“Old Business” and “Club Automobiles”

Old Business is pursuant to the April 2024 article submitted by the Books and Records Committee. At the end of the article, I wrote: I will try and determine who the Club officers were in 1929.  I will also attempt to locate an old photo of the club vehicle. Thirdly, I will try to find out where the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce offices were in 1910 when HTMC was founded because it was there that our Club was born. 

Lo and behold, I began reading the “Brief History of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club” compiled from official and other records of the club in 1960 by R.J. Baker. This document is 134 pages in length, not including an Appendix. The document is organized by year, beginning in 1910. It contains a wealth of information and the Books and Records Committee will scan the document and work with the Board of Directors to make it available to club members.

In the April 2024 Newsletter Article, about the 1929 Club By-Laws, I wrote: “Although this eight page document is not signed, it is most likely written by the acting Secretary.” Boy, was I wrong! Here’s the real story:

“In the summer of 1929, Dr. S. F. Browne, a member of the club and one who had considerable experience in drafting club by-laws, was asked to head a committee for revamping the by-laws of the club. Aided by Fred Truman and Miss Ruth Mylroie, Dr. Browne drew up by-laws for the club which were adopted in January 1930.”

The club officers in 1929 were:

President: R. J. Baker

Vice-President: Edmund Meadows

Secretary: Margaret Todd

Treasurer: Alexander Tulloch

Club Automobiles 

The year was 1925, the following is Ray Baker’s account of the clubs first automobile purchase: “ The Problem of transportation for club members going on the weekend trips was beginning to press solution. Automobiles were gradually coming into common use by a few club members, but they did not furnish adequate transportation for all. It was costing the club too much to hire buses or trucks to have them partially filled.”

On June 24, 1925, a “used Cadillac car” was purchased for $150.00. Four years later,  R. J. Baker writes: “The old Cadillac car … had been used effectively in augmenting the club’s transportation facilities, but its inadequacies were becoming more and more obvious. At the beginning of 1929, it was decided to not buy a license for the old car.”

On May 1, 1929, Mr. Baker reported the purchase of a used Federal truck from Henry May & Co. Honolulu Grocers, for $423, and had authorized carpenters build seats for the comfort of passengers!  Following is Mr. Baker’s description of the truck: “This truck, low slung, of long wheel base, lengthwise seats, top and protected sides, was capable of carrying about 18 people.”

Another issue that the club faced was finding qualified and careful drivers. The truck was kept running and used until 1933, when it was given to the Vocational School. This ended any further attempts on the part of the club to own and maintain a vehicle.

The photos included in this article are of the truck. To date I have not located any photos of the “Cadillac car”.

I have not been able to determine where the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce Offices were in 1910, where HTMC was born, but I will continue my search.