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

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Heroic Fire Brigade--S, 900 People
Unhoused-Loss 81 800, 600.
What has long been feared by
some, and considered certain event
by others, has happened. The Chi
nese quarter of Honolulu has been
devastated by fire, that, gaining
headway in the dense aggregation Of
wooden buildings, was quickly be-
yond control and sweeping in all
directions. Practically all of China
town proper has been involved in
sudden and vast conflagration. With
its narrow alleys and dark, unwhole-
some courts and novels; its pictur-
esque ugliness and interesting Orien-
tai features; its immense traffic, on
large and small scales, legitimate and
otherwise its social institutions, of
good and bad repute, it has been
wiped almost completely off the city
plot. A large amount of valuable
property belonging to people of the
European and Hawaiian races has
been obliterated at the same time
within and on the borders of China
town. Below will be found particu-
lars of this overshadowing event, as
full and accurate as possible under
the circumstances.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
Sunday, April 18th, 1886 - will
ever be memorable in the annals of
Honolulu for this great fire. A
few minutes before 4 o'clock
the fire started in Chinese cook
house on. the corner of Hotel street
and Smiths lane. 1t was produced
accidentally by the owner Of the
premises in lighting his fire for
cooking. Some Chinese ran from
the spot, by way of Meek street, to-
ward the Police Station, shouting an
alarm. Officer McKeague ordered
the Station bell to be rung, which
was done with vigor. A general
alarm quickly followed from all the
engine houses China Engine Com
pany was the first to reach the
scene. At the start few buckets of
water would have quenched the
flames, but the Chinese denizens of
the neighborhood, in terror of losing
their all, paid no attention to the
flaming house, but devoted all their
activity and energy to saving the
contents of their shops and tene-
ments. Although not a breath of
wind stirred, the inflammable nature
of surrounding buildings invited the
flames, and quicker than can be told
the fire was leaping from roof to roof,
gliding along verandahs, entwining
itself about pillars and posts, fes-
tooning doors and windows, and
darting its fangs into every corner
and Granny where sure hold could
be obtained. In the calm the smoke
rose in vast volume, mingled with
tongues of flame, high into the air,
showing the entire population of the
city and suburbs that formidable
fire had started. Both thorough
fares from the starting point were
soon lanes of fire, quickly extending
themselves into other streets.
PROGRESS OF THE FIRE.
BY 5 o'clock the fire had spread
along Hotel street near Maunakea,
and the fine three story building, of
Sun Hang Far Co., corner OF Mauna-
kea and Hotel streets, was enveloped
in flames. 1t was evident by this time
that the fire was beyond control. The
flames from this structure ignited the
Hop Chong Market and Hing Kee
Laundry on the opposite side of the
street, which We're soon ablaze.
From this corner, it marched steadily
forward in opposite directions towards
Beretania and King streets, the fire.
men fighting it at every step, but the
odds were against them. At the
same time, the flames kept steadily
advancing towards Nuuanu and
Beretania street corner, taking pos
session of a lot of small wooden
buildings in the rear of Loves bakery
and the store formerly occupied BY
Hollister & Co. These buildings
being of brick and stone proved ex-
cellent towers of defence to the
opposite side of the street. The
Hollister building within was great
burning cauldron, bursting out occa-
sionally in fierce jets round the iron
shutters. A vacant lot between this
and the bakery proved valuable
neighbor to that establishment, the
bakery suffering but little damage,
being at work again next morning.
The well-directed exertions of the
firemen, aided by number of
active citizens, among whom were
noticed ex-Marshal Parke, Mr.. J. A.
Hassinger and Mr.. F. w. Damon,
were crowned with success in arresting
the conflagration's further. march in
this direction.
At the same hour, 5 o'clock, Meek
and Maunakea streets were blazing
on both sides, and the forward march
OF the flames was making steady pro-
gress, being then about halfway
down Meek, towards King street.
On Maunakea street, the American
House, at 8 20, was mass of flame,
On the opposite side of the street, a
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