The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-01-30


ASSOCIATED Press by Federal Wireless)
william G.. Irwin, Of San Francisco
and Honolulu died yesterday morning
Of complication Of nervous disorders,
after an acute illness OF two weeks.
His wife and his daughter, Mrs. Tenn
ploton crockor, we're at his bedside.
-
The death of "BilIy'' Irwin is the
cutting Of one more Of the few remain
ing links between the Honolulu of the
monarchy days, when the foundations
Of many of today's fortunes were laid,
and tho Honolulu Of the present For
many years the visits of Mr.. Irwin to
the scenes of his hoyhood and his early
manhood had been fewer aud longer
apart, but he had ever been looked up
on by many in Honolulu as still n
Honoiulan, and his commercial triumph
ON the Coast has been regarded with
local pride by those who knew him so
well in this city for many years.
Son Of British ohicer.
Mr.. Irwin came to Honolulu from
England when lad, seventy odd years
ukOf MS bkt ~ ataNHs Dtluk tAkhN1
years. His father was paymaster in
the ordnance department of the British
army. The elder Irwin started for
California with a load of merchandise
during the earliest gold stampede and
putting into these Islands remained. He
was at one time secretary in the foreign
Office VIM. G. Irwin had not yet
reached his majority in years when he
entered the service of Aldrieh, Walker
q Co., who were then prominently iden-
titled with plantation interests. This
firm went out of business and young
Irwin soon secured an engagement with
Levers & Dickson, lumber merchants.
Mr.. Irwin was the bookkeeper.
This connection did not last very
long, Mr.. Irwin being offered better
terms with Wa .og, Allen Co. The
next move was a big step. IL was
really the advance march, the begin
ming of the business identity of VIM.
G. Irwin. He organized the agency
combination OF VIM. G.. Irwin & Co.,
with z. s. Spaiding and }. s. Walker
as his associates. Success was imme
date and the firm was soon on sound
footing. IL continued TO make money
and extend the business till it was dis
solved, by mutual agreement in the
year 1880
Claus spreckels' Partner.
In 1881, Claus spreckels, who had in
vested heavily in Hawaii, but who did
not care TO remain in the country all
of the time, having large holdings on
the Coast, made a business proposal to
VIM. G, Irwin. A partnership was ar
ranged that neither man ever had cause
TO regret Mr.. Spreekels, shrewd, dis
eliminating, en- unerring Judge of men,
had watched Mr.. Irwin Tor a long time
and had set his mind to the fact that
he wanted TO associate with himself
here Just such an individual--one with
everything local at the tips of his fin
gers, with a head for big affairs and
trustworthy and aggressive and self
contained. The conferences between
the great sugar king and veteran cap
itallst and the young Honolulu business
man who was all business, resulted in
the announcement of the new firm Of
spreckels & Irwin. - 3. 5....#
Mr.. Spreckcls gradually withdrew his
capital from Hawaii and found a purr
chaser Of his interests in the person
of VIM. q. Irwin, who became one Of
the wealthiest men in the Islands.
Decorated by Kalakaua. u
Throughout his career in Hawaii, Mr.,
Irwin Kept out of politics, though often
urged TO accept high public office. In
1887 he dill consent to enter the PriyY
Council Of State, ana later, in recogni-
7 ton OF what he had accomplished IN
development of the country and his
sturdy advocacy of the best interests
OF the group, he was decorated by the
latA King Kalakaua. Some years later,
in 1g6s,4he was further decorated, this
time by the government OF France,
which made Mr. Irwin a Chevalier Of
the Legion of Honor, in recognition Of
the part he played as Hawaiian repre-,
sentative at the Paris exposition.
Great Plantation Interests
Mr.. Irwin 3 interests in Hawaii were
great, in sugar, in banking and in
transportation. At one time the cor
porations in which he was interested
had ten thousand men on their pay.
rolls. During his later years, when
he became permanent resident of
San Francisco, he worked as diligently
TO make that city the "Greater San
francisco as he did to build VI
Honolulu into a modern American city.
A year ago Mr.. Irwin Incorporated
his holdings under the name sof the
William G, Irwin Estate Company, To
which were transferred his Honolulu
town aud suburban properties, valued
at the time at half million dollars
including the Irwin Villa, at Waikiki
the Hawaiian Opera House and the
lots adjoining, the Irwin Block on
Nnuanu street and other properties.
The treasurer and local represents
tive Of the corporation is y. /. Spald
ing, who also held Mr.. Twins per
sOnal proxy. E
w. M. Giifard, who has been long an
employee and associate of Mr.. Irwin,
represented the latter in Hawaii in o
number of other land holdings, inelld
ing the Mannawil Ranch and the
Lanai interests,
Richard Iyers, Of Honolulu, who is