The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-07-15

be levied upon the city of Homo
lulu. The matter of loss by fire
and similar matters are more fully
treated IN the report of the Fire
Marshal which states that the in
tent OF the law with regard to the
storage Of kerosene is unqucstion-
ably violated on account of defects
in the law For instance, a wooden
building of hundred feet front |
might be divided into twelve stores |
of ten feet depth. In each of these |
ten cases could be stored while a
brick warehouse a hundred feet |
square could only store ten cases.
The inspection Of stores and fire
places show that there are still a
large number of careless people
and dangerous places in existence.
The Fire Marshal seems to have
abated many of these. When it is
remembered that the great fire of
1886 originated from such cause
as this, it is apparent that too great
caution cannot be used The Fire
Marshal recommends that he be
authorized by law to test kerosene
oil, and the suggestion is also made
that the fire test now prescribed
ought to be raised to at least 125
degrees. 1t appears that there
have been eighty-tive fires in Homo
lulu during the last period. Of
these incendiarism is charged with
twenty-five which is certainly a
most alarming number. Lamp ex-
plosions have caused eleven, care
lessness with matches the same
number, fire works caused four,
electric light wires three, the other
: fires coming from a variety of
causes. The total loss by fires
amounts to something over S37 400
of which the insurance companies
have paid $4,000. 1t is shown
that the work of the department
has been excellent, but very few
minutes having elapsed from the
time of the alarm till water has been
= thrown upon the fire. There has
been some loss of life, but FORUM
E ately not very great. The remain.
der of the report is mostly made up
of minutes regarding requirements
for the department of MINOR inter
: est to the public.
The report of the Marshal, upon
s prisons shows that the Oahu Prison
Q has received LIZ inmates during
l. the period other prisons on the
II other islands have received 1,175
: There were in prison March 31st
9 119 persons, Is of whom were
awaiting trial, the other under
Q going sentence. There are SO Ha
: wailans, 80 Chinese, 5 japanese
s and other foreigners Is. The
,, largest number imprisoned at any
g one time was PIG which followed
: the riot of last year. The support
l. of prisoners in Oahu Jail, including
g the cost of guards, ETC., has beer
,, over $4,000, which has cost The
: community therefore something
L over forty-six cents a day. There
l. have been ten deaths, six from
n natural causes, one suicide anC
l. three executions. The latter wer,
y all for murder Of five escapes
q three are still at large. The re
Q ports from the other islands lndi
% cate that Oahu covers about one
% half of statistics in whatever way
4 they come. DR.. Rodgers repor
st upon prisons is interesting ant
l. contains valuable statistical matter
n 1t says that many of the Chimes
D. prisoners upon Imprisonment wer
D in state of low vitality, most @
c. which appears to be due to the us
2 of opium. Of the others the use o
Of liquor appears to have been tn
Ill cause of the more or less impaired
e. constitution of nearly all. A few
t., are such physical wrecks that tn
lie prison merely affords an asylum
rs where they are cared for at publ
he expense. Attention is called t
lie the fact that our prisons ar
n not graded. The murderer, AM
le one serving out trivial fine TO
al some small offense, and all grade
I'd between, are confined together
al The defective construction of tn
r Oahu Prison is to blame for thi
s. state of affairs on this island and i
so appears that this prison, Will
d, kept scrupulously clean and nea
he and under good discipline is We
very Objectionable indeed o.
Mt account of lack of ventilation an,
II