The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-07-10

Just after the Civil war a big, bust
ling, breezy fellow turned up in Rio de
Janeiro. He was over six feet tall, had
a huge sandy beard that widened over
his chest, keen yet humorous eye, and
a way with him that demanded atten-
ton He was a ship-carpenter from
Philadelphia.
Rio is on the southern tropic, about
halfway between the equator and the
capes, and its big, well-protected harbor
is a good refuge for lame ducks" as
they call vessels that get into trouble in
the South Atlantic and limp into port
to repair damages.
In those days there were fine pickings
for the repairers OF these lame ducks,
and big bills for the underwriters, and
sometimes it was a good thing to get on
a board of survey" for good ships are
sometimes found unseaworthy and sold
to a favored bidder. 4 big American
clipper on its way around the Horn had
run UP against rough weather and put
into Rio leaking and partly dismasted.
She was one of the victims of board
of survey, and was sold for a song to a
shrewd American, who sent to the
States for skilled mechanics to put her
right again. Bolger was the boss of the
repair gang.
In an astonishingly short time that
clipper spread her sails and put to sea
as good as new. But Bolger stayed.
Other craft needed repairs, and he
wasn't bashful in pressing his claims to
do the work In a year he had estab-
lished business and it paid. But, after
all, it was limited business. He made
up his mind to keep an eye out for
something better.
Miles back of Rio is range of noun
tains, conical peaks side by side like
organ-pipes. The trade winds, laden
with moisture, are squeezed dry by these
high hills, and the rain clothes them in
trailing draperies; the heat is a damp
and sticky heat that soaks the energy
out of the people. Other fantastic noun
tains Immediately overhanging the city
throw out spurs that reach nearly to the
bay, and the houses are crowded in the
level spaces between ana along the
shore.
A single avenue of good width finds
its way between bay and hills and is the
only artery of communication. In those
days its pavement was crowded with
Vehicles-highly vanished French car
riages occupied by highly powdered
Brazilian ladies; quaint, two-wheel, bel
Iows-top cabs of the country, pulled by
nondescript animals; antique stages
numbering after bored-looking mules
all moving back and forth between the
rows of houses, past the little parks, and
through a perspective accented by royal
palms looking like thick telegraph
posts with feather-dusters on top. No
body walked but the slaves and the very
poor
Bolger travelled up and down this
avenue many times and pondered. There
would be MONEY in a street car line
that he knew But how much? He set
to work to study the traffic. Day after
day and night after night he passed
upon the street, counting, counting, at
different points and different hours.
Gradually he accumulated figures show
ing the volume of traffic. They were
astounding. And he made UP his mind
to build street car line.
Men OF Bolger's type soon make
friends By this time he knew the
members of the foreign colony, includ-
ing a small group of Americans, and his
big heart and rugged sympathies made
him foremost in looking out for, and
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