The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-02-12

~ "
~ became possessed of some of the
most valuable real estate in Homo
lulu by the decision of the Hawaiian
Supreme Court is to sell all his hold
tings at public auction next month The
property. offered is gilt-edged inside
business realty, located in the heart of
the busiest, section of the city, and the
bidding is certain to be the 1iveliest Ho-
nolulu has ever seen.
The property which is to go under the
hammer was formerly a portion of that
held by the trustees of the Queens
hospital. and the revenues derived
therefrom assisted in the support of
that institution. There We're also
number of beneficiaries under the will
of Emma Rookie, or Queen Emma, wife
Iof Kamehameha ", who were cut off
from their annuities. The decision
which gave such a vast amount of
property to Colonel Rookie was sweep
ing one.
The auctioneer has received authority
(, to dispose of all the business proper
ties in the downtown district which
are located on Hotel. Union, Fort, Bere-
tania and Nuuanu streets. One of the
jmost valuable is the piece now occu-
| pied by Wright's wheelwright estab-
| lishment between Hotel and Fort
streets and extending through to I'm
ion, containing 2S621 square feet. This (
! is the property which is located on
both sides of the Mott-Smith building,
which occupies the Hotel-Fort street
corner.
The disposal of this property un-
doubtedly means the upbuilding of the
busy intersection within short time.
The long litigation over the property
had depressing effect on improve
ments in the vicinity. Now that new
ownership is imminent, handsome
buildings may be looked for. This
iproperty is divided into lots A and B.
= Lot A has a frontage of 10S feet on Fort
street, III feet running through to I'm
ion street and 1S4.3 feet on Union
street Lot B, which joins lot A on I'm
ion street. has a full frontage of S9.S
feet on Union street, 14.6 feet on Hotel
street, So feet on the rear boundary and
a depth of 70.2 feet.
The property on the corner of Bere-
tania and Nuuanu streets, better
known as Queen Emma Hail." is the
largest single piece of land offered. 1t
has frontage of 1876 feet on Beretania
street 2O55 on Nuuanu street 203.7 feet
on Chaplain Lane and Pip feet on the
rear boundary, containing in all 1892
square feet. This was formerly the
home of Queen Emma.
The decision of the Supreme Court
declaring these properties to rightfully
belong to Colonel Rookie was handed
down on May II. 1900, this opinion be-
ing written by Justice Frear. Colonel
Rookie was the nephew of T C. b.
bp IF Is nd in
ton. The case. which was one of the
most noteworthy in the local courts.
was commenced at the November
term. 1897. before Circuit Judge Car
ter, wherein the action was begun
against the Queens Hospital to quiet
the title. Chas. r. Bishop, S. M. Da-
mon, C. NJ Hyde. J. o. Carter and W.
F. Allen, the trustees. were made de-
PENDANTS to the suit.
The plaintiff claimed he was entitled
/ in fee simple to all of the lands, testa
ments and hereditament which We're
described as the French Hotel Prem
ises," at the corner of Hotel and Union
Istreets, the Queen Emma Residence,
corner Nuuanu and Beretania streets,
the land situated at Honuakaha, the
land known as Niolapa, in Nuuanu val
in Nuuanu valley known as Waolani.
The will of T c. b. Rookie was dated
February %, 1852. Emma married King
tKamehameha VI, June g 1856, and gave
birth to the Prince of Hawaii May 30
1858 The testatOr made a codtcil,
Ichanging one of the executors. May %,
t1S5S, and died November %, 1858. Grace
IKamaiku Rookie (wife of T. c. B.
Rooke) died soon after. The Prince
died in 1862 the King in 1863, and Emma
in 1885.
Under the Will of the testator he be-
lQueathed all his real and personal es-
tate to his wife, Grace Rookie, TO pe
used and enjoyed by her during the
term of her natural life, and from and
immediately after her decease he gave
and devised the same to his adopted
daughter, Emma Rookie, afterwards
lQueen Emma, to be used and enjoyed
by her during her natural life, and her
tchildren forever. But in case of her
dying before the testator. or not leaving
any issue, he then bequeathed. the
property as above to his nephew and
godson. Creswell Charles Keane Rookie,
land his heirs forever.