The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-02-08
HERE MANY
YEARS AGO
Death of D. N. Hawley
Well Known
Locally.

David n. Hawley died in San Fran
cisco on the oath day of January, at the
age of rs. He was a member of the firm
of Hawley Bros. who at one time had
the largest hardware trade of that city
He was for many years connected with
charitable and Sunday School work.
He was a forty Miner" and also
prominent member of the "Vigilantes
of Sc, which cleaned up the city.
When he arrived in san Francisco in
1S4S he engaged in the produce bus
mess, in preference to the mining bus
mess. At that time articles of all
kinds, especially food, often reached
famine prices. These Islands then pro-
duced considerable quantities of veg
etables, especially potatoes.
He, with N. S. Bailey, arrived at this
port in 1S4s for the purpose of purchas-
ing a cargo of vegetables to be sold in
San Francisco. Potatoes had already
been shipped in considerable quantities
to that place. and had been sold at an
enormous profit Hawley and Bailey
chartered the brig Brothers and obtained
a cargo of vegetables. mainly potatoes.
They also added an assortment of
general merchandise. 1t was at this
time that the price Of -four in this city
rose to $50 per barrel and upwards.
The missionaries, through the annual
consignments from the American Board
in Boston, held a few barrels at cost
prices in New England and they shared
their limited supply with friends living
here. Among other merchandise, there
were a number of kegs Of gunpowder, !
which were stored in the hold.
Hawley and Bailey sailed in the /
Brothers hoping to make San Francisco |
in twenty-five days. After they had |
been at sea for about two weeks fire |
W as discovered in the hold. The natch- |
es were taken off, but the fire could |
not be found. 1t seemed to shoulder |
in the lower part of the cargo. The !
matches were then fastened and water
was poured upon the cargo. But smoke !
still issued from it. The Captain re-
solved to return to Honolulu with the |
OF the trade winds. During !
the returning voyage, all on board |
were momentarily expecting an explo-
sion or the gunpoWder IN the hold. AS |
the nature of the fire was unknown it |
was feared that it might creep through |
the cargo and reach the powder. In
this condition of intense anxiety for two
weeks all remained, not knowing but
awaiting the moment when the brig
would be blown up. Their boats were
small, and not adapted to any sea voy
age; otherwise they would have taken
to them and abandoned the vessel.
When the brig was off Diamond Head
she signalled her distress and aid was
quickly rendered. She was brought
into port and her matches cautiously
opened and the fire extinguished. Had
the voyage been a successful one the
profits would have reached $780, 900, so ex-
were prices in San Francisco.
Mr.. Hawley then chartered q schooner,
loaded her with vegetables and gen.
eral merchandise, took a number of
natives as passengers, who intended to
work in the gold fields, and he safely
reached San Francisco. The profits of
his venture We're quite large.
The shock and anxiety of his expert |
ence on the Brothers so operated on
Bailey that his hair fell out, though he
was only twenty-one years of age, and
he remained bald to the end of his
days. He returned to New York after
being employed for some months here
by the Minister of Public Instruction.