The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-01-01

To observers visiting Honolulu in the
early part of 1899, and not again until
the close of 1904, it would be difficult
70 rthem to realize that the Honolulu
of today was the same city which they
had formerly visited, SO great have been
the changes wrought by the tustIing
American under five years of Uncle
Sans. rule
Yet TO its residents who have remain
ed here during that period, so method
zcally have these improvements develop
ed that few stop to appreciate their true
significance In fact, there are those
who hesitate TO acknowledge that any
change has been made for the better,
sorrowfu1ly refer to the good days"
But in order to adequately compare
former Honolulu in its quaint, pictur
esque and languid condition, with the
modern. ap-to-date, progressive city of
today, mist beg the readers indul-
gence while ] recall the impressions and
incidental experiences attending my first
visit to Honolulu and my later sojourn
made just prior to annexation
For nearly year | had been filing
a business engagement on the Island of
Hawaii, having gone there direct from
San Francisco. Wishing to visit this
city on my return, / took the local
steamer Kinau' at Mahukona and ar
rived here on Sunday at q a. m, Att
gust 10, 1897. / had planned to take one
of the Oriental steamers which was
scheduled to arrive at Honolulu on the
following Tuesday morning, thus giving
me two days to explore the city. On go
ing ashore | found the air heavily
charged with ozone which in a tropical
climate is always evidence that there
has been recent shower; and as |
strolled uD the dark streets in the early
dawn, | was conscious of some ur1-
known fragrance abroad in the air
which filed me with feelings of happy
expectancy | seemed to be IN a land
of enchantnlent even before the build
as the sun arose with the approach of
day a most charming transformation
developed on every hand The rain
drops hung nthe trees, making the
leaves look as though they were studded
with golden diamonds; and these trees
seemed to be growing Unfortunately
on a great many o ftlle streets and in
the sidewalks AS / passed along one
of the thoroughfares in the heart of the
city | found myself under a canopy of
broad-ieaved trees that grew on each
side of the street, so feet high, and
whose limbs interlaced overhead; and
that / was literally walking on car
pet of brilliant fallen flowers. Looking
/ saw that this variety of tree,
which resembled the California cypress, :
was so heavily tandem with flowers that
the green leaves were almost wholly
and as the bright suns rays
struck: the rich red and yellow colored
petals the tree looked as though it were
on fire.
I was so enraptured with the pictur-
esQueness of every thing that morning
that il never occurred to me to seek ac-
at hotel. | strolled on
and on until | came to park which
was enclosed with a high iron fence,
The gates being guarded by Hawaiian
soldiers. On inquiry, | was informed
hat it was the Palace grounds, and,
indeed, I could easily distinguish a mas
i've building standing back among the
trees The grounds themselves, with
heir great variety of beautiful palms,
Norway frs, banyan trees, and stately
-oyaI palms. dozens of varieties of the
rotor and other bushes, with their va
-iegated. bri1liant-hued leaves, also the
,ougavilia vine. climbing 10 feet high
,ver large trees with purple tipped
eaves-all seemed to cast a glow, pre-
enting a most magnificent flower gar :
len on grand scale.
Going out King street, found my
elf entering residential section of the /
ity. revealing well-kept private gorunds !
nciosed with magnificent hibiscus ,
hedges and forests of every known va
iety of tropical trees and great climb I
ng ferns, with leaves three feet long, ,
rowing TO the very tops of trees so
eet high The great noble monkey
od," with It's broad branches covering
alf acres, hundred fruits, mangoes,
ananas, vans, guavas. oranges, bread
ruit. papaia and dozens of other va
ieties of unknown fruits. \