The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-05-29
the city from, aud drw i,s supply

IL VIII De Seen now unlOunUeU was
the claim that there was abundance
of water, and how irrelevant was
any talk about the Fire Department
having the whole supply of kapena
Pool to draw from. 1t is quite true
that they did have the whole supply
of kaprna Pool to draw from, and
in a somewhat similar sense they
had the entire contents of the
Pacific Ocean. But the ocean was
not quite near enough to be imme-
diately available, though, as we have
seen, water from the harbor was
ultimately utilized in considerable
quantities before the fire was extin-
guished, and Kapena Pool was
several miles further off than the
ocean. What was wanted was water,
and that in sufficient quantities, not
in Kapena Pool or in the sea, but
present and accessible in Hotel and
King and Maunakea streets. 1t is
of very little use to have the whole
supply Of Kapena Pool to draw
from, unless we have adequate means
provided for drawing it and getting
it where it is wanted, and that is
just what was deficient on the occa-
sion referred to.
The action of No. 2 in drawing
its water from the Empire House
cistern, so far from being mistake,
was in accordance with the standing
orders of the Chief Engineer that
whenever u fire occurred in that
neighborhood, water should be first
taken from this cistern, it being all
or more than all the hydrant system
could do to supply the other three
engines. This cistern holds some
twenty to twenty-five thousand
gallons, and would therefore supply
one of the larger steamers in full
action for about half All hour. On
this occasion, although a stream of
water from the main was constantly
running into the cistern through an
opening Il inches in diameter, one
engine emptied it in less than two
hours. The cistern at the corner of
Hotel and Fort streets is supplied
direct from the main, by a pipe
three inches in diameter; and yet
this three inch pipe only delivered
water into the cistern about as fast
as one engine drew it out.
An inadequate supply Of water
for the efficient working of the en-
gines, such as was experienced on
the afternoon of April 18th, might
be due to any one or two or all of
the following causes: First-A lack
of water at the source of supply !;
,Second-Insuificient pipes for con-
veying the water to the place Of use,
and Ihird-Hydrants or taps too
few in number or too small in calibre
to deliver to the engines the required
quantity. Assuming, in the abb
sence of any evidence to the con-
trary, that the result of the examin-
alton of Kapena Pool on the night of
the fire was as reported, the first of
the above-named possible causes for
the deficiency may be dismissed
from consideration. The other two
causes, viz. insufficient mains and
Inadequate fire plugs, appear to
have both contributed to the result,
although the latter was probably the
more important factor. This opinion,
which any intelligent person would
arrive at as the result of an inde-
pendent inquiry, is fully confirmed
by the committee yappointed to in.
vestigate and report upon the fire
and matters connected Herewith
In their report, under date of May
-, they use the following langu
age: e:-"As to the water supply
The water mains on Beretania, Ho
tel and King streets are too small tt
supply the steam fire engines now il
use, and the fire plugs are wholly
inadequate, being only Il inches il
diameter. :"
The above conclusion, thougl
, strictly correct, requires some eX
planation. Taking the figures a
they appear, they involve certail
seeming contradictions. The fir
plugs deliver water to the engine
through an opening Il inches il
diameter, and the engines discharg
it in two streams each Il inches i
diameter. Now, an opening of j
, inches diameter has an area AM
, consequently capacity for dis
, charging water nearly three times a
great as has one of II inches. Ye
. plug of the dimensions named
I declared by the committee to be, j
their own words, ''wholly made
quate" to supplying an engin
n throwing only t,co such streams
The explanation of this apparer
q discrepancy lies in the differer
a pressures under which the water
) forced through these respecti'
o openings. The quantity of wat'
\. passing through any given openin
4 depends not merely upon the size
q that opening, but also and equal
4 upon the rapidity with which
flows. Automatically, the matte
v may be stated thus: the amount
+ water which will pass through
= ,,I 30 hr... .