The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-04-20
PRICE FIVE CENTS.

probable cost in year or two. The
other features to which attention is
drawn in order as TO numbers are very
necessary and do not need more than
this mere mention to draw the support
OF any we'll thinking man.
The construction of buildings in
this city and the widening of the more
important streets needs aggressive at
tention. In the first place it is to be
observed that iron gratings are com
mon in sidewalks and without rigidIy
enforced regulations as to the care OF
the premises beneath These gratings
receive all sorts OF light street rub
biSh and frequently the spaces are used
10 locate store boxes and infiammablo
rubbish. 1t only needs the throwing
away of an unfinished lighted cigarette
or cigar to start what the trained fire.
man breads, that is, a blind fire.
smoke issuing from nearly all parts OF
a building at once. Either the police
department or the fire chief should be-
given charge of these gratings in the
interest of the public. If the a'but-
ting property owner wishes TO make
use OF the sidewalks, which belong TO
the people as a whole. he should at the
very least be required to fully protect
the gratings by placing a suitable pan
under the same and by removing the
contents frequently and likewise keep
ing the space beneath free and clear,
or the use of the street for the gratingS
should be withheld and the present
gratings removed The same authority
should be an authority to compel the
removal of all back yard rubbish, IN
Guiding packing boxes, straw, etc.
Honolulu is at the turn of the road as
it were and in authorizing the con-
struction of buildings, as far as is pos
sible, buildings exceeding in height
the width of the street and sidewalks
should be discouraged and prevented.
High buildings in cities where the
frontage has an enormous value can
only be defended in part and already
signs are not lacking in the direction
of putting a stop to the practice. This
class of construction is unfair to the
adjoining property-spoils the appear
ance of the street, shuts out air, ex-
cept in wind cycles, and light to some
extent and when on fire the best de-
partmentS have a hard task aud in
cities as large as New York and Chi
cago fires generally have had to burn
down unchecked, to where the depart
ment could cope with them.
In Honolulu the Chief Engineer, Mr..
Hunt, is clearly competent and alert
and can be depended upon TO make the
very best use of the apparatus at his
disposal, but unless the deficiencies
noted in respect to the department are
supplied, the city, with it's increasing
values and population. will have to be-
come accustomed to more frequent and
heavier fires than have occurred of lata
years.
Finally, the correction of the bad
features which have now been fairly
we'll pointed out, will, beyond doubt,
result in lower rates of insurance-fn
point of fact the Board of Fire Under
writer's cannot avoid this, nor are as
surances at all lacking that a reduction
equal in the aggregate to at least the
cost of the necessary improvements in
the fire department service can be
counted on. This feature alone should
be regarded as a sufficient reason for
appropriating and using the necessary
money. Rates are higher in Honolulu
than the situation would then call for
and property owners who do not now
insure would again protect their prop
erty with policies.