The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-04-30

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British tars with axes and hawser,
aided by body of the household
troops, firemen and others. The
Punahou College boys, with mum.
Der Of the sailors and citizens, set to
work on Mr.. w. E. Herrick's shop
with buckets Of water from the tank
on the premises for supplying the en-
gine of the machine shop, and thus
did good service in confining the fire
to the opposite side of Bethel street.
Captain Abingdon stood on table
opposite Castle 4 Cookies during the
fire, issuing orders to his British
boys. When through there, he
started on the. double quick, followed
by his men bearing the hawser,
across through the sea of fire in the
rear of the Bethel, to pull down the
shed on the lower side of Wing Wo
Chan's. A number of the officers
and marines got on the top of the
shed and wouldn't come down
until the shed fell under them. The
Wing Wo Chan building, stocked
with ships cargo OF goods, burned
internally like the crater OF vol
cano, while explosions from burning
Kerosene sounded like discharges
from a battery of artillery. Happily
for the city, the conflagration did not
get across Bethel street or into the
Sailors Home building, and the crisis
had passed in safety so far as Fort,
Merchant and Queen streets were
concerned
A hard fought battle was main
tanned for three long hours, up to y
o'clock, in the vicinity of the Foun-
dry. Only the outbuildings of this
establishment were destroyed. Mean
while, the flames were working along
King street, on both sides, towards
the bridge. The long rows OF two
story shops, nearly all Chinese,
closely packed together, presented a
most inviting field for the opera.
tions of the fire fiend. From the
foundry to the bridge, lay one of the
worst areas, from sanitary point of
view, in the city. Dwelling houses,
pig-sties, privies, fowl yards, cess
pools and accumulations of all sorts
of refuse were huddled together with
a degree of ingenuity that was simply
wonderful. This formed the princi-
pal part of the areas explored some
months ago by representative of the
BULLETIN under convoy of medical
man, and described at that time.
BY 8 o'clock, all that was left of it
was a field of ashes, firebrands and
grove of rapidly falling timbers.
At ii 20 precisely, the wall of the
last building, on the seaward side,
next the bridge, fell in; the second
last house directly across the street
being then well ignited. These two
houses, strange to stay, were saved;
and next morning stood, in grim isola-
ton, on the corner of full thirty acres
of a black waste of smoking debris.
The number of persons, made
houseless by this terrible calamity, is
variously stated from 5000 to 5000.
THE BRITISH SAILORS.
The gaps made by the tearing
down of buildings were effected by
the assistance of detachments of sail
ors and marines from H. B. Ms
steamships Heroine and Satellite,
some of whom were ashore on leave,
and others had been sent from the
ships Immediately on the outbreak of
the fire. The jolly naval heroes
worked with tremendous energy and
enthusiasm, and their splendid order
and discipline caused their efforts 10
tell. At whatever point their services
were engaged, results were at once
apparent.
THE FIRE COMPANIES.
According to the arrangements Of
the Fire Department, two of the
four companies are placed on active
duty, in rotation, each month, and
are required to be first at fire, the
other companies being in reserve un-
til called. Nos. 2 and 5 have their
turn this month, and were first to
respond to the alarm, the volunteer
boys of No. 2 being first to get
water on the fire. Nos. l and A
responded promptly when the whole
force was called out. 1t is highly
creditable to the vigilant efficiency
Of the Survey Engineer, Mr.. j. c.
White, who has supervision Of the
fire engines and apparatus, that
every engine, hose reel, and hose
was in perfect trim and ready for
instantaneous service. Each engine
is furnished with the usual compile
ment of axes, but when it became
apparent that buildings would need
to be torn down, and that the ordi-
nary supply of axes was insufficient
for the quantity Of chopping 10 be
done, His Excellency Minister Gu
lick of the Interior Department,
purchased $3.50 worth of axes, crow
bars and hammers, and gave them
out with orders to use them subject
to the direction of the Chief Engi-
neer.
Engine No. /, with Mr.. Alex.
hI