The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1904-02-16
KONOH| IS
LET LOOSE
Chinese New Year Had
Midnight
tat.

licullttu ny tut SIiIll ilctS Va VIC ivy
Mills whistle. 1t did not seem TO have
enough steam for full tone until q
minute or so had elapsed. Yet it set
pandemonium of sound loose all over
Chinatown, which means in this case
every part of the city where a Chinese
store or laundry is situated. Ultimate
ly the herading whistle of Konohi
doomed out it's deep bass monotone. but
loud as it was the note became dim
amidst the crash of Oriental pyfotecl-
mics.
Looking along the principal streets of
the Chinese quarter scarcely anything
of festive aspect could be discerned
but the huge oval lanterns in their bril-
liant variegations of broadly laid on
paint. otherwise for quite a while no
fire-not even the sputter of firecrack-
err. Dull flashes of light from the rear
of stores in quick rotation smote the
rain-dulled sky, accompanied by the
fierce detonations of heavily pr!med
bombs. \ fusillade of crackers was al
the time scattering the welkin with
noise. Deep in side alleys could e seen
the moving glow of punk stick. ard
then a 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 side
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 tn"
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 well lighted
at least was not at 1870 this morn
ing-the 1.-THE forms of Cninese youth
in their holiday caps and streaming
queues moving rapidly from point TO
point amidst the SulphurouS Vapors to
light the fuses appeared like demons in
a multiplied presentation of Faust.
All this time the streets We're becon-
ing increasingly thronged. While the
Chinese We're keeping to their stations,
there We're stragglers of them in tNos
and threes and squads. lIost of the
crowd. however, WAS made
up of white and native people of whom
at least a third We're women. These
lodged into places Where
Konohi hospitality was dispensed, an !
as a 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 n
steady 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 We're set out with |
wines, cigars and sweetmeats, which
We're 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, IL
there is such in Chinese notation. 1t |
was din inexprcssible in written de- |
scription taking the fireworks and the |
music either together or separately.
There was another fine display of |
entertainment at a resort on |
the corner of Hotel and Smith streets. |
1t had a welcoming beacon that could |
be seen a great distance, in the form |
Of a string of colored lights upon flag
staff. The joss houses were in resplend-
ent array of light also, while contribut-
ing their full share to the auricular
species of entertainment.
Chinese New Year seems to have |
had as SUI cessful an initial impulse
this time as it ever had before in Ho- |
lolulu, notwithstanding the share that
doubtless has in hard |
times.
AS usual the police authorities in
bulge the Chinese wit immunity, to |
4 certain extent, from the regulations |
pertaining to explosives. 1t is said, |
also, that during the season there Is |
not so much liability of the raiding |
If quiet games of dominoes and such |
diversions of chance dear to the hearts |
Of subjects of the Celestial Empire.
1t was expected that further along |
n the morning there would be process
sions in the van of which monster |
Dragons, with blazing candles in the
yes and fiery splitting of the mouths,
would be led.
The usual noontime receptions will
De held, probably by both the United
Chinese Society and Consul Tso Fan.
VERY LIKE HIS DAD.