The Hawaiian gazette., 1883-07-04
A Big Blaze

One Of the city police officers while patrolling
his beai King street, on the early morning IS
O'Clock Of the 18th alt had his attention attracted
by light in The hAy, grain, feed and grocery store
Of c. F. Wolfe, No. King street Investigating
he found that Gre in progress in the interior
and he summoned to his aid two other native po-
lice officers The three burst the door in and then
went with buckets to the different water taps in
the vicinity, and to the hydrant in the yard of Ma
| ior Gulick endeavoring to obtain a sufficient
quantity of water to quench the flames, which at
this time might easily have been done. Their
search was In vain, water being obtainable and
Captain Mehrtens and Mr.. II. Mcintyre arriving,
an alarm was rung in from Engine No. is and also
from the Police Station. In the mean time the
FIRE had assumed larger proportions, and those
present being powerless to stop its progress,
account of the lack Of water the whole interior Of
the store was ablaze and long lurid lines of flame
darted outward and toward the paint shop of
Mr.. L. G. Rowe, situated on the Eva side of the
burning building and the brisk breeze blowing
frow the northward famed the flames into great
sheets, that soon attacked the residence of Major
Gulick, situated on the waikiki side. and the car
peiiter shop Of Nh. l.. Way, located in the rear.
number OF residents who had been awakened by
the alarm and were first on the ground effected an
entrance into the paint shop of Mr. Rowe and sue
ceeded in passing out and saving some $50 worth
of his stock. Entrance was forced into the resi-
dence Of Major Quick. both the Major and his
wife beng at their country residence at kalihi,
and by hard labor and some considerable risk the
party succeeded in saving 4 considerable portion
Of wearing apparel, furniture, and a piano. The
IRE however, was making such rapid progress both
in front and rear, that but little opportunity was
given TO save the more bulky articles Within ten
minutes from FIRST catching ire, the dwelling house.
paint shop, and carpenter shop were all ablaze,
the fremen who responded promptly to the alarm,
standing helpless by their empty hose lines and
vaterless pipes At this time the buildings in the
rear of the carpenter shop consisting Of light wood
en- native dwellings, commenced to catch ire and
the utmost CONSERVATION spread amongst jewellers
on Merchant street, between Fort and Alakea, who
for the most part began 10 move their household
goods to more safe locations. A wooden dwelling
occupied by Capt. Lorenzo MArchant, now caught
mn. as also one directly IN the rear of Major Gu
ticks residence, and large two story wooden bull
ding situated next to Levers a Cookies lumber |
yard, was soon discovered 10 have also caught fire.
in different places On the roof. Still no supply of |
water, and the prospects seemed TO point To the
total destruction Of the lumber yard mentioned, |
and great fears were entertained of a most dsas-
trous eoniiagration. Engineer Mott dispatched |
some men with buckets of water to the roof of the
two story building mentioned, Who succeeded in
putting out the flames that were there apparent, |
and also placed men lumber piles in Messrs. |
Levers a Cooke S yard, IN charge of Capt Penhal-
low Of the H0Pd, and commanding q full sweep of |
the seemingly doomed house. Engineer Wilson
had placed one hand engine and one steam engine
III proper positions, and from one Of these, No 4.
was obtained the first water thrown on the fire. at
From the other engines no water could b. obtain
ed on account of the lack of supply and things
looked dubious. At 3.2i a shout from the hosemen
OF CHINA No. . attracted attention TO them, and IL
was that they were throwing 2 strong heavy
stream Of water on the remains OF the dwelling of
Capt. Mgrchant and were doing good work. The
stream was momentarly directed by the Chief 10
the large woOicn building spoken of which was
soon thoroughly drenched. Tue buildings which
had caught FIRE Wolfe's, Ways, ROwes, Guick's
and u dwelling owned by native named kAnuha,
were at this time shapoless mass of burning lum.
Der and the breeze having died out the fire was
quickly under control and soon eXtinguished, the
smoking ruins being left to tell to early rsers the
tale OF a fire which had been yanquished more by
the aid of Providence, in the wind lulling, than
by the appliances usually at command Of man.
FIRE NOTES.
The fire was most rapid in its progress all Of the
buildings burned having been DESTROYED IN less
Than half an hour and had the breeze, which was
blowing at the commencement of the fire, continu-
ID, there would probably have been a most disas-
lrOus cOniiagratlOn. Sparks and shingles were
;arred by the wind, at first blowing. to consider
lble distance, some landing at Lucas planning mill
IN the Espanade: the BHlsfiH office and the store
# ]. l. D0wsett, both on Queen street two blocks
way from the scene were visited by burning Gin |
iers which set the buildings on fire, but quickly
Iucnched
The baptism of fire which the newly elected en-
yineers were compelled thus to undergo reflected
;redt ON tue assistants, both Messrs. Wilson and |
honsarrait being cool and collected and perform
u |
The Superintendent Of Water Works had left 4 |
tanding order at the telephone station to notify
he man at the Nuuauu reservoir TO turn on the !
yator in case Of an alarm of fire; the order was con
eyed the water turned on, but the distance To be
ravelled by 1t to produce sufficient pressure
aused the delay.
detachment of sailors and marines from the
]. 5. ;. Esser were ON haud TO render service if
leeded. - I
The losses by the FIRE amount in round numbers
Q nearly 500 distributed as follows: Way
1900, G. T. Gulick Ss,OOO, Rowe $500. Wolfe
1900. OF these Messrs. Way and Rowe are I'm =,
insured, Maj. Guliok has an insurance on house
nd furniture of 5000 and Mr.. Wolfe is reported
q be fully insured. Capt. Merchants loss IS in
he neiChborhood Of $1,000 uninsured.
Messrs. WundeEburg, Richard0on, Meyerdack
apt Mchrtens and a Few others were very active
a saving considerable Of the movable articles from
laior CiulicSs residence and tine native police
Ulcers did good seryice in saving stock from D
'owe PANT shop. No articles have been known
D have been stolen.
There has been no investigation held as to the
luse Of the fire the statement regarding the ease
nth which 1t might have been put out at first and
lso the locatioDl inside the store, warTanting
elleve that II wis not inCeudiary.
Major hinimaka had p Of the Household Troops
ngaged on duty at the fire, some ON the brakes of 4
.nginc %. No. 4 and others assisting m moving
he hose lines ubuut /