Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-08-03
WHERE AMERICAN WAGE is HIGH.
Honolulu Delightful Place. Yankee La
borerS and TradeSmen IN Great Demand.

1OnOiulu a pe!IgnlfuI FlaCe, Yankee La
borerS and Tradesmen IN Great Demand.
Another interesting letter has been
received from Will r. Lyon en- route
to the Philippines on transport Sheri-
dan. He has since reached his
destination. While at Honolulu he
wrote as follows:
Honolulu. July /, 1899. s o'clock
p. m.-My Dear Parents: Am quite
tired now and while / am resting will
write you another letter. Today is
the first time the Fourth was ever
celebrated at Honolulu and things
were very lively. Balloons and fireworks
were going all day and everybody was
eating, drinking and having a general
good time. Town is decorated all over
in a very fine manner. The capitol
building was decorated with all cOlored
electric lamps and when all are lighted
it is beautiful sight. Every ship in
the hdrbOr is decorated in naval
fashion, which is to fly the color of
every nation Of the world. all on one
long string which reaches from bow to
stern and looks very handsome. The
United States flag is flying from the
top Of the center mast on foreign
vessels and their own COlOrS fly from
the stern while the cOlOrs of the
Union Jack fly from the bow The
battleShip "PennSylyania' is coming
in now and SaluteS are being fired from
the fort. [ am getting more and more
stuck on this place every hour and |
intend to return here some day.
Everybody who has come here from
the states is delighted with the place
and would not live any place else.
Everything is very cheap, excepting
rent. Houses Of four rooms situated
mile from town bring $25 to $50 per
month. Wages for Americans are
high. Common labOrerS get no less
than So per day while the natives
get only 70 cents per day. | met a
printer who gets $50 per week for
working 6 hours each day and 6 days
per week. Carpenters, machiniStS and
all men with trades get as high as s.
and &6 per day; many men wanted
also. The want" column in the
papers is full of wanted men with
some sort Of profession" Had a
Hawaiian half dollar yesterday.
Money is good looking and halves and
quarters are same size as United
States coin. Picture on SOC piece of
King Kalakaua.
Oh, we are enjoying ourselves here,
but we might as well do SO while we
can. All | do when not on duty is to
eat pineapples, bananas, mangoeS,
cocoanutS, etc. then go swimming in
the bay, then lie around on deck in
the shade, watching the strange YES
sells. 1t is fine when you can walk
along in groves OF fruit trees and pick
the nice ripe fruit as you want it.
Saw a sailing vessel come into port
this morning with her maStS broken
off and the sailors said she had been
away from port nine months, disabled
and could not get back. Some foreign
vessel, don't know from where she
halls.
Well. mother, this is the farthest
away | ever was on 4th Of July but
may be next year at this time / viii
be twice as far. Wouldn't miss this
trip for anything and expect to return
safely and benefited a great deal.
Will have to close now as it is too
dark to write any more. Answer soon
and send lots Of papers. Give my
regards to all and with best wishes to
you and father, remain your loving
soldier boy, WILLIE.