The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-10-23

Site of the old Meiggs Music Hall. one OF
the earliest places of amusement in pio-
neer days. A hotel known as the Grissern
House was built upon the lot in 1850 with
the money realized IN the first products
OF the Gould s. Curry mine. II was after
ward known as the Hassette House. when
the Reese Bros. purchased II IN 1882. 1t
was burned out IN 1875 IN the two upper
stories, when the name was changed TO
the Cosmopolitan. In 1876 Charles Croker
purchased the property from Senator
Sharon for nearly one-half a million OF
dollars. The building had a frontage of
over 65 feet and runs back to about the
center of the block.
J. ID. Yost, OF the firm of II. :. Croker
s. Co. appeared upon the scene at an early
hour yesterday morning and WAS kept
busy during the entire day answering the
questions of the many inQuisitive people
who are always on hand on such occasions
with their stock of interrogatories. To an
EXAMINER reporter he said; The in
surance win cover 40 per cent of the entire
loss and no more" When asked when he
had hrst heard of the fire. he replied:
About 4 o'clock this morning. l was at
my Oakland residence and the news was
telephoned over, l have often found IL
extremely difficult to hear people, when
talking to me through the telephone, but
i must say that l never heard anybody
more distinctly than 1 did when informed
Mr. Yost then proceeded to give the
reporter an account of the variety Of
stock contained on each floor OF his
as gtored al the beav4 stock s@e as
ledger, vanilla and book paper. 1t was
considered to be the wholesale depart
ment. The first floor contained the gen
eral stock comprised in the ordinary sta
tionery store. The members of tho firm
prided themselves on this stock, as it was
the very best in that line. On the second
floor was located the printing Office and
railroad ticket department.. 1t contained
two railroad ticket presses valued at
$500 each, two others valued at $1,000
each, eight cylinders and fourteen small
presses.
sHREvE's LOSSES.
The third floor was partly occupied by
George G. Shreve s. Co. as a JeWelry
mandatory, and was considered to be
one of the most complete of its kind on the
Coast. The members of the firm decline
to approximate their loss, for the reason
that their most valuable goods were
in steel vaults, which are probably
under water in the basement, and until
they are recovered and opened their loss
cannot be estimated. The stock Is insured
by the North British and Mercantile Com
pany for $4,000, but the insurance men
state that it will by no means cover the
loss. Besides the actual loss by fire, they
will suffer on account of the necessary
suspension of work, by reason of the loss
OF tools and and want of workrOom. The
establishmentwas quite an extensive one,
using from twelve to fifteen polishing
l6thes, valued at $500 each; four lapidariSts,
valued at 81. 600, and two large shear cut
tiers and a drawing bench costing 81 600.
A bronze statue on the same floor valued
at no less than $3.50, is certainly ruined.
OF the Railroad GGzeteeF and
the lithographing establishment of
Max Gumpel. The remainder of the floor
was used as storeroom for papers and
envelopes. The bookbinder's establish
mont was located on the fifth floor, where
a great deal of corporation work was done.
The firm of II. S. Croker & Co. hes long
since become famous throughout the
Coast. The house started in Sacramento
about the year 1856, and its business was
then confined TO printing and engraving.
J. ID, Yost entered the firm in 1868. About
ten years ago branch house was estab-
Hshed on Sansome street in this city and
subsequently moved to Bush street. where
Charles Croker fitted up the building just
ployed by the firm. Besides the great
damage effected by the flames, large
number of firms on Sansome street sus-
tanned severe losses by
WATER AND SMOKE.
Notwithstanding the efforts of the Fire
paulinS, The basement of the fancy dry
goods store of Sohweitzer, Sachs & Co., at
the corner of Bush and Sansome streets,
was Hooded by water and 1T is estimated
that about $4,000 worth of stock was de-
etroyed. The adjoining stores, occupied
by Greepbaum, Sachs & Freeman, furnish
ing goods; Hecht Brothers & Co., boots
and shoes; FTiedlander & Co, hats. etc.,
were also flooded, and a loss of about S10,-
300 was sustained by each firm. In the
basement ssSen tod OF the imp%1rtiHg jObtbing
Toklas s Co. a large amount of stock, also
Valued at about $4,000, is almost totally
destroyed by fire.
During the entire day an engine was af
work on Sansome street pumping out the
water Awhich was flowing in from the
burning building.
During the entire day large crowd of
people fingered near the scene of the con
hagration ana patiently watched the fire
men playing streams upon the Seething
mass of debris. Varius views were ex.
migration, and many noble-hearted and
wise citizens kindly volunteered state.
ments as to the best means of extinguish.
ing blaze In basement. 1t was rumored
about that other firemen persisted in the
flames. but this was denied by the depart
ment officials.
The origin of the fire has been subject
OF much conjecture, and 1t 10 impossible at
present to asoribe the real cause.
Cyrus Wade, foreman of the establish
ment, who was in the building as late aa
1870 o'clock Wednesday night. states that
there was no sign of fire at that time.
The boilers used in the establishment
were located in the area outside of the
building, and the fire originated in the
basement, near the large Corliss engine.
THE INJURED.
During the progress of the flames Ave
f1remen were brought to the Receiving
Hospital, suffering from light wounds.
The following Is list OF the names of the
wounded aud the nature of their injuries
John Burr of Truck No. 2; confused
wound and sprafn of the left knee.
Felix Desmond Of Truck No. 2; hurt by
box falling on his shoulder.
John Nagle Of Engine No. 4; suffocated
Frank Donovan of Engine No. 2, incised
wound on the left arm, above the elbow,
caused by plate-glass window falling
John Burns Of Engine No 4, cut on the
right hand from the same cause as the last.
Philip McMahon of Engine, while
working on the basement floor had his
feet severely burned and was almost suffo-
Gated. 1t was first rumored about that he
had been killed. He was taken to his
home on Broadway, near Powell, where
medical assistance was rendered. He will
be confined TO his house for couple of
weeks.
Joseph Barnett had a similar experience
at the fire and was also taken to his home.
At late hour yesterday afternoon the
flames could still be seen burning just in
side the main entrance on Bush street.
The entire interior of the building was
filled with smoke and steam and under
the upper stratum OF debris the fire was
steadily smoldering. Streams from sew
eral points continued to pour in all night
and nothing could be done toward pulling
down walls or exploring the interior of
the shell. There was little hope that any
thing recognizable of the dead flremen
Will be recovered.
THE INSURANCE.
The building was not insured by the
owner, and the stock within, amounting
to about 100000, was insured only for
about 100000 The companies interested
are as follows:
Union OF New Zealand ..............,. 1000
State Investment. Observation-Disclosures. 5000
Union OF San Francisco. ..........,..,... 10000
Commercial Union of Loi d n.............. 10000
Transatlantic of Hamburg ............. 5000
Hamburg and Bremen ...-............. $500
Tom don r,1G El0fa