The sun., 1903-10-04
THB APONGS OF HONOLULU.
THIRTEEN GIRLS-POPULAR WITH
AMERICAN OFFICERS.
One Married Capt. whiting Of the United
States Navy - Their Chineso Father,
Who Made Millisns and Built . Man
sion where His WIFE Kept Open House.

/
Who Made Millisns and Built . Man.
sion where His Wire Kept Open House
SAN Francisco. Sept. 22.-The marriage
OF tho youngest Of the Along girls Of Hon
oiulu recalls the history Of perhaps the
most interesting family in Uncle Sans
new possessions in the heart Of the Pacific
! Ocean. No presentable tourist has Wis
tied Honolulu in the last thirty years ano
become acquainted there without enjoy
ing the hospitality OF the Along family
In the huge mansion, looking like cross
between a Chinese pagoda and an old time
Southern plantation home. which the
Mongolian founder Of the house built in
the eos.
Miss Melaine Along last week was mar
ried to young Walter Brewster Of Eliza
beth, n j.. who has decided to make his
home In Honolulu In this she initiated
half dozen Of her sisters, who have mar
ried white men. The most famous mar
riage was made by Miss Jessie Along, who
captured Capt. Whiting Of the United
States Navy. That marriage gave the
Along family much social prestige.
The story OF the Along millions reads
like romance. In 1880 Wing An Fong,
a shrewd young Chinese, went to Homo
lulu from Hong Kong. He opened .
shop for Chinese brc-a-brac, silks &C.,
and 30 intelligent was he and 80 fair In
his dealings that he soon had the largest
trade in his line in the city.
He married a young girl, who was a Kan
aka, with strains Of English and Portu-
guese. Her English blood gave her en-
ergy and executive ability and she helped
her husband to gain money. She had one
son and thirteen daughters.
All Fong was quick to see the profits In
sugar cane culture In Hawaii and when
land on the island Of Maui was sold for q
When Claus Spreckels began to develop
the water resources Of Maui he was forced
to buy All Fong's land at a good price. In
this and other deals the Chinese merchant
made several millions.
Meanwhile his family was growing up
and his wife had begun to have social am
bitions She induced her husband to write
his name, Along, in one word, but he
wouldn't change his Chinese habits or cos
tune or diet, nor would he permit her to
Americanize his son.
But he built huge pagoda-like struct-
ure in the western suburbs of Honolulu
and he laid out ornamental grounds around
1t that have become In twenty years a mag
nifcent estate, as fine as the domains Of
millionaire Chinese merchants at Singapore
Ono feature Of this house was the great
French windows that open on little bal
comics, thirteen in number. Jealous man.
mas who had eligible daughters said Along
built these piazzas in order that each
daughter might have a separate place In
which to receive her young men,
Whatever the scheme, Mrs. Along soon
became power in Honolulu society. The
father, dressed in the long flowing silk
robes that rich Chinese affect, was seldom
seen about the house, but once a day, In
the cool evening" he drove the whole family
out In a fine rig.
In private he adhered to his Chinese ways,
and his son always accompanied him, also
dressed as Chinese. When the girls
reached marriageable age Along was sell
open to all visitors. especially army and
navy officers.
The girls were all good musicians most
Of them sang well, and only three gave any
indication in almond-shaped eyes of their
Chinese origin. They dressed remarkably
well, as Mrs Along kept an expert woman
in her employ to cut and make their gowns.
They were not ashamed of their Chinese
origin, and certainly old Along, in his hand
some silk clothes, was no discredit to the
handsomest among them. Several of the
girls married Honolulu business men.
Finally, in 1892, old Along departed for
China with his son. 1t was given out that
he had gone on visit, but when a year
passed and he did not return reports came
that the rich merchant had narrowly escaped
severe punishment for deserving his Chinese
wife and that he had decided to make his
home in his native land. 1t was then dis
covered that he had put all his property
interests in Hawaii into the hands OF agents
and that he had made ample and generous
provision for his wife and daughters.
There was much gossip, but Mrs Along
would not crafty public curiosity. 1t was
noticed, however, that the hospitality Of the
Along house was more generous than ever.
In fact, it came to be the recognized thing
for all officers Of the American army and
navy passing through Honolulu to bring
letters of introduction to Mrs Along or one
of the girls.
All were made to feel at home, as were
presentable English and other tourists.
Every evening saw the great house bril-
liantly lighted and resounding with the
st rains Of various musical instruments.
One year after Along disappeared the
first big catch Of the girls was celebrated.