The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-08-04
ANOTHER FIRE.
Michiels' Store, the Louvre of Brus-
sells, Nearly Quilted.
a Strong Suspicion That the Fire was
the Work Sf an IneendIarT.

At fifteen minutes before 2 O'Clock this
! morning fire was discovered in the
! store OF Charles AIichiels, the Louvre OF
brussels, at the corner of Fort and Mer-
! chant streets. Police Officer No. 8, on
/ duty in the vicinity, was the first to no.
tice the fire as he passed the store, and
/ Immediately blew his whistle and ran to
/ the Station House, calling out as loud as
/ he could the locality OF the fire The OPP
/ orator at the Bell Telephone Company's
/ Office heard the policeman, and at once
/ telephoned to the Bell Tower and gave
! the alarm. One Of the boys belonging
I to the volunteers OF No. 2 Company was
! quickly at the engine house, and getting
/ out the hose cart was soon on his way to
/ the scene OF the fire. He was met by
| Mr.. J. 2. Bowen and a native, who as
| sisted him in pulling the cart. When
! they arrived at Michiels' store the hose
| was attached to the hydrant
! Oh the makai corner of Fort
, and Merchant streets, and stream of
water was soon poured into the store,
/ which had the effect of checking the
| fire, that was now making cOnsidera-
| bic progress. \ few minutes later En-
| CINE Company No. l arrived and put
| another stream on, and the fire was soon
under control. 1t appeared to have
started somewhere in the middle of the
store and worked towards the front.
/ One OF the boys belonging to Volunteer
| Company No. 2 states that on going to
| the rear OF the premises, he found the
| door slightly open, and also noticed a
| bright flame of fire as if from kerosene
| oil. The fire was confined to the interior
| of the store, thanks to the energeticef-
| forts of the firemen, who worked With
will as soon as they had their streams
! on The " hole stock was badly burned,
and the ceiling and side walls badly
charred. The occupants OF the build
ings adjoining were quickly on the spot,
but there was no occasion for them to
move any of their effects. As soon as
the fire was out, Chief Engineer Wilson
made thorough inspection OF the prem
ises.
From reliable sources the information
was obtained that there was no light in
the premises at 10 o'clock Tuesday night,
and this, toget Ter with the fact that the
back door of tie store was discovered by
Mr.. Frank Higgins to be partly open,
Just sufficient to cause a strong draft,
and thus enable the fire to get a firm
hold, gives every indication of incen-
diarism.
Another suspicious incident in connec
ton with this fire is the fact that while
the floor and walls were slightly charred,
as stated above, the entire stock of dry
goods were burned more or less, giving
rise to the belief that the incendiary had
saturated the goods with some combusti-
bic fluid.
A show case in the store, containing
jewelry, and another containing small
quantity of silverware, were taken over
to the Beaver Saloon by Mr.. Notes
clerk and a policeman.
The Hon. J. L. Kaulukou, Marshal of
the Kingdom, arrived at the store about
the time the fire was under control, and
the Chief Engineer turned over the pos
session OF the place to him. Charles
Michiels, the proprietor of the store, was
first seen a few moments before the fire
was put out He stated that he locked
the store up at 3 o'clock Tuesday after
noon and everything was all right. He
does not keep a light in the store at
hos tab hn
premises. He further said that he did
not have the slightest idea as to the
origin OF the fire.
He is insured for $4,000, with Mr.. c.
o. Berger, divided into the following
| companies: South British and National,
! $1,000; Commercial Fire, 50, 800; Hart
ford Life, 300. The policies expire on
! the 18th OF this month.
Too much praise cannot be given to
the boys who compose the vol
unteers of Fire Engine Company No.
| , for their prompt action in responding
| to the alarm, as it is due to their efforts
| that the fire was so promptly checked,
and what might have turned out to be
! disastrous fire, owing to the number of
! wooden structures in the immediate vi
! entity, and the high wind blowing at the
time, was happily averted.
This is the second fire that has oc =
/ Cured on these premises within the last
/ few months, the former one being dis
| covered in the passage way leading from
Merchant street to the rear of the store,
among some boxes which were stored
there. The fire was put out before any
/ damage was done. On complaint of one
OF the house-owners to the Marshal, the
/ storing of boxes in that locality was pro-
! hibited
After the fire was out the fire laddies
| adjourned to Notes, where they were
| provided with refreshments on the invi-
/ tatiou of the w c. 7. L.