The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-05-30

way. The Salvation Army maintained
large wooden ship on East street. just
opposite the landing stages at the
wharves. and the work that the Army
did cannot he too highly praised as il
was the same carefully planned work
which the SaIvationists are 50 able tt
carry on, and in carrying it on they
didn t hesitate about going into The
enemy's camp, for on either side OF
their boat was a line of saloon.
stretching away to the corners.
TENT FOR ATHLETICS.
Farther up Market street, on the site
of the old Central Park. the Market
Street Improvement Association had
erected huge tent, also fashioned like
boat, and here were held many of the
athletic contests between the crews OF
the various vessels. and between fleet
and shore teams. The largest athletic
event, the army and navy boxing
championship, was held at one of the
large auditoriums, and the two branches
of the nation s defenders turned out IN
great numbers, dividing and occupying
opposite sides of the house. The ex-
citement over the fistic battles ex-
ceeded anything seen at the local ring
sides in years, and when the soldier
pugs were defeated by the sailor fight
ers in all of the eight fights, not only
did considerable money find its way
into the sailors pockets. but the sailors
themselves went wIlt. with delight. And
at the end a most surprising thing oe-
cured. In the midst of the excitement
after the last fight the band suddenly
struck up ''My Country IT'S of Thee,
and instantly every sailor in the build
ing stopped and stood at attention.
Not so. with the soldiers, however, who
put on their hats and hurried for the
stairs amid the establishment of the
sailors and the civilians who were
present.
Had it not been for some few of the
soldiers who noted the contrast and
stopped the retreat, most of the sol
diers would have been out of the build
ing before the national anthem was
ended They were finally stopped, but
it was too late-the crowd had seen too
much. and the news was public prop
erty. The result was that the sailors
were raised higher than ever in the
public s esteem.
Perhaps the one thing which the sail
ors appreciated most of all was their
freedom to go anywhere and visit any
thing they chose. The officers COM
mented on this fact numberless times,
and noted the contrast with the East,
where in many places a sailor is denied
admittance. Even when it came to
saloons the only places they could visit
10 in 1nwaGf
groggeries Tt cannot be denied that as
a rule Jack is a sport, and left to him
self, in most instances he will prefer
the higher class saloon, and following
out this idea viii conduct themselves
far more mannerlv than they would
along the "Coast.' And it must fur
Their be said that the jaekies did not
infringe upon their freedom to any
great extent, and by no means forced
themselves in where decent regard
for convention would keep them out.
SAILORS GOOD GUESTS.
Another interesting point might also
be noted in connection with their gen
eral character. One thousand sailors
were taken for ear ride on three days
of one week, four cars being sent out
four times day. Members of the en-
tertainment committee acted as "spiei-
ers'' and hosts, and found the sailors
most delightful guests. Tt had been
planned to give cigars to the men dur
ing the trip, and all arrangements
were made. On the morning of the first
ride the cigars we've delivered in small
envelopes-two in an envelope-with
the explanation that this would be bet
ter as the sailors would be likely to
grab the cigars in handfuls were the
boxes passed. There was considerable
objection to this method, and while
there were no cigars to waste, it was
thought desirable to try passing the
boxes on the first few trips as an ex-
pertinent. To the surprise and graft
fcation of the entertainment commit
tees, the sailors were quite as CONVEX
SAINT with polite procedure as members
of a fashionable club. In fact they
leaned in the other direction. The boys
who passed the cigars said that among
eight hundred sailors but one took more
than one cigar when the box was pass
ed. and he took two. Many, however,
wanted to pay for the cigars, and when
they discovered they were free they
insisted upon tipping-the boy, and they
were with difficulty restrained from do
ing go. It would be hard to find men
who were more grateful for small
favors done them, or more enthusiastic
over the things done for them.
Sailors were intoxicated to be sure;
it would be hard to release a thousand
or more men in strange town at a
time without also finding some heavy
drinkers, and these few exceptions were
taken as representative men from the
feet One sailor recounted to me with |
amusement an experience
ne had had the day before. He was
standing in front of the Call building |
n company with FIVE men from his ship, |
and there were at least ten other sail |
'rs near by, also an acrid looking |
woman who stood near the curb waiting |
'or a car. A sailor came hurrying |
Town the street, and it was easy to see /
hat he had been drinking heavily. He |
vas, however, in full possession of this |
aculties, and he was pointing for his
hip. as fast as his constantly tangling |
egs would let him. He didn't trust