The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-09-02
MHR PARKER IS NAABR DAY PROGRAM FIRST DAY@ THE RLYGND JURY IN SIGHT
NEW SYSTEM PROVES A PoPULAF
FAD.
Crowds Ride All Day on the New Cars
And the Town Turns Out Along the
Route to Watch Them.

Yesterday, the first day that the
Rapid Transit cars were regularly open
to the public, was made a gala day by
the crowds of all nationalities, all
ages and both sexes that occupied the
seats, thronged the front and rear plat
forms and clung on the side boards as
thickly as on the now obsolete Noah's s
arks of Pains system on race days and
holidays.
After the first ceremonial procession
of the cars Saturday afternoon, they
were generally opened to the public at
five o'clock and the regular crowd of
down town Saturday mighters and a
good many other citizens in search of
a little excitement, novelty and fresh
air, crowded the handsome vehicles un-
til eleven o'clock.
All day yesterday, from between five
and six in the morning until eleven
o'clock at night, the cars carried the
full load. which means as many as
could obtain foothold.
To the natives, who patroniZe the new
enterprise in great numbers, the novel;
ty of the ride was a great attraction
They rode as long as their money lasted
or, in the case of the laughing dark
eyed girls, as long as they could per-
suade escorts to pay for them. One
bevy of young girls started out to ride
about eleven o'clock in the morning and
returned promptly after lunch continu-
ing throughout the day and bankrupt
ing three sets of gallants.
The whole public seemed as pleas
ed with the trolley as Child with a
fsNWw q H.,
few seemed disposed to give it up.
Hardly anyone rode on the cars for any
specific purpose beyond that of a ride.
NO one seemed to have got on to go
anywhere in particular and th.. only
stops made during the trips were oc-
casional ones at switch. There was no
halting to let anyone off and there was
no use stopping for anyone 10 get Oh,
for there was no room.
The Portuguese turned out en- masse
to see and enjoy the fun. The earnir gs
Of the heads of families treated the fsIks
Tor an outing at a nickel Il head and
there was one little family paIty of
i three generations, if not four, that cost
the carrier of the family pocket book,
in this case, the mother of the youngest
set of children, siXty-fve cents a rio.
The Hawaiians wore leis that were
matched by the brilliant ribbons and
shawls and neckerchiefs iouned by .he
residents of PunChbowl.
Everybody was good uatured, whe-
ther they were lucky enough to get a
seat or not and the younger eleme 1T,
who were either too poor or too naughty
to go riding, lined the sidewalks where
the car rails bordered on the Portuguese
district and watched the cars go by
with fascination that held proof even
against meal time.
AS a general thing the Japanese did
not patronise the cars very largely, hut
| their neighbors of the Flowery Land,
| the Chinese, were in evidence On every
car All down the Chinatown portion
of the route from first thing this morn
! ing, the Chinese turned out to see tine
foreign devils new dragons go by They
! brought their pipes out on the sidewalks
and smoked as they discussed the mo-
| tive power, human or otherwise, of the
/ vehicles. Their children were brought
| out to obtain an object lession and from
! back rooms and upstairs windows theil
| wives peeped from behind lattices at the
cars. The Japanese too, freely vented
their sightseeing curiosity but lack
| ed the bolder buccaneering spirit thai
led theiT"Oriental neighbors to board the
cars for closer inspection.
Among the unlocking crowds along
the course, Oriental or otherwise, there
| seemeu to be no stupefied wonder, nj
CONSERVATION, but rather an intelligent
interest as to what made the wheels 81
round. Occasionally a Chinaman who
judged discretion the better part of va
lor and had not yet correctly gauged tn,
speed of the cars would madly swooI
| across the rail like a frightened CHECKER
a hundred yards up the track, while on,
unfortunate pake failed to get his hacl
out of the way in time to prevent 4
being damaged, and departed vowinl
vengence against the proprietors of th'
modern Juggernaut
! There was divided opinion among tn,
foreign element as to how the power
| was transmitted to the wheels One
Japanese was cautioned by his friend!
not to step on the rails which were
evidently regarded in the light of liv'
wires, and stepped back in consterna
tion, fully convinced that he had mar
rowly escaped a terrible fate, and tha
the tracks were a constant and immi
nent source of peril TO the community
at large.
| An ingenious and bespectacled pake
| who seemed to be looked upon as al
authority by. his neighbors, was asked
the use of the trolley arm and gave al
immediate and satisfactory response
which being interpreted, proved to b'
the logical statement that II was useC
i in connection with the wire to keep thu
car in its place on the rails.
| Few of the horses encountered alonl
|, the routes seemed frightened at tn,
flying cars but appeared to look upol
the matter as proper and Legitimate
step in the emancipation of their race
a thing only to be snorted at by foolisl
and very young colts who had not ye
attained years of wisdom. Hackmel
and drivers generally have little fear o
mishaps, and think that the time L
, take the greatest precautions will be a
night when the brilliantly lighted cars
coming Up with no accompanying soun
of hoofs, may prove too much for hors
sense until they get used to it. Beaui
, out with their chosen ladies fair an
patersfamilias all grasped the lines
. little tighter yesterday when they say
, royal blue" approaching.
: The round trip was made in a littl
: over forty-five minutes for the roun
trip yesterday and the conductors
the neat khaki uniforms rang up a
: average of an even hundred fares eac
= way or a nice little total of $40 for ever
n forty-five minutes that will go toward
paying off the expenses and ultlmatel