The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-09-24
MARINES LIKE PLACE.

Captain Niblack visited the encamp-
ment of the detachment of twenty
marines under Lieutenant Owen, and
found them housed in tents in an open
place. The men were all well and were
enjoying their queer outing. Assistant
Surgeon High. u s. N, is the medical
officer with the detachment The men
| are put through drill constantly, and
have target practice quite often. AL
though many in the cable colony were
quite willing to return to Honolulu IN
the Iroquois. the marines were content
to remain where they were.
NOT HOPEFUL ABOUT PLANTS.
The cable colony were not very hope
full as to the future of the trees, plants
and grasses taken to Midway by Captain
Niblack Although most of the varie-
ties were chosen by reason of their
growing in Honolulu on sandy stretches,
yet there is absolutely no soil on Mid
way in which to start them. There is
only wide stretch of coral powder, but
NJ soil.
NEfforts to get soil to Midway have
fbeen unfortunate. One hundred barrels
of soil from Honolulu were lost when
the Julia E Whalen was wrecked on
Midway and 100 barrels more were lost
when the cable steamer Scotia was
/ wrecked on Guam. The ten barrels OF
soil which Captain Niblack took to Mid
way were but a crumb IN bucket.
| compared with the hundreds OF trees
and shrubs and thousands of seeds taken
also Among the plants, etc, taken to
Midway were cocoanut trees, pandanus
palms, milo. kamani, hou, algeroba,
ironwood, bananas, oapaias, passion
buted BY Mr.. c. c. Coriradt, ex-Gover-
nor Cleghorn, the Hawaiian Government
Nursery, Rev. John osborne and the
naval station.
MODEL TOWN ON MIDWAY.
The new steel buildings which are
being erected on Midway bid fair to
create the little village into model
town. There are several buildings IN
course of erection of similar appearance,
practically two stories, which are to be
used for cable offices, residences. dorrni-
tories and storage purposes. The colony
will have fine cold storage plant which
will enable the cable people to keep
fresh supplies on hand for an indefinite
period. The contractors are building
big reservoir to catch rain. They have
two wears supply of acetylyne for IL
Illuminating purposes, and once the ma
chinery OF the new village is put in mo-
ton, life will not be so uninterestlng as
it has been in the past. They will then
have ice the year ROUND At present the
only drinking water they have IS pro
cured from wells sunk in the sand. This
is not cool. and the only cool liquid they
have had in months was made from ice
which was taken over in the lroquois.
ISLAND HAS CHANGED.
Ii may seem odd but Midway can
now be seen at greater distance away
than before This IS due to two wind
mills which have been erected i hese
are each 90 feet high. In former times
Midway, whose greatest height was a
sand dune 43 feet above the level OF the
sea. could only be seen from a vessels
deck about FIVE miles distant. Now 1t
can be seen. or at least the windmills
can, twelve TO fourteen miles distant
One Of the windmills is used TO turnish
fresh water from the reservoirs. and the
other pumps salt water for flushing
purposes.
MIDWAY GOLF CLUB"
~ Ea-