The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-09-21
STREETS OF HONOLULU
IN THE EARLY FORTIES
Continued from page y


chant streets stood the store of one
of the most noted characters of the
town, Mr.. Stephen Reynolds, original
~ from Boxford. Mass. He had been
very many years at the islands, and
was one of the most rema rkahle men
in Honolulu. He was very peculiar in
his dress as well as his thinking. His
clothes Were cut in his own fashion,
generally what we know as the jacket
and trousers and made of light coll
ored nankeen. His shirt was always
of unbleached cotton cloth. destitute
LOT any linen bosom. buttoned in front
at the throat with a wide turned over
collar, white stockings and low shoes
and Panama hat destitute of any
ribbon completed his costume. This
style do not recall ever to have seen
changed. The simplicity of the cos
tune was somewhat characteristic of
the man. A visitor to his store went
up the half dozen well worn planks to
the somewhat rickety veranda and en-
tering within found a most naiscellane-
Gus assortment of dry goods and no.
lions in what would be 70 him an in
describable confusion. yet the kindly
gentleman. past middle life, with a
very pleasant manner to his native
customers, found no difficulty in meet
ing their wishes, and enjoyed a large
share of their confidence It was not,
however, so much as a merchant that
he impressed himself upon the COM
munity, but as man of mental abiIi-
ty. Naturally a student, with an evil
dent prediction for the study of the
law, he was, in the absence of any
educated attorney residing in the town,
the person who was generally consult
ed on matters that were coming be-
fore the courts. In two most impor-
tant cases which / recall. one the trial
of Mr. L. L. Torbert, and the other
the celebrated case of Messrs. Ladd
& Co. against the government, which
forms a part of the history of those
times, Mr.. Reynolds was engaged as
principal attorney for Ladd & Co., and
his conduct of these cases was con-
sidered very remarkable for an I'M
professional man. 1 may add here
that the kindness of Mr.. Reynolds
heart was shown in later years by his
establishing home for young Hawai-
ian girls. where he gave them the best
education which could be provided for
them.
On the makai side of the road (now
Merchant street,, from Nuuanu to
Kaahumanu street, were empty lots,
with blocks of coral for fences. The
next building on the mauka side was
the store of Messrs. John and William
Patty, two-story building, the Sec
ond story being used for office. Capt.
John Patty and Mr.. William Patty were
brothers from Plymouth, Mass. The
/ captain had an enviable reputation as
captain of the bark Don Quixote, the
regular packet plying between Homo
! lulu and San Francisco. Some years
later he was complimented with a
blue silk commodore's flag with the
figures 100 in white upon it. indicative
of his one hundredth passage made
between the Coast and the islands
/, Mr.. William, the brother, had charge
of the general merchandise store,
which stood at the head of Kaahuma-
nu street.
The descendants of Mr.. and Mrs.
William Patty are the well known fam
lily of the Mott-Smiths. A little Incl
dent is worth relating here The first
time that sufficient number of ladies
could be gathered together to form two
sets for dancing was in the home of
Mr.. and Mrs. William Patty, on Bere-
tania street.
street, on the mauka side, the next was
a wooden building of two stories with
lookout upon the top. It was gen
orally used by the public whenever
the cry of sail ho!" rang though the
streets. Near the corner of Merchant
and Fort streets, mauka side was a
small one-story building erected by
Capt. Snow. a ship master who had
followed the trade between Boston and
Honolulu and retired and entered into
general business. On the makai side
of the street, were the premises of
Mr.. VIM. French. These extended
from Kaahumanu to Fort street, sur
rounded by a high picket fence with
some noble hau trees standing just
within the line of the fence. The
building was quite a sizeable one of
wood, with high basement and large
trading rooms above. Mr.. French was
one of the oldest residents and a per-
son of considerable influence. The
house was better known a little later
as that of French and Greenway.
Before describing Fort street we will
take a look at the famous premises of
James Robinson & Co., at that time
the only ship builders and repairers on
the islands and in fact in the Pacific.
1t was rather peculiar partnership
in the make up of the firm which be-
gan in 1922, though the shipyard at
the point, ='Pakaka," was not estab
lished till 1927. The firm comprised
Jas Robinson Robt. Lawrence and |
Robt. Holt. The two former were to-
gether in the Hernes, which vessel |
with the Pearl, set forth from this
port on a whaling cruise, and both ran |
ashore twenty days out on an un- |
known reef afterwards named for the
lost vessels. Mr.. r. built schooner /
from the wrecks In which with !
eleven others he reached these islands |
in October 1922. This vessel was the |
foundation of their subsequent bust |
ness and fortune Mr.. Robinson. the |
senior of the firm, was considered |
shin carDenfar of skin and ability. Mr.. |