The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-03-14

The San Francisco Call of March 4th
publishes the following interview with
Alexander Young of Honolulu:
Alexander Young. who sailed for Ho-
nolulu on the Sierra yesterday. gives
some interesting "reminiscences of his
early experiences in the islands in the
days whea 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:
TT was in 1865 that 1 first went to
Honolulu. Kamehaneha V was still
reigning, and things were very differ
ent then to what they now are. The
sugar 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 man
agement 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 a
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. Tt 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 breezes they made a most
imposing cavaicade as they galloped
down the grass-grown streets, where
now the finest street cars in the world
rush the surprised traveller along adj
mirably kept thorodghfares skirtins
scenes of almost indescribable beauty.
THE mechanics at that time were
only about q 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 of pineapples and bananas
for export trade, the cultivation of the
exotic banana marking a distinct fea-
ture in this direction. Coffee growing
has been tried, but not with success. 1
dabbled in the sugar business myself.
but iron was always my leading card.
when I retired six years ago ]
thought 1 might be turned out to
grass as the saying is, but the mac
tivity was too much for me and L soon
wearied of it.
Then came my latest enterprise.
which is. indeed. my greatest, the Alex
ander Young Hotel at Honolulu. which
1 regard with, 1 hope, a pardonable
pride. 1t was designed by an Ameri-
can, built of American materials and
by American contractors and work.
men. 1t is in the very heart of the
city, yet commands quiet and seclu-
sion, and with its unique roof garden
and unrivaled appointments can hold
its own with any modern caravansary-
The roof garden alone occupies a paved
area of a third of an acre, and there
concerts and dances are often given.
at which one meets interesting travel
ers from all quarters of the globe, New
Zealand's wonderland and Alaska 5
snowy plains.
Few who have not visited Honolulu
can realize its beauties. Imagine a
wide stretching bathing beach OF white
coral sand. with water OF such crystal
clearness that the bottom is plainly
visible showing here and there patches
of sea moss adhering 10 the coral and
producing a variety of tones that seem
to beggar the rainbow. Then there is
the DeautlIui hapIotSiiAl an SG-itSA -
by q racecourse. skirted by rapio tran
sit cars that pass every few minutes
for a scent fare and having much OF
its area covered by water on which
acres OF pond lilies and water orchids (
float in a picture of enchanting vari- /
ETY.
within easy reach of Honolulu is the /
Island of Oahu. which makes a highly |
attra Give excursion. Starting by the
early morning train one winds between !
the Pearl Harbor Lochs and the fine !
range, dashing through fields +
of sugar cane in every stage of Guilt /
vation Leaving the sugar fields be- +
hind. the traveller is given spectacle +
Of great marine grandeur. Across the |
track are high mountain slopes with