Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-08-05
FAIR HAWAII.
Her Great Joy Over Annexation ia
the United States
Expressed in a Letter from Honolulu 70 a
halIoweii Gentleman.


letter that follows from j. p. Ather-
ton. one of the leading citizens of
Honolulu. to his cousin. William p.
Anterior of Hallowell.
In this letter he tells of the low of
the people over the annexation. ana
the admiration they have for the SOL
diers of the United States who have
recently been there. There were more
especially fond of the crack Astor Bat
terry that was formed and fully
equipped by Colonel John Jacob Astor
of New York city.
Following the letter is a Ginning that
will tell of the plans for the Admission
day as planned by the Annexation Club
of which Mr.. Atherton is the chairman
of the executive committee. The elm
ping is from the Hawaiian Gazette Of
July 10.
The advertisers inthis paper have al
Honolulu, II. L.. u. S. A.
| The following is the letter In part:
Honolulu July II, 1898.
Dear Cousin VIII: Though my head
| ing is Honolulu, | am located about
| five miles from the city home up on
| Nuuann valley elevated about 500 feet
above sea level. and eight degrees cool
er. Mr.. Cook. my Wife. brother ana
| myself own the place jointly There
n fXsA nd
with a deep and wide ravine back of
| the house, the mountains on its farther
side rising over 2000 feet. The families
| come up here for about three months
in the summer. from July To Octo-
Der l or thereabouts, and also ut any
! time when We feel like resting We
| ENJOY the situation very much and as
| the government owns all the rest or
| the land about us ana reserves it for
water supply purposes, we are not
| troubled with neighbors.
| said the government. Well, that
| means Uncle sam now. for We are an
neNcd now. and will soon be under the
| Stars ana Stripes. The welcome ana
| long looked for news Of the annexation
| came by the steamer Coptic last
| Wednesday, the 18th. and Honolulu
Went Wild for a time oyer it, The
! fight was a long one. for our enemies
| We're strong with n big barrel of money
at command; but the people demand
| ed tn" vote for annexation, and il had
| to come. II Stevens ana Captain Wiltse
| Of The Roston. are permitted To know
| what is going on here, they must re
ioiue that the work for which they
| gave up their lives is accomplished
The raising Of the flag and the taking
| possession, will probably take place
this week.
| Admiral Miller in the Philadelphia,
is expected by the Goth and the happy
event is To be his. =.
The Annexation Club executive COM
mite has appointed n special com
| mittcr of five to arrange for the cele-
| hrati"n on the day of the Nag raising
| ana | have the honor of being the
| chairman of the committee. The pro-
| grammc cannot be completed until after
| the arrival of the admiral. so we can
see what he desires. | will send you
| an account of the affair after the
| event is over
| The soldiers for Manila as they have
| arrived, two lots in five stamers. were
taken in hand by our people. ana al
| most given the freedom Of the city, fed
and amused. and sent on their way
| with many comforts not had when
| they came.
The government gave them free sta
| $1,000 of them. with papers and pack
| ages even a greater number. free.
think We made over 5000 annexationists
| - ,,f col
been glad to have raised the flag while
here. These soldiers We're all young
men excepting the regulars and
| don't believe a finer set of men We're
ever gathered into an army. Such an
| army of men in a place would nltur-
ally commit some trcspass. or do mis-
chief; but we can say that not com
| plant was lodged against the men.
There was nodrunkennesso or disorder of
any kind The mon had free range of
our homes and grounds,a there We're
very many pleasant acquaintance
made, and friendships formed. Many
of the soldiers came with letters and
had money or letters of credit.
| showing they We're of good
families and means. The noted Aston
| Battery was a fine set of men. | met Il
number of them. ana had some of them
ut my table. They will long remember
| their treatment here. Another lot is
| due here with Admiral Miller, ana |
| presume the same treatment Will be
| accorded them. The expense so far has
| been about 10000, but when more is
| needed it will come. | have had 50 far
| to manage the finances of the affair
| and SO | know what it costs to enter
| tain large numbers of men.
| What kind of government we are to
| have remains to be seen. l am in
| hopes that most of the officials now in
| Office will be retained. They know the
| ropes, and can run things better than
| new men. l have no doubt there will
be some trouble, but at any rate we
| shall have 4 stable government, and
| that is a good deal. We are having Il
| rainy July here in the valley with
very stormy trade winds. 1t is very
good for the country. hut not adapted
| for personal comfort all the time.
| The war with Spain seems so far to be
a very one sided affair. Spanish soldiers
are brave enough, but corruption has so
permeated all the official classes that
| there was practically nothing to fight