The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-02-06
ROBERTSON TALKS
Tells How the Myrtle
Boat Club Grew.
Overcame All Opponents Over the
Course-Won p Out of IT
Races in II Years.

On account of lack of space in yes
terday mornings issue OF the Adver-
tiser. the full account of the proceed
ings Of the Myrtle Boat Club smoker
of Thursday evening could not be
published. Mr.. Alex. Robertson. as
president of the evening, made an in
terestfng address on the history of the
club. which at the request OF several
of the newer members Of the club, who
desire TO have as much information
as possible about their organization,
is published below:
after wrestling with the knotty
problems OF formation OF the Myrtle
Boat Club, we set about TO make rev
rules for our government. Among 9TH
er things we decided TO elect officers
every three months, arranged the mat
ter Of dues and decided to hold regular
monthly meetings. For over year we
got along in this manner and then II
became evident that We must have
some fixed rules. A constitution was
drawn up and adopted. Then we got
a four-oared boat, the Red, White and
Blue which we kept in the old ware
house OF Dillingham; & Co. When we
wanted to take a spin we had TO carry
our boat down to the water, and Wnen
we had finished il was necessary Tor us
to take il back again to the warehouse,
no matter how tired we happened 10
be Thus we plodded along for two or
three months when we found 1t neces-
sary TO build a boat house The stu
alton mauka of the Pacific Mail wharf,
back OF the coal piles was picked out
ia W. erected
20 house. built out of rough lumber
after>pIans drawn up by the accom-
DIished architect Jas. l.. TOrbert- All
the work was done by ourselves and OF
that fact we are proud. After the space
of about one year we found the room
altogether inadequate TO our growing
membership and so the present site
was chosen and a two-story building
four times as large as the first house
was erected. In two years time IT. was
found that further enlargement was
necessary. so the front and side YER
andas were added. At this time we
were beginning to get our new boats
The four-oared boat, the property of
j. A. Cummins which was a rival Of
the Red, White and Blue was pur-
chased.
'In 1884 the sliding seat boats came
into use in the Islands. King Kalakaua
got the first, but the Myrtles were not
long in following suit. Charles Purdy
of our club was sent to San Francisco
to superintend the building OF the
Stranger which has brought us so
many victories. In the regatta OF No
vember 10th, 1884. there were six crews
entered. but we came out ahead. 1t
will be remembered that the Honolulu
crew was coached by professional
trainer from the coast.
Boating became pretty lively just
at that time. The Kings crew and the
Honolulu's were hustling along bound
to win In March of 1885 the HOnolulus
celebrated their first anniversary in
regatta They put up three cups, two
of which we won (applause).
Just about that time the Eclipse
boat club was organized. This was n
very energetic club. but did not last
long. 10 was finally swallowed up by
the Myrtle Boat Club which took mem
bers and property into itself
Then came the 'Fenians' or 'Ka-
pfoIanf Boat Club composed of big
raw-boned Irishmen. They did not last
long. In the regatta of 1884 they Dor
rowed a boat from the King, but came
i'm third. the Myrtles winning first
place.
The .KnickerbOcker' Club, formed
OF young Portuguese. was the next to
appear on the scene. but they likewise
did not last long. Our principal oD-
ponents were the HOnOluius and the
Kings crews. The HOnOlulus made
great flourish. but / had the extreme
pleasure OF bidding in their trophy
flag embroidered by some lady friend
and presented TO tine club in its palmy
days The Healani was built on the
ruins of the club. They are our prin-
cipal and really only opponents.
I'VE have lived TO see the organiza-
ton and dissolution of several clubs.
We have overcome them all and are
still alive and at the head of the lad
der.
THE history of the club shows that
we have not had a peaceful existence,
but with all that we have had enough
spirit to keep us together and now we
have done with disputes and Will do
all we can to uphold the honor of our
eoIors. OF the 81 races which we have
had in the space of Il years we have
won % (applause). But we must give
the credit to the men who have gotten
into the boats and pulled us TO vic
tory.
The Myrtle Boat Club has always
shown the proper spirit and has always
come up to the line, no matter under
what disadvantages, to take its medi-
cine or to administer dose to the
other side"
The charter members of the Myrtle
Boat Club are as follows: 4. G. NJ.
Robertson, Judge A. W. Carter. Mar
shall Brown, w. C. Parke. VIM. Love,
Jas. L. Torbert and DR.. W. T. Mon
sarrat-