The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-10-08
THE ENGINE COMPETITION
an Exciting Race-Ouick Time Made nv
n0th Companies-NO. 1 Gets First
Water.

FOR half an hour before the signal at
nVe o'clock on Saturday, Honolulu En-
glne Company No. l and Mechanic
Engine Company No. 2 were all ready in
their respective fire stations. The pre-
Vlousty agreed upon two taps on the
lower bell had the effect of hurting
them, as If from cannon, ont on the
street and away for the Inter-Tsland
Steam Navigation Company's wharf.
Mechanic engine, stationed at the Bell
Tower, had horses harnessed to its pole.
Honolulu engine, located on King above
Aiakea street, had towage of two saddle
horses with lariats. The Honolulus we're
determined to reach Fort street before
the Mechanics crossed King, and the
latter were resolved that the former
should get left at that point.
quicker than it can be told the Me-
chanics ratified past King street, giving
the Honolulus about fifty yards distance
IN their rear.
Both engines were vomiting fame and
smoke of petroleum soaked fuel from
their tunnels, and the din was terrific as
host of carriages and horse and foot
closed in upon their wake. Robt. More,
foreman, and Pat. Hughes, engineer, of
No. l, and John Lucas, foreman, and
Ed. Hopkins, engineer, of No. 2, were on
their respective flaming machines with a
force of firemen in each case.
Mechanic engine was about 20 seconds
ahead OF Honolulu engine in reaching
the wharf. Before the machine was in
position, the men of No. had the stipu-
lated 300 feet of hose laid. This was
only three minutes from the tap of the
bell, and twenty-five seconds later the
men of No. had their hose laid. The
! nOzzles reached a point about opposite
the Harbor Masters office on Fort street.
Then came the intense excitement OF
waiting to see who should get first
water, which had to be got by suction
| from the harbOr. An ominous gurgle in
No. l. hose preceding the water by a
second or two made the hosemen of that
company cheer vociferously. At exactly
| seven minutes after the alarm, Homo
lulu, No. 1, won the competition by
| throwing first water, which was fine
| working stream when thirty seconds
| later the hose of Mechanic, No. 2, began
| to spout.
Two splendid streams from inch noz-
zles were soon playing straight up in
! the air. No. l had begun to play with
| fifteen pounds of steam, No. 2 with
| eighteen pounds. In eleven minutes No.
l had eighty-fve pounds of steam, and
! No. had sixty pounds. No. l had
| about an inch and half of water in the
boiler when the fire was kindled, while
! No. 2 had four inches of water and can
not safely work with less.
After playing for few minutes No. l
engine began printing, and the foreman
having to leave to get his foot doctored
gave orders to cease working. No.
| continued pumping for some time, and
her foreman exclaimed triumphantly
F'See our engine stop ready for action,
and theirs is played Out!''
In the terrific race there were some
| accidents. Foreman More had his boot
| take fire after being wet with petrO'
| leum from the bunker, and was severely
burned in the foot before the wharf was
reached. He had the choice between
taking the scorching, stopping and losing
the race, or jumping off to probable
death. His conduct in accepting the
first was rather heroic. Louis Tous
saint of No. l was steering the hose reel
| and the tongue swinging round knocked
| him Off The wheel of the reel passed
over his foot, severely bruising the
ankle, and he was sent off in hack to {
doctor. A native fireman of the same
company was flung to the ground il
turning at the wharf, but picked himsel
up so quickly that nobody bothered t.
ask him if he was hurt.
Hon. w. F. Allen aud Mr.. G. o
Berger were Judges of the competition
Foreman More says No. is ready fol-
any fire company in the Kingdom TO
hose-laying or getting first water. Fore
man Lucas says No. 2 is ready TO
another contest, but with half mile run
any time