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

come forward with their generous offel
the project was far from realization
Mr.. and Mrs Cooke had agreed to con
stIuct the building on condition thai
Mr.. Castle give the land and that the
Rapid Transit Company agree to stock
ard keep The Aquarium running. The
plans. oy Mr.. PInkham, We're approved
and the building was constructed al
a cost of $4,000. Mr.. Castle gave the
land, valued at $500, and the Rapid
Transit Company spent 1928 in pre-
pairing the exhibit and 1885 additional in
stocking it. Mr.. Thurston stated that
bad weather during the past month had
made it impossible for the fishermen to
get specimens at sea or on the reef.
There are now sixty varieties in the
Aquarium and there are between four
and five hundred specimens to be found
in these waters. In a few weeks a
larger representation of the fish of
these waters will be secured. Some
deep sea fish cannot be placed in the
Aquarium, said Mr.. Thurston, because
they live at great depths, under pres
sure. and in addition are accustomed
to more freedom than can be given
them IN limited confines.
Mr.. Thurston explained further that
the lease of the ground upon which the
building stood was for seventeen years,
and during that period the Rapid Tran
sit would pay the running expenses of
the Aquarium: at the conclusion of
" mich term the fee of the land would
revert to the Government. He hoped
that the land would then be turned over
to Kapiolani park. and that the Aqua
rum might then become a public insti-
tuition. -Four adjoining lots, upon which
the lease expired at the same time. he
hoped also might be given to the park
SO that sea frontage would be obtain
ed for il.
The Aquarium building, as it stands
today. is in the shape of a cross, it's
arms being SO feet 10 inches, and its
total length on the me<in axis, from
the entrance to the end of the build
iEg, les feet. At the intersection of the
arms an octagonaI pavilion is formed,
forty feet wide, in the center of which
is an open tank. now filled with gold
fish, mallet, carp and a turtle or two
The material used for the construction
of the building is licben covered field
stones for a sub-base with a buttressed
stone entrance and cut vousscfr arch
stones. Above the sub-base the build
ing is of frame. The building, as it is
planned, admits of extension in the
future, and standing as it. does upon a
lot that is open to the sea, affords the
only public entrance to the beach at
Waikiki.
The aquaria, in which the principal
part of the fishes are kept, lead off
from the central pavilion. and there are
fE,irty-six nf these all told
The tanks are constructed of con-
crete and metal lath. 3 feet 6 inches
wide. 8 feet inches high and feet
long; on the corridor side, separating
the visitor from the f1nny tribe. are
plates of half an inch thick polished
plate glass. The tanks are lighted from
sKylights formed in the roof above, the
light penetrating through the water and
showing off the beautiful tints and va
riegated colors of the fish in their ele-
nent~
Back of the row Of tanks a passage
affords working space and conceals
from view the attendants at their du-
les, caring for the fish, regulating the
supply of air or water, or rearrang-s
ng new exhibits.
Salt water is pumped from wen ex-