and
had embrasures for cannon. 1t stood on
the seward side of what is now Queen
street, and across the lower part of Fort
street. About forty gunS-SiX, eight and
twelve pounders-were afterward mounted,
and the fort placed under command of Cap
tain Beckley.
In November 1920, the king moved his
court to Honolulu, Mr.. Thurston and his
wife, two pioneer missionaries, accompany
ing him. Ever since Honolulu has been
the seat of government for the islands.
In the afternoon of the day of my arrival
decided to take stroll about this beautiful
little city of the tropics and "see the sights"
These 'sights' are well worth crossing
continent and an ocean to see. They are
such as no pen can describe, no camera de-
pict, no painter place on canvass. The
beauties and blessings which nature has so
abundantly bestowed on these islands must
be seen to be appreciated.
Perhaps the most beautiful tree in the
world is the Royal Palm which grows on
the Sandwich Islands. In her forthcoming
cook entitled "ArOund the World with the
White Ribbon" Mrs. Mary Clement Leavitt
says:
"The Royal Palm, introduced here from
he West Indies. combining the beauty of
architecture in its perfectly symmetrical,
highly polished and beautifully cOlOred col
amman trunk, with the swaying grace of its
long plume like leaves, easily takes place
second to none in the world -
Her description is neither Overdrawn nor
incorrect. SO smooth and symmetrical are
these 'columnar trunks" that a gentleman
who was with me, asked citizen If they
Band-paper them.
There are few residences in the city which
are not surrounded with palms. The city
Is Itch in vegetation. The houses are not
usually grand OF imposing, but very pictur-
esque, and the grounds are ample. The
HOnOluluan thinks more of his lawns than
of his house. The approach to the house is
S. generally through vertable flower garden.
Usually there is an avenue OF palms, be-
tween which are numerous plants, or shrubs,
crimson, vermiliOn, 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 Orange,
dates, and figs grow in the yards and gar
dens. Almost everything is tropical. A
few plants, trees, and flowers may be seen
which grow also in a colder cline, but they
reach such gigantic proportions, and are of
such gorgeous colors as to be hardly recog-
nzable. Great trees that look as though
they might have had fifty years of growth,
were planted by people who 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 imported within comparatively
recent period. Almost every quarter of the
subtropical world has been laid under trlb
ute. Here is the rubber tree, the banyan.
the baobab, the litchee, the avocado, the
mango, and palms innumerable. Here also
are the brilliant and gaudy banyain vill8a
the prolific plumeria. the night blooming
cereuS, and the bright and attractive Gro
tons. We have in this an illustration of the
beneficent transformations effected by thu
enterprise of the foreigners in Hawaii
From the days of Vancouver, the foreign
residents have been tirelcss in introducing
ornamental and useful plants.
A smooth path of crushed and cinder-lik'
lava usually leads from the front ga e t.
the residence, which is almost hidden in it!
NM Inn nf ri oh
dure. There are thousand shady nook
and cool retreats inviting one to come IL
and rest from the dust and heat.
The houses OF the Americans are the mos
imposing and beautiful, excepting only tn,
'auhlic buildings. They are most beauti
trees, flowers, plants, and shrubs, tastefulll
PAINTED and Ornamented. The native Ha
waiian also paints his house, and give
much care to the ornamentatiOn OF III
grounds, while the Chinaman's house i
Hnpainted, but picturesque in its Orlenta
style of architecture Chinese houses il
Honolulu are built just as they are in Hon.
Kong. They are usually two stories II
height, small nd quaint, with the balloon,
fronting on the street
At almost every hour you can see IN
almond eyed Celestial with his Orienta
dress even to the saucepan shaped bamboo
hat, q long pole on his shoulder with
weight on each end that would stagger
common man, jogging along at dog urO'
pace at which he never seems to weary
Long experience has made him skillful Il
carving large burdens.
While passing Chinese restaurant 4
company with several of my acquaintance
we were startled by crash, and lmmed
ately there was such commution anon
the Japs and Cinnamon that one Nigh
have supposed the ChinO-Japanese war ma
broken out afresh. Suddenly sailor 4 OF
the u. 5. man-of-war bennington cam
bouncing through the crowd with natly
policeman holding 10 each arm.
Neatly all the police OF Honolulu are nj
tiyes OF Kanakas, and fine, lusly-lookln
fellows When they get hold of one II n
ouires strength aud dpxterity to get ava!
the young blue jacket tried to get IN
s.right-hander" on them, hut his right nan
was caught He then tried TO get in a "le
handsr'' nut akai9 faxed, and was 1orct
Ont into the street, and started of to u
staiiOn-hOuse- .,,,
Il won't walk" he roared. 81 belong
he Amer can Navy. and it won't be said