The San Francisco call., 1904-03-04
HEWING A WAY
FOR WHITE NAN
Alexander Young Speaks of
the Development Work in
the Hawaiian Islands
CUSTOMS ARE PRIMITIVE
Progress and Prosperity Fol
low the Industrious Efforts
of Progressive Americans

I ALEXANDER young, VINO Salled Tor
Honolulu on the. Sierra yesterday. gives
some interesting "reminiscences Of his
early experiences in the islands in the
days when white men were rare and
the development Of the country. from
the viewpoint of the Caucasian, had
not begun.
Alexander Young is the grand old
man of the Hawaiian Islands. and what
he says about his tropical home is
worth listening to. He said last night
shortly before the Sierra sailed:
1T was in 1865 that / first went TO
Honolulu. Kamehameha V was still
reigning. and things were very different
! then to what they now are. The sugar
1 industry was then in its infancy. and
at the outset I associated myself with
the iron trade. and it was only six years
ago that I relinquished the manage
ment of the Honolulu Iron Works after
a service of thirty-four years.
During the days of my early resi-
dence in Honolulu the native was
very tame figure, the men. wandering
quietly about the place with only the
very scantiest of attire, but the women
always wore a kind of Mother Hub
bard 1t is the chief feature of their
dress even now. In those days they all
had horses. men and women alike, and
in brightly cOlOred gala raiment. draped
with long scarfs having both ends fly
ing in the breeze. they made most
imposing cavalcade as they gallOped
down the grass grown streets. where
now the finest street cars in the world
rush the surprised traveller along ad-
mirably kept thOrOughfares sHirting
scenes of almost indescrfbabIe beauty
THE mechanics at that time were
only about a dozen: now there are
thousands, who make a generous in
come in an environment which for
picturesqueness and salubriOus climate
has no rival in the world. Sugar, the
oldest industry of the island, still con-
tinues the foremost one, but of late
years great strides have been made in
the growth 70 pineapples and bananas
for export trade. the cultivation Of the
exotic banana marking distinct fea-
ture in this direction Coffee growing
has been tried but not with success. L
dabbled in the sugar busines myself,
but iron was always my leading card.
When / retired six years ago
thought i might be turned out TO
grass as the saying is, but the in
activity was too much for me and
soon wearied of it.
Then came my latest enterprise,
which is. indeed. my greatest, the Alex
ander Young Hotel at Honolulu. which
/ regard with, I hope, pardonable
pride. 1t was designed by an Ameri-
can, built Of American materials and
.1
men. 1t is in the very heart Of the
city, vet commands quiet and seclu-
sion. and with it's unique roof garden
and unrivaled appointments can hold
it's own with any modern caravansary-
The roof garden alone occupies paved
area of a third Of an acre, and there
concerts and dances are often given,
al which one meets interesting travel
ers from all quarters of the globe, New
ZeaIand's wonderland and Alaska's
snowy plains.
Few who have not visitC Honolulu
can realize its beauties. Imagine a
wide stretching bathing beach of white
coral sand. with water OF such crystal
cIearness that the bottom is plainly Wis
ible, showing here and there patches
of sea moss adhering TO the coral and
producing a variety of tones that seem
to beggar the rainbow. Then there is
the beautiful KapiOlani Park, centered
by a racecOurse. skirted by rapid tran
sit cars that pass every few minutes
for a scent fare and having much of
it's area covered by water on which
acres of pond lilies and water orchids
float In a picture of enchanting variety.
within easy reach of Honolulu is the
Island of Oahu, which makes a highly
attractive excursion Starting by the
early morning train one winds between
the Pearl HarbOr Lochs and the fine
mountain range, dashing through fields
of sugar cane in every stage OF culti-
walton. Leaving the sugar fields be-
hind. the traveller is given a spectacle
of great marine grandeur. Across the
track are high mountain slopes with
fertile valleys between and in the fore
ground the white fOaming surf playing
restlessly on the coral reefs and sandy
beaches in ever-varying gambOls. On
the west end of the island is Waialua,
with it's beautiful river and fine noun
tain scenes, where plenty Of interest
ing sport is to be found for those who
enjoy cunning, and the ear is charmed
with the song OF the skylark. which
abounds in the glades between.
But there are so many centers Of
great interest throughout the islands
that 1 cannot even touch on them, and
1 turn back instinctively to Honolulu
itself with its wonderful Pali This
precipitous bluff rises a clear thousand
feet, giving a panorama Of the country
and ocean below that is Of surprising
grandeur. In the town itself there are
endless interests-the Royal Mauso-
leum, the last resting place of Hawaiis
sOvereigns, the home Of ex-Queen Lili-
uokalani, the far-famed Bishop Mu-
scum. with its magnificent collection
of Polynesian antiquities. showing the
rarest trophies of this Paradise OF the
Pacific But Honolulu must be seen to
be appreciated; to me it is home as
we'll as a wonderland where great
scenic beauty and health may be found
easily and cheaply."