The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-05-18

GREAT FIFE-CosuoroIIrAN HoTFL Partly Dr.
sTRoYEp-Tuesday. April 23d, between = and I
O'Clock =. NJ. ERE broke ont in the upper sto<y of
this magnificent building-owing to a defect in a
ine-and despite the efforts of the inmates 10 eX-
tinguiSh it. soon gained terrible power. and for a
time threatened the total confagration of the house.
But the efficiency OF the Fire Department with their
admirable machines. finally overInastered the
flames. Fortunately the weather was unusually
calm, and no other buildings were seriously ex-
posed
The upper and fourth stories of the hotel were
burned. and the fire penetrated to the third story
but did not make Roadway there The unburnt
portion was very heavily damaged by the flood of
water that was poured in from above. The loss TO
the building. furniture, &c. Will probably eX-
ceed $3.50, 900. House and furniture insured for
$4,000.
During the fire. a man was seriously injured by
falling from the second story. and another hurt by
a falling cOrnice.
The Times and AHd contain the following addi-
tional particulars:
About half-past 3 O'Clock, an alarm of FIRE was
sounded. Quick, almost. as the throb of the cleo
trio wire. the startling Intelligence ran from mouth
to mouth that the Cosmopolitan Hotel was on FIRE in
the upper story. and likely to be entirely DESTROYED.
Instantly the ponderous fire engines went thun-
dering along the streets to the scene of the confa-
grafton. Hundreds of men left their business and
occupations and FASTENED TO the spot. and in a few
minutes the streets on all sides. for n block i'm dis
lance from the hotel, were blocked with dense
masses of people.
The furniture in the house was of the most Gle
giant and costly description. and contained in three
hundred rooms. 1t seemed a herculean task TO
remove it. but scores of men fell 10 work with n
will. Large quantities Were carried down the
stairs from the upper stories and placed along the
side walk on Bush street. or carried into adjacent
buildings, the owners and occupants of which
kindly threw them open for the purpose.
By sunset the flames were almost completely ar
rested but the engines were kept at work and
played constantly two or more streams till about
twelve O'Clock last night. when the last visible
spark was extinguished and they were stopped.
The hotel may he considered almost n perfect
ruin. so far as the interior is concerned. The floors
walls. stairs, etc. below the fourth story remain.
but the deluge of water which had to be thrown
upon them will necessitate the tearing of all the
piastering in all the rooms while the fourth story,
attic and roof will have to he almost wholly re-
placed. The damage to the building proper is es-
timateG at 800, 600-probably even more. The
new addition was not extensively injured by the
fire. further than the destruction of of win
dOws, but the water drenchcd it badly. The insur-
ance on the building and furniture was insured for
$4,000 in local companies. Individual losses sus-
tanned by guests must reach high figures. in the ag-
gregate. but in the confusion and excitement of the
time they could not be particularly ascertained
beyond Il few cases.
The total cost of the furniture of the hotel was
S1G5. 000, on which there was an insurance effected
of $4,000. The property now would command
about the latter sum.
The building was insured for 100000. 1t will
cost about $4,000 to put in II state of complete
repair.
The burning of the Cosmopolitan. together with
the arrival of 4 large number of passengers by the
mail steamer Constitution. has crowded the remain
ing frst-class hotels. Last night the Occidental,
the Lick and the Russ hotels accommodated at least
eleven hundred persons. so far as we can learn the
second-claSs hotels We're also filed To replction.
The proprictors of all our public houses are vie
ing with each other to extend every
ton to the persons burned ont Mt the Cosmopolitan,
as well to the strangers who have just arrived in
oiIr midst.