The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-02-15

Chinese New Year Had
Midnight
Start.


minute or SO had elapsed. Yet it Sc
a pandemonium of sound loose all owe
Chinatown. which means in this cas-
every part of the city where a Chimes,
store or laundry is situated. Ultimate
~ the heralding whistle of Konoh
doomed out its deep bass monotone, but
| loud as it was the note became din
amidst the crash of Oriental pyrotecll-
MICS.
| Looking along the principal streets OF
| the Chinese quarter scarcely anything
i of festive aspect could be discerned
| but the huge oval lanterns in their bril-
liant variegatiens of broadly laid on
paint. Otherwise for quite while no
| fire-not even the. sputter of a f1recraek-
er. Dull flashes of light from the rear
of stores in quick rotation smote the
rain-dulIed Sky, accompanied by the
fierce decorations of heavily prmed
bombs. A fusillade of crackers was all
the time scattering the weIkin with
noise. Deep in side alleys could lie seen
the moving glow of a punk stick, ard
then fixing that would end in a hun
dred crackers rafting off their mimic
musketry. Store boys would cautious
ly open the front doors and peer up and
down the street as if to see if the other
fronts were going to ope fire.
AT last every here and there si.ie-
walks and awnings burst out in splash
es of flame and smoke. With the
dimly lighted interiors and the clouds
of thick powder smoke arising past the
windows, the semblance was that of
stubbornly fought fires in many build
ings at once. Upon the sidewalks of
Smith street where it is not we'll lighted
lat least was not at 1870 this morn
ing-the 1.-THE forms of Chinese youth
in their holiday caps and streaming
queues moving rapidly from point TO
point amidst the su1phurous vapors to
light the fuses appeared like demons in
a multiplied presentation of Faust.
All this time the streets were becon-
ing Increasingly thronged. While the
Chinese We're keeping to their stations,
there We're stragglers of them in tHos
and threes and squads. rIost of the
peripatetic crowd, however, was made
up of white and native people of whom
at IedSI a were women. IneSsc
sight-seers lodged into places where
Konohi hospitality was dispensed, an !
as rule did not tarry long in any
place.
The handsome clubhouse of the
Quong On Society in Smith street APP
peared to be the favorite of visitors.
1t was brilliantly Illuminated and a
discharge of fireworks. great
and small, was maintained from its
second and third balconies. The par
lor on the third floor was the receiving
place. Here tables were set out with
wines, cigars and sweetmeats, which
were cordially offered to all-comers.
Upon the balcony fronting the apart |
ment a full orchestra was stationed. |
which recognized no intermission-not |
even a half rest in the performance, if |
there is such in Chinese notation. 1t |
was din inexpressible in written de- |
taking the fireworks and the |
music either together or separately.
There was another fine display of |
Oriental entertainment at a resort on |
The corner of Hotel and Smith streets. |
It had welcoming beacon that could |
De seen a great distance, in the form /
IF a string of colored lights upon a flag
staff. The joss h buses We're in resplend-
ng their full share to the auricular
species of entertainment.
Chinese New Year seems to have
1ad as su cessful an initial impulse
his time as it ever had before in Ho-
lolulu, notwithstanding the share that
doubtless has in hard
lines.
AS usual the police authorities in
I1IIoa he Wit 70
certain extent, from the regulations
TO explosives. 1t is said,
Llso. that during the season there is
lot so much liability of the raiding
# quiet games of dominoes and such
diversions Of chance dear to the hearts
f subjects of the Celestial Empire.
1t was expected that further along
n the morning there would be process
ions in the van of which monster
Iragons, with blazing candles in the
yes and fiery splitting of the mouths.
Fould be led.
The usual noontime receptions will
e held, probably by both the United
'hinese Society and Consul Tso Fan.
IN HOLIDAY ATTIRE.
All day yesterday Chinatown put the
nishing touches on and prepared for
when the New Year began.
Ierchants cleaned up their establish
lents, put away furnishings and mer-
handise which would be in the way {
f guests during the holiday season. c
he BARRIERS attended to belated pat {
ons the frecracker and sweetmeat de-
artments of the stores were replenish
d, for purchases began to be heavy
uring the day. The lantern and can
Ie-makers rushed along the last
atches OF their work, and the Chinese
OF into their holiday clothes.
Late in the afternoon the long lines
big, gaudy-colored lanterns swinging
| front of store entrances, We're lighted
nd at night the scene was picturesque
usiness was put aside, the Chinese
ame out in their brand new clothes.
TX being prominent in their dress, and
len the farewell calls for the old year
OaI .1l,F -SJ7ea r,-a7 sit