The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-01-20

ana women denounced the white man
and his government in all the ex-
citeable language they could command.
When the fire was at its height on the
River street side there were a thousand
people along the river and the whole
length of the banks was piled with bag
gage. It is reported by a guard in this
district that sick Chinese was burned
to death in a building near Kukui
street.
Quarantine lines had been extended
to the far side of River street, and the
frightened people were between quar-
antine lines and the big fire, which was
sending flames into the air twice the
height of any building in it's course.
Lighted cinders flew over whole blocks
and the roof of a water front building
began to blaze when the cOnfiagration
was two blocks from it.
At every point the masses of people
within the quarantine lines were hem
med in by citizens armed with ugly
looking pick handles. Very few at
tempts to escape were made. The Ash
atics were half crazed with fear and
excitement Every explosion at one
point was talked of at others as the fir
ing Of guns upon the populace. When
firecrackers were set off by the advanc-
ing flames the unfortunates of the in
fected district had visions of shooting
being done by the military, and even
white people thought once or twice that
such stern work had begun. 1t would
have begun anywhere, had provocation
been offered.
AS the flames advanced toward the
water front the panic only increased.
Even people across the stream began
to fear that their property would go, as
fo1k Int hao 10
tie stretch of water. The Catholic
Brothers in st. Louis College watched
the growing destruction with alarm
from their distant buildings, knowing
that only a change of wind was needed
to carry the greedy tongues of flames
across the river and cause the burning
of the college buildings.
| Shortly after IL o'clock Block l.
bounded by Maunakea, Beretania, Riv-
er and Pauahi streets took fire III
places. 1t was filled with people anG
great effort had to be exerted to gel
them out Chinese and Japanese wert
terribly frightened and formed howl
! ing, crying, dangerous mob in the
streets.
At 1880 D. m. Chinatown was afirC
from Smith street to River and almos
to the waterfront. No human power
could avert it's complete destruction.
I For hours there was the rattle of fire
works in the burning houses and eve
and anon a loud explosion as lot o
kerosene oil in warehouses would blow
up There was some giant powder il
the district and when this went off win
dows shook up to Nuuanu street.
Most heroic measures had to bt
adopted to save the inhabitants of tn
burning district. They have all beei
transferred to the Kawalahao Churcl
and the yard around there. All the mi
litary were called in to get the peopl
and their belongings out. At least 100
citizens volunteered for guard duty an
lined both sides of King street fron
I Chinatown to Kawaiahao church, Will
the surging mass of Chinese humanit.
passed through. Express wagons tool
the women and children. Many break
were made to get away, but the woult
be refugees were always promptly me
by dozen or more men armed witt
guns, axe handles and almost every
thing else imaginable.
Too much can not be said in praise {
the military, police, Board of Healt
officials, Citizens Sanitary Committe
and citizens generally for their work i
saving people and their househol
goods.
At l o'clock the Hawaiian Electri
Company shut off it's power as a nun
ber of its wires were about to be burr
ed out and would offer danger to pee
l'le IN the streets
THE SHIPPING.
Ships at the docks along the part
the water front to which fire threater
ed to sweep began to move away q
soon as the rising flames threatened +
ened to reach the wharves. Their ma!
ters saw that nothing could save then
reach the wharves. Their masters sa
that nothing could save them, if tn
fire once took hold of the docks.
The wharves from the boat landin
EVA to the old fishmarket wharf wei
crowded with merchant vessels di;
crowded freight. When the fire bega
carried by the wind warned the captain
that there was possible DANCE
: But when the fire broke b'
yond the control of the depar
= ment and smoke and flames were ca
ried down upon them, masters lost I
= time in getting away from the whar
The government tug and every steal
2 vessel that could be brought into r,
t QUESTION was pressed into the servic
l Big deep sea going vessels crowded eac
/ other in what was n marine fight e
VI
: fusion of panic. The vessels were a
{ taken over TO naval row and made fa
/ as best they could be, and 1t was m
until all were out of danger that a
, effort was made to strainghten out II
, confused mass of merchant marine. +
. nightfall, the harbor masters and Il
|, captains had lined up their vessels
! order until they looked like an Armad
None of the vessels caught fire, col
trary to rumors circulated in the e,
: element. In a few cases sparks ligh
' ing on the sails made lively work fl
e the sailors, but no damage to speak
was done.
THE IROQUOIs AT WORK.
The hottest work at the end of Il
great conhagration was on the wat
: front, where several bucket brigad
!, made heroic efforts to stop the advan
: Of the flames in front of the Honolu
: Iron Works and Hitch's sail loft II
: fire swept to the front with terrible RAJ
= idity and a strong wind made Il
Z flames threaten everything to the WI
3 ter's edge. At Hitch's sail loft and
{ the Honolulu Iron Works bucket br
= gades worked for over an hour am
q 4Ie han IN oil a1