The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1886-12-14
THE FIRE THURSDAY EVENING.
A Valuable Building in Danger.

Last Thursday evening, little past nine
! o'clock, the Bell Tower rang an alarm for a
| fire in the Pacific Navigation Co.'s. ffe-proof
! building corner of Queen and Nuuanu streets.
Upon repairing to the scene of the fire, the
building was found to be securely locked, the
| iron shutters and doors throughout the
! building closed, and the only evidenceof any
! fire was the smoke Which forced its way out
under the caves and shutters of the building.
Immediately after the alarm was sounded,
! the ire brigade Was promptly at the scene of
the lire. The CHEF Engineer, G, B. Wilson,
First AssistantlAsch and Second Assistant
Hustace, were all present to direct In the
management of the fire. Pacific Hose was
first on the ground, followed speedily by En-
g1nes No. l, and 4. Engines Nos. l and 2
took water from the harbor, No. had the
hydrant at the corner of Merchant and
NuuanU streets, while Pacific Hose connected
with the hydrant at the foot of Nuuanu
street. No. I and Pacific Hose played
streams Of water on the roof and shutters,
while No. 4 occupied place on the stairs
directing its stream wherever it would do the
most good. No. rs boys had possession of
the third story landing on the stairs, where
apparently the most fire seemed to be located.
1t was evident to all that fire was raging
within the building, but in what part i, was
then impossible to tell. Mr.. Cooke was tele-
phoned for, and also Mr.. Terrill, the book
keeper, both OF whom had keys to the build
ing Both these gentlemen arrived on the
scene without their keys, and more valuable
time was lost before they returned, When the
ground floor doors were opened, it was found
the fire was IN the upper part of the build
ing, the entrance to which was by means of
an outside staircase and an iron door, which
was locked and the key to which was in the
possession of the party who had been using
this floor as sail loft, and who was no
where to be found-meanwhile the fire was
gaining Roadway every moment. The gal
liant tiremen were almost powerless for a
time, to do any effectual service toward ex-
tinguishing the flames within, but poured
torrents of water on the roof and shutters.
No. Us boys, who took up their position on
the landing outside the third story door, by
means of ladder got on the roof, and with
axes soon had hole through the corrugated
iron roof, and poured in heavy stream of
water; but it was then found that the fire
was under the caves near the centre of the
building, and could only be partially reached
through this hole In the roof. The forlorn
hope was how to get the iron doors open.
This obstacle after quarter of an hours
hard work with axes only was overcome by
cutting the rivets on the hinges and taking
the shutters off. The brave boys rushed in
with their pipes amid the fire and smoke and
their efforts were noticeable-they had Sc
cured commanding position where their
work told with wonderful effect. In a short
time the flames had disappeared, giving place
to dense smoke, and finally this also disap-
peared. The fire was extinguished but the
building was very thoroughly drenched with
water.
An opportunity was now afforded all to ex-
anime the interior. The fire mainly seemed
to have been in the attic Immediately over
the sail loft floor, although one portion of
the second story showed that there had been
a brisk fire there as well, but stream from
No on the first landing, through a venti-
lator near the ceiling kept that in subsection,
and no doubt prevented the spread of the
flames on that floor. The loft had been used
for storing all sorts of material, old sails,
models, ola cOpra bags, etc., nearly all of
which was consumed, together with portion
of the heavy frame which supports the roof.
The sail loft did not seem to have been Sc
riouslY dealt with by the flames. A number
of suits of nearly new sails we're on this
floor, and the only damage they received was
by the water, excepting one old sail which
was spread out on the floor being repaired,
and this was burned in places by the fire
from above falling through The fire on the
second floor appeared to have caught on the
partition and burned through into room
where was stored lot of calabashes, ship
Stores etc. The ceiling on this floor was
badly charred. In this room was stored lot
of miscellaneous merchandise.
On the ground floor was stored about 400
bags of grain and other articles. The front
on Queen street, was occupied on the north
corner by the Company's Office; the east
corner by the publishing Office of the Kuokoa
native newspaper,-the main damage la
these two offices was caused by water ouly.
The origin of the fire is unknown, some
attributing it to spontaneous combustion
among the copra bags, while others suggest
ed matches and rats as the cause, but up to
the present time no definite theory has been
established
The total losses it is estimated will not ex-
coed $1,000. The building and contents are
fully insured as follows: building, $6,000-in
the Imperial, A. J. Cartwright, Agent), Liv-
erpool, London IL Globe, &c. K. Bishop d
Co, Agents.. The merchandise and furni-
ture is insured for $4,000 in the same com
pauies. The transient freight was insured
III the Transatlantic IA. Hackfeid IL Co.,
Agents.. for $3.50.
Saturday, the damaged goods were sold at
auction by &essrs. L. i. Adams IL Co., and
Ar. l.. j. Levey, for account of whom it may
concern.
The evening being pleasant and the hour
early, a very large number of spectators were
present 1T the fire, but they did not see much
after all, the flames being confined within
the building. only showing themselves IN a
few instances. when the pipemen imme
diately directed a stream at the spot and the
flames would disappear and again show in
some other part, when the same operation
would be repeated, keeping the fiery fend
under cover nearly the whole tine.
1t was very unfortunate on this occasion
that the key of the sail loft was not in its
place in the office otherwise the damage
would have been triffiine-as it was, a fine
building with its valuable contents, was
placed in jeapordy of being totally destroyed.