The Hawaiian gazette., 1891-06-09
OIL WENT UP.
BIG BLAZE ALL DAY
TUESDAY.
The Government Kerosene ware
house in Ruins.
About Thirty-fye Thousand Cases OF
Oil Destroyed Kerosene Adj
vanced to Ten Dollars
Per Case

For some days past several assistants
OF James Mott, Jr., were at work solder
inC leaking Kerosene Tins at the Govern
ment Kerosene Warehouse back of Ka-
waiahao church ON South street. Shortly
before y O'Clock workman took hold
of the soldering furnace TO move it else
where; the furnace being hot the en-
ployee grasped it with 4 hand full of
waste so as not TO burn his hand. By
this precaution to save his hand, the
city saw as big fire as ever before wit
messed here, and now mourns the loss of
so much kerosene that none can be bad
for love and precious little for money.
The soldering was being done in Il
wooden shed q few ieet from the main
building, on the makai-Waikiki side.
The floor or ground was saturated with
oil that had leaked from the damaged
tins. No sooner had the bunch OF waste
caught fire than the lad dropped 1t, and
as some said, ran out. The oil soon
ignited, enveloping the shed III flames
that soon spread to the warehouse,
which was fired as if it were covered
with layer of powder. 1t was quickly
done.
The alarm was turned in at once for
the fire boys who, as usually the case
with them, promptly responded. The
disgust Of the fiTemen was strongly eX-
pressed when the plugs were ioosened
aud fl.Ar,a xx-nG M the nnUInpS
pulled and norted, but all i'll vain !;
there was ~ large enough stream to
put out a bonfire, hardly enough to
sprinkle the firemen, ut their duty, IN
order to keep them from roasting. Even
had there been good supply OF water,
it would have been OF no use, as 1t could
not have played on the fire inside, which
soon ragged so fiercely that Madam Pele
would have looked on with consldera bic
pleasure.
Besides the kerosene there were sew
eral hundred drums of gasolene, some
of which were removed by the workmen
before the fire had reached the part OF
the building in which they were placed.
The crowd that gathered expected every
moment to see a terrific explosion. I'm
daunted by this fear many approached
near the burning building, only to beat
a retreat, as precipitate as that OF the
Union soldier at the first Battle OF Bull
Run, when the drums began to explode
and shoot through the air, regardless OF
where they might strike. One OF the
drums struck a corner of Mr.. j. Magoon's
house, shaking it as if stormed at with
shot and she'll The drums flew IN sew
eral directions; one started out to check
the crowd that was gathering on Queen
street. This was effectually done. None
approached from that direction till the
shooting was over. While this was go
ing on, around the corners OF buildings,
etc, could be seen peeping the heads Of
many of the less brave. Not content
with the firing at Mr.. Magoon's house,
the supporters at one time OF one OF the
hoses turned the stream into that gentle
mans ear. The ear was OF an ordinary
size, but the stream OF water was small,
so he was only sprinkled.
The firemen were powerless to do any
thing for want of water; all that could
be done was to gaze upon the scene. The
scene was both lively and hot; so hot,
that when in full blast the heat twisted
and melted the corrugated iron roof al
most as if it were lead. Occasionally
part of the roofing fell in or new lot of
cases were reached by the flames; then
the volumes of smoke, dense at any
time, would assume such proportions..an
fantastic, ever-changing form as to make
the sight awe-inspirinc well as beau
tiful. 1t was grand sig /, one that gave
the people here an idea OF what an i'm
mense oil conhagration is like in the oil
fields of the East.
The houses near the burning ware
houses were at times heated to such an
extent that only spark was needed to
set them ablaze. Happily for their
owners, and perhaps for large part OF
tine town, there were no sparks flying
and very little wind; the wind that was
blowing was in the direction OF the va
cant lots. Had there been much wood
used in the construction OF the building,
there is hardly doubt but a great por-
ton of that end of town would be in
ashes now. The building was a stone
and brick one with corrugated iron roof.
1t was a little over 200 feet long by %
wide. The kerosene cargoes oil the late
vessels in port were stored there to the
number of about So GOO cases, which at
present prices would have been worth
about $500, 900, or rather would sell for
that.
The greater part OF the oil belonged to
the STANDARD Oil Company; Messrs.
Castle & Cooke, Hawaiian agents for this
corporation, controlled 1000 cases;
Messrs. Brewer & Co., also agents for the
same, had 1882 cases. These two
firms import about $4,000 cases each
year, so this loss is nearly hall their
yearly importation. Messrs. III. Hack
field & Co. were losers TO the extent of
1000 and few odd cases, with no insur-
ance. The only firm insured was the
Pacific Hardware Company, who had
s.. 900 insurance on $50 cases in the
Fireman's Fund Company, Bishop &
Co. agents for the Islands. The Ha-
waiian Hardware Company lost 500; I.
H. Davies & Co., the same number. Two
or three Chinese firms had stored in the
warehouse from 300 to 600 cases. In all
there was not more than $4,000 cases of
kerosene destroyed. There we're 200 ten
gallon drums of gasoline stored there,
number of which were saved.
The books of the warehouse were
saved; they were taken from the office
in the large building No safe could
I 4I,.o,1Ob crfph a fire