The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-07-23

arrived. In an hour the large dry
goods stock in the building was in a
mess of ruin. Water spoiled about all
the fire had left.
THE START.
The first started between the ceiling
and the roof in the eva mauka corner
Near this place is an opening into the
attic. In the immediate neighborhood
of the original blaze the electric light
wires pass from the front They are
of the best Grinshaw wire and are
laid on porcelain plates. Beneath the
spot is a place which has long been
used for general purposes. 1t was the
sitting room" of the store.
The building was almost air tight.
Huge fire proof shutters were closed
on the rear door leading to the mil
linery department, the rear window
and a side door mauka. In front were
thick plate glass windows, but no iron
shutters. The interior of the build
ing was therefore perfectly visible
from the streets. From all the circum-
stances it would appear that the fire
had been in progress all of an hour
before being discovered.
MRS. WILCOX DISCOVERS IT.
Mrs. Judge Wilcox was the first per-
son known to have seen the fire. She
was passing up the street at 4:25 and
noticed the reflection in the window.
Officer No. 30, A. X. Naipo, was on the
beat from Merchant street to Bere-
tania. He had been around the cor
ner of Hotel and Fort for two hours
and was leaning against the rail at
Wichman's when Mrs. Wilcox came
along.
THE ALARM.
Upon receiving the alarm Naipo ran
to Johnson's candy shop and from
there saw smoke coming from the rear
of Ehlers. He yelled fire" at the top
of his voice several times and then
ran to the back of the store to eX-
anime. No fire could be seen and no
noise could be heard. Only the smoke
was apparent. The officer ran his
hot.
NJ. II. Drummond, night Waterman
at the Pantheon stables, heard Naipo's
cry of fire and telephoned central. OPP
orator Merl Johnson took the message
and rang 4, corner Hotel and Fort at
the Electric Light station. About the
same time Engine house No. 2 tel
ephoned that the Pantheon saloon was
afire. No. was the number sounded
by the whistle. No. 2 engine reached
the fire first, No. 3 second and No.
third.
FIREMEN GET TO WORK.
At this time the interior of the
store was densely clouded with smoke,
and smoke was issuing from the roof.
Water was had Immediately. Stoker
Carlson of No. 2 went to break front
window and cut his left arm in a hor-
rible manner. \ blood vessel was sew
cred. He was taken to the hospital.
a hose was turned loose through the
window. The front door was then
broken open. The first effort to enter
was IL failure. Clouds of hot smoke
rushed out and for moment the fire
lads wavered. But they got at it again
with better effect.
At that time every part of the store
was ablaze. The center of the heat
was in the corner where the fire start
ed. Every inch of the ceiling was
burning. The fire was burning down
ward from above. Not a plank of the
floor was injured. Water was thrown
all over the makai side of the building
from the front windows and door.
Then an attack was made on the hot
center. There the ceiling had by that
time burned out, part of the shely-
ing was gone and the counter cases
were on fire. Progress was SLOW, An
effort was made to get in the back