1899
Franchise of Hilo R. R. Co. to develop Olaa and lower Puna lands granted B. F. Dillingham and associates.
March 6, Princess Victoria Kaiulani died, aged 24 years.
June 24, Queen Dowager Kapiolani died, aged 64 years.
July 4, Lava outbreak on slope of Mauna Lon, following the flow of 1880-81.
September 5, First National Bank of Hawaii opened, incorporated at $1,000,000.
December 12, Bubonic plague made its appearance in Honolulu.

1900
January 20, Destructive fire of "Chinatown" section of Honolulu through plague purifying;
Kaumakapili church destroyed.
April 10, Act of Congress admitting Hawaii into the Union as a Territory
signed by President McKinley; effective June 14.
May 20, Death of Hon. A. F. Judd, chief justice, aged 61 years.
June 14, Territorial government begun.
--Marconi wireless system being established to connect the several islands.
July 15, Hon. W. F. Frear appointed chief justice.
December 21, Introduction of Porto Rican laborers.

1901
June 20, Commission of adjudication and award of claims for losses from the plague fire began their labors.
At expiration of time for filing such claims, 6,748 had been presented with damages amounting to $3,167,132.90.
Amount awarded was $1,473,173.0.
August 31, Line of the Rapid Transit Co., (electric) formally opened in Honolulu with five miles of completed road.

1902
February 19, Dredging of the Pearl Harbor Bar begun; completed August 3, 1903.
April 3, Gamewell Police Alarm system established throught Honolulu.
September 8, Senatorial Commission of Inquiry visit the islands and make careful investigations of local conditions.
Sept. - Nov., Through discovered serious defalcations, official changes occur in the Public Works,
Treasury, and Auditor's Departments.
December 28, Landing of the Pacific Cable at Waikiki, connecting with San Francisco,
extending subsequently to Midway and to the Philippines.

1903
July 1, Principles of the Torren's system adopted by an Act establishing a Court of Land Registration.
July 31, Alexander Young building, Honolulu's largest hotel, completed.
October 3, Activity of Mokuaweoweo, with small lava flow from Pohaku-Hanalei.
November 23, Hon. Geo. R. Carter appointed Governor of Hawaii, succeeding Governor Dole,
appointed Judge of U. S. District Court, vice M. M. Estee, deceased.

1904
January 4, County government inaugurated, dividing the islands into five counties;
subsequently the enabling Act was held unconstitutional.
June 19, Dedication of the new Kamehameha tomb in the Royal Mausoleum grounds.
July 30, Dedication of the new Odd Fellows' Building. Fort St.

1905
March, Completion of the Wahiawa (Oahu) dam and storage reservoir.
Sunday law restricctions materially modified, favoring sports and business interests.
June 3, Petroleum gas plant for fuel and lighting purposes of the city inaugurated.
July 1, Revised County Act went into effect.
November 5, Arbor day inaugurated for the Territory.

1906
February 19, Introduction of Russian colony of Molokans, which, after a few months trial, proved unsuccessful.
April 18, Hawaiilearns of San Francisco's disaster by earthquake and fire, and shares in her loss.
December, Opening of Filipino immigration; first lot of fifteen families.

1907
January 10, Outbreak of a double lava flow from Pohaku-Hanalei, followed by activity in Kilauea.
August 15, Hon. W. F. Frear appointed Governor of Hawaii, vice Geo. R. Carter, resigned.
--Hon. A. S. Hartwell, promoted to chief justice, vice W. F. Frear, resigned.

1908
May, Organization of the Hawaiian Pineapple Growers' Association.
June 2, Kawanakoa (Prince David), nephew of Kapiolani, died, aged 40 years.
July 16, Visit of the Atlantic naval fleet of four divisions, followed later by the Pacific fleet and torpedos.
August, Kanikeolani Children's Hospital chartered; completed and opened Thanksgiving Day, 1909.
September 12, construction work on Hilo's breakwater begun.

1909
January 4, New municipal government of city and county of Oahu inaugurated, with Jos. J. Fern its first mayor.
July 22, Work on naval drydock, Pearl Harbor, begun.
October 1, Makapuu Point (Oahu) lighthouse established.
October 21, First lot of Russian immigrants from Harbin; fifty families arrived.

1910
March 20, Corner stone of new Methodist Church, corner of Victoria and Beretania streets, laid.
June, Completion of Nuuanu dam and reservoir, augmenting Honolulu's water system.
June 24, Kalakaua Dynasty Tomb in the Royal Mausoleum grounds completed, and night removal of
remains there to their respective niches.
December 31, Initial aviation exhibition in Honolulu, at Damon's Moanahua field, by "Bud" Mars, in a biplane.

1911
June 25, New Kanmakapili Church, King street, dedicated.
--A threat of yellow fever visitation intigates a vigorous anti-mosquito campaign throughout Honolulu,
and the sacrifice of all banana plants adjacent to dwellings.
October 21, Corner stone of new Library of Hawaii building laid.
March 7, Hon. A. G. M. Robertson appointed chief justice, vice A. S. Hartwell resigned.

1912
January 22, Corner stone of College of Hawaii, Manoa valley, laid.
Feb.-Mar., Public Welfare Exhibit, held at the Palama gymnasium.
December 14, Naval parade ovation at completion of dredging of Pearl Harbor Bar,
by U. S. cruiser California and consorts in entering the port.
--Official visit of Hon. Walter E. Fisher, secretary of the interior, to investigate

the Huhio charges against Governor Frear's administration. On an exhaustive inquiry
the secretary concluded "the charges were not sustained."

1913
February 17, Collapse of the Pearl Harbor drydock, on its pumping out at completion.
May 8, Kilauea Lighthosue (Kauai), largest in the islands completed.
June 1, Opening of the Hamakua division of the Hilo Railroad.
November 11, Honolulu Marine Railway gives place to a commodious Floating drydock.
November 29, Lucien E. Pinkham, Governor of Hawaii, vice W. F. Frear; term expired.

1914
Primary elections introduced.
May 27, Amalgamation of the Chamber of Commerce and the Merchants' Association under the new name of Chamber of Commerce of Honolulu.
June 11, Kamehameha day celebrated with unwonted interest, to revive and preserve Hawaiian customs and traditions.
Nov. 20, Outbreak at the summit erator of Mokuaweoweo.

1915
March 25, Loss of U. S. submarine "F-4" off Honolulu harbor.
--Work on Naval drydock, Pearl Harbor, resumed.
April 25, New Christian church, Kewalo street, erected.
June 7, Death of Chas. R. Bishop, in San Francisco, aged 93 years.

1916
April, Completion of Mission Memorial building, King street, dedicated April 16th.

1917
September 2, Baldwin Memorial church, Paia, Maui, dedicated.
September 28, Pearl Harbor Radio Station formally opened.
November 11, Death of Liliuokalaui, deposed queen of Hawaii, and last of her high chief line, aged 79 years.
--Pan-Pacific Union organized and incorporated.

1918
March 7, Hon. Jas. L. Coke promoted to succeed Hon. A. G. M. Robertson, chief justice, resigned.
May 9, First Inter-island aeroplane flight to Maui and Hawaii, from Pearl Harbor station, by Major H. M. Clark and Sergt. R. P. Gray.
June, Official visit of Hon. Franklin K. Lane, secretary of the interior, and party, for observation and better understanding of Hawaii's problems.
June 10-16, First Territorial Fair opened, at Kapiolani Park.
June 22, Hon. Chas. J. McCarthy, Governor of Hawaii, vice Lucien E. Pinkham; term expired.

1919
August, Pearl Harbor drydock completed, at a cost exceeding $5,000,000. Official visit of Hon. J. Daniels, secretary of the navy, and party, to participate in the ceremonies attending its opening, and which he dedicated on the 21st.
September 29, Lava outbreak on slope of Mauna Loa in vicinity of Punokeokeo, 10,000 ft. elevation, which reached teh sea at Alika, in Kona. As it ceased, another flow broke out Dec. 22, six miles south west of Kilanea, and coursed over the Kau desert as in 1823 and 1868.

1920
April 13, Arrival of U. S. Pacific Fleet representation, comprising four battleships and thirty-two destroyers, Rear Admiral Wiley in command, visiting Honolulu for the Centennial celebration.
April 11-19, Hawaiian Missions Centennial celebration in Honolulu.
April 12, Visit of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales, on the battle cruiser Renown, en route to New Zealand and Austrailia. Revisited Honolulu in August on homeward voyage.
August 2-20, Pan-Pacific Scientific Congress holds its first conference in Honolulu, with over on hundred delegates in attendance.
August 28, Army plane with Lt. Robt. R. Fox and Corp. H. Cornet, lsot on a flight from Luke Field, Oahu, for Molokai; supposed to have met mishap and fallen in the channell and drowned.
Oct. 2, Women of Hawaii exercised their first voting right at the primaries, and in the general election of November 2nd.

Back to Hawaii Home Page