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


clear back to Beretania opposite the
church, but the invariable answer
was "I have no authority" At this
juncture, His Majesty the King ac-
companied by Captain Hayley walked
round the corner, and at once took
in the situation, and gave orders
forthwith to tear down the structures
referred to, and the job was done.
About half an hour later, the tug of
war here reached climax. A body of
men on the top and within the build
ing at the end Of the row already
mentioned, were tearing the fabric
to pieces, while the hosemen on the
opposite side surrounded by the
blistering heat were playing upon the
flames with steady stream. The
fire fiend was happily bafflcd in the
struggle, and the conHagration at
this point was under control.
All this time, the confagration
was rapidly spreading in other
| directions. Maunakea, Meek and
| Nuuanu streets were all but cleaned
| out.
King street. by o'clock, presented
an awful scene. The flames, having
marched down, in three solid, double
columns by Maunakea, Meek and
Nuuanu streets, ragged on both the
seaward and mountain sides of King,
all the way from Maunakea to Moss
mans corner. Great volumes of
smoke, in pink, purple, orange, black
and yellow rolled skyward, while,
in every direction, columns of
flame and showers of sparks con-
tributed to the advancing shades of
evening lurid and terrible glare.
From the upper rear verandah of the
Sailors Home, fair view Of the
whole scene was obtained. The
flames. from the burning Anchor
Saloon rose high in the air; body Of
men were ut work desperately trying
to demolish the building on the
corner of Nuuanu and King streets,
occupied by Wolfe & Co., grocers,
when, on the opposite corner, a dense
grey cloud of smoke covered the roof
of the Chinese store. The Chinese
store was in few minutes a mass of
blazing timbers. Wolfes store was
at once ignited and axemen and
others, engaged in tearing it down,
were driven off, and the building soon
met the fate of the day. Adjoining
this was fine brick building, the
Merchants Exchange, part OF which
was occupied by the Merchants Ex-
change Saloon. Windows, doors and
all other removable woodwork were
torn out, and flung into the street.
By this means, the building was
saved, and the adjoining store of
Castle & Cooke received but little
damage. However, in case of emer-
gency, Messrs. Castle & Cooke had
removed all powder and infammable
stock from the premises. The Police
Station was now enveloped in flame
from the ground to the cupola. The
officials had, early in the progress of
the fire, removed the prisoners from
the premises, as well as all records of
value, leaving the stock of opium,
contiscated from time to time, to be
smoked out by the fire fiend. How
ever, the old Station, where many
woful tale was told; where Judge
Bickerton daily sat and frowned on
the inebriates arraigned before him,
and where McKeague gracefully re-
posed with his feet on the window
sill, will not disappear in oblivion, for
Mr.. j. Williams, on the morning be-
fore the fire photographed the build
ing and the officers grouped in front.
At precisely 6 :57, the bell and cupola
tumbled into the blazing debris.
The interior of the Chinese Club
House, the grand opening of which
was reported in the BULLETIN on the
third of February, was being licked up
by the flames, its iron shutters next
morning presenting sadly warped
and battered appearance. From the
Anchor Saloon to me Bethel Vestry,
the blaze rose upward in mighty
volume, and was bent over in a
threatening manner towards the roof
of the Sailors Home, three stories
high. At this stage, the old historic
Bethel church around which clustered
many sacred associations of the past
i oA' viz PAOoOhVj VoS Si'Sh oP Aoi
lost. The movables were quickly
taken in charge by friendly hands,
and by 8 80 o'clock all that was left
of this grand landmark in the history
of Hawaiian civilization was the bare
stone walls of the lower half of the
building. On the Bethel and King
street corner, the shop occupied by
s. M. Johnson as a harness and sad
dlery store was torn down, and also
c. G. Coleman's blacksmith and
machine shop, on the opposite side
of King street. The equipments and
lease OF this shop were advertised to
have been sold at auction, Monday.
Several buildings had been pulled
down, at other points, during the
evening.
From the Anchor Saloon, the fire
entered the brick and cement store
of Wing Wo Tai, and was thence
communicated to the large three
story brick building of Wing Wo
Chan. With the burning of the