The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-08-01


j viz: Dec. 10, 1896 he Instituted Excel
| sfor Lodge No. /, 1. O. O. F., the name
| being proposed by Bro. G. D. Gilman,
/ who is still alive and residing in New
| ton, Mass. He is. L believe the only
surviving charter member. From this
small beginning Excelsior Lodge has
| grown to what it is today. 1t has past
| through many struggles, difficulties and
! changes, until this evening, ffty-eight
years later. we are dedicating this beau
tiful hall an ornament to our city and
a credit to the Order. Immediately on
| the organization of the lodge, commit
tees were appointed to draw up by
laws, and procure regalia. ana seal.
There were very few stores in Homo
lulu then, SO the committees tasks were
not easy to fulfill, however, they ac-
complished them in a creditable man
iner. In those days there were no steam
ers on the Pacific. no overland railroads,
all mail came and went arount Cape
Horn. and at times it took a year or
more to get an answer In due course
of time a reply came from the Grand
Lodge approving the action of Bro.
Watson. and the lodge worked under
the dispensation brought by him, until
the arrival of Bro. Alex. Frazer on Sept.
II. 1S49. He brought the charter un-
der which the lodge has worked from
then to the present day.
The form of initiation. and degree
work was quite different from those in
use now When Excelsior Lodge was
instituted, Honolulu presented a very
different appearance from what 1t does
today. Most of the buildings We're grass
houses. with some adobe ones. Even
the stores, with but q few exceptions,
We're of the same material. There were
a few coral stone buildings, and some
wooden ones. What a contrast to the
place as we know it, with it's blocks of
fine stone and brick buildings, hand
some residences, electric cars and light,
telephones and automobiles.
The first lodge room was in an adobe
house. with grass roof, on Hotel
street. in the premises known as
Adams yard" It had a yeranda
around it, where the Outside Guardian
had to keep constant watch on all sides,
while the lodge was in session. In 1S47
the lodge moved to another house, mar
the corner of Hotel and Alakea streets, |
not far from the site Of the present |
Masonic Temple. With 1S4S. the news |
of the discovery of gold in California, |
came to Honolulu and caused quite an !
excitement. There was a general exo- |
dus of the foreign population of the |
town, and as many members of the |
lodge Joined the crowd, there were out |
few left. Meetings were reduced to a |
guard. For months there was
no quorum and no business could be
transacted, still a few members would |
meet on Tuesday evenings to talk over
their prospects, and ascertain if any |
Brother needed their aid or assistance.
AS funds became low, it was necessary
to reduce expenses and give up the |
lodge room, and in the latter part of |
the year the lodge moved to a two-story
stone building near the corner of Fort
and Merchant streets, where the
Campbell block now stands. The use
of the room being kindly donated by
a member of the Order In IS49 the tide
Of travel from California having turn
ed. many of the members gradually
came back. and it was decided to start
UP the lodge again for active work
IN October of that year the lodge NOV
ed TO an adobe building on Hotel street
near Nuuanu street. where the Nc
Lean building stands. Here il remained
, few months and had 70 leave in hur-
". One stormy night during the rainy
season. the whole of one side of the
house fell out. leaving the interior ex-
posed to the gaze OF the public and the
~avages of the storm. This was the
asst experience of the lodge in an adobe
house a few rods from the wrecked
odge room was a two-story wooden
building, the upper story comprising a
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