East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-01-17
IN FAIR HONOLULU.
MRS. ALPHA WOOD
WRITES TO FRIENDS.
Extracts OF Interesting Letter Sent TO
spokane Paper by TeIkoa People
beautiful Island Empire is Win
ter Paradise Of Flowers, Soft Winds
and Inspiring Scenery.

The friends of Alpha Wood and
wlte in the Occur d'Alenes, at Tekoa,
wash, and at Weston, Ore, will be
interested in the following extracts
from letter written by Mrs. Wood
shortly after their arrival i'm Homo
iulu' to friends in Tekoa, who sent It
TO the Spokesman Review.
Mr.. Wood is a well known engineer.
lie was employed for years on the O..
H. & N. railway and by principal
mining companies of the Coeur
dAlenes. He was a soldier in the
Second Oregon regiment during the
Spanish-American war.
Having spent some time at Homo
lulu on the way to the Philippines, he
became so impressed with the beau
ties of the scenery and with the de-
hghtful climate that he determined
to make his permanent home in the
Islands. With this object in view he
recently resigned his position with the
Tiger mine at Burke, Idaho, and with
his wife embarked for the beautiful
isle Of the Pacific.
Mrs Woods letter reads in part as
follows:
After spending four weeks sight
seeing In San Francisco, we sailed on
the steamship Manchuria for Homo
lulu Saturday. December IS. We had
an exceedingly rough trip, striking
stormy weather as soon as we were
past the Golden Gate. Sunday night
a heavy gale was blowing and the
big liner was compelled to plow her
way through enormous waves. No
damage resulted TO the vessel but
there was much sickness among the
passengers. Tuesday night the United
States government transport Buford
was sighted. but our big liner soon
passed out of sight of the government
vessel, which was much slower.
4 Race at Sea
The Sanoma was overtaken
Thursday. All night long the two
steamships We're in sight of each
other. Gradually we drew nearer to
the Sanoma and watched anxiously
while great clouds of tar-black smoke
day morning we passed her and came
around Koko head about five minutes
before our rival put In her appear
ance. The race demonstrated the SUI
perIority of the Manchuria, as the
Sanoma left the San Francisco dock
eight hours ahead.
THE Manchuria's cargo was so
ola lAI sn
dock so the passengers were lowered
in steam launches and came ashore
Friday at 10 a. m. After landing we
were driven by native through a
number Of winding paths Cor streets,
as they are called here) to Helen's
court.
While at dinner a native school
teacher hung a lac (wreath % flow
ers) around by neck. saying as she
did so, Aloha nivi' dove to your.
This is their way of expressing re-
spect.
After dinner we visited our friend,
Rev. Mr.. Potwine formerly OF PEN
dleton) at the Chinese mission, then
TO st. Andrews priory, where music
was llOIh tNtlN ~
number of churches are located in
this court and the choirs were re-
hearsing for Christmas. There,
amidst the beautiful palms and flow
ers and listening to the most delight
full music l had ever heard. l stood
still as II in a trance. / had often
read Of such places, but never Le-
lieved they really existed.
Swan Day Before Christmas.
Saturday we took number of
car rides through the residential por-
ton OF town, where we beheld the
most magnificent mansions with nat
ural beauties surrounding them. The
absence of the signs, Don't pick flow
ers,' and Keep off the grass is no.
ticeabe to strangers. in fact these
signs are nowhere to be seen in Homo
lulu. on Sunday, the day before