Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-05-03

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whale ships were los, in the habor by FIRE,
both fires were thought to be the work Of in.
cendiaries..
The FIRST Organization was effected in Octo.
Der $780, when Honolulu No. was organ.
lied with Mr.. Brandon as foreman and III.
ward Burgess assistant. This company Is spoken
Of as having done good work November 9th.
Immediately after their formation, at a FIRE on
The north side Of Nuuanu street, between King
and Marine, where eleven houses were de.
stroycd, Of which Marshal W. c. Parke still
carries vivid rccolleciions. About this time
Mr.. a. u. Bates drew up a law fir the organi.
zation Of the fire department. which was
adopted by the priyy council December 81,
1880, and confirmed by the Legislature the
next year.
BY authority u this law, Mr.. \. !. Cart.
wright was appointed Chief Engineer by the
late Governor Kckuanaoa, Feb 81, 1889.
There was after this lapse Of about four years
in which no fires occurred worth mentioning.
and the fire companies lost interest in the mat
teri but, after the burning Of the Varieties
Theatre, in July, 1855, Company No. was re-
organized and sent for an engine, which arrived
on the Yankee, July roth, 1880 This was o
piano engine, built in San Francisco. This en-
CINE was initiated only ten days after It's arrival
at fire which occurred July goth, in the rear
Of Nincent's Carpenter Shop, on King Street,
where seven native houses were destroyed.
The late George Mclean, an old resident, had
at that time small pump which was worked
by pedal, with hose about ten feet long,
and with which he often did efficient service.
In the early part Of 1865 new Zimmerman
Engine was sent for, which arrived in May, and
was used by the company until January, 1879.
when it was laid aside for cases of emergency
and to give place to steamer.
John A. Messenger took very active par,
in reforming No. Company and IN sending
for the engine.
The money for all the fire department, sup
plies was donated from the public.
King Kalakaua was at one time Foreman OF
No. 4.
1t is claimed that engine company No. 2
was started first, and tina, they established the
department Its first engine was obtained
from Boston vessel in 1850, and was housed
in the Brewer premises on Fort street, and il
1854 they moved from them to their present
quarters ON Union street. In 1858 they Sc
cured Zimmerman engine which they hay,
used until the present time. Until 1859 tn,
water supply consisted Of a iour-inch pipe OK
tending from the Nuuanu reservoir, when jacob
Brown and William b. Wright laid twelve
inch mains on Nuuanu street.
In 1851 the Chinese secured from China {
small hand engine with which they did gooC
service, water being supplied by long line o
attendants with buckets which were passcc
from one to another. After the flour mill fire OF
December IS, 1860, companies No. 3 and
were organized Pacific Co. No. 3 taking tn,
discarded engine Of No. 2, with Captain
assistant, and Hawaii No d taking the old en-
CINE OF No. !. The Cartwright lire OF Novem
Der 3, 1869. showed the need of more hose
and soon Pacific Co. No. 3 secured four
wheeled carriage and assumed the name o
Hose Co. No. I. Hawaii engine Co. No.
since the resignation of William Webster ant
!. O Dominis, its first foreman and assistant
has been native company, yet working ii
perfect harmony with the other companies.
The Hook and Ladder company, af,e
severe carly struggles, have nobly held thei
place in the department. The apparatus the
now have is their third outfit, the first on
having been made here.
The very destructive FIRE Of 1877 which swep
: the esplanade from Queen street down, dc
stroying property 10 the amount OF S25S,7o
was soon followed by the Along and Achuo
fire and it was then discovered that the depart
ment stood in great need Of steam FIRE engines
The Chinese were the fist to subscribe for
steamer, bu, engine Co. No through spir
Of rivalry sent an order for one and the er
= gines arrived on the same steamer and cam
? out for trial on the same day They were bot
manufactured by Clapp * Jones, Hudson, Me-
York. The two new additions Of steamer fC
companies and 4, have recently been full
! described in these columns. The departmer
is now equipped with steamers throughout fc
5 all its engine compaaies.