The Elbert County tribune., 1900-02-08
GREAT FIRE AT HONOLULU.
Attempts to Stamp Out the Plague Causes
burning of Many Dwellings.


Honolulu, Jan. 27.-tvia San Francis,
co, Cal, Feb. 3)-A variable winu anu
the loss of a fire engine precipitated
.ris,s and let loose a conflagration that
for hours threatened the whole city OF
Honolulu. wiped out Chinatown and
the center OF the plague-infecfion, put
threw 1900 men, women and chidren
with absolutely nothing on their backs,
upon the community, to be sheiterea
and fed and at the same time guarded
and kept in quarantine. Saturuuy
mornipg. January 90 the fire depart
ment. al the direction of the board OF
health. started to burn a part OF wnat
is known as block 10 in the injected
district of Chinatown A strong VIM
arising spread the fire beyond the con-
trail of the firemen and an engine was
burned. Panic seized the 1000 or o,OOO
people within the quarantine limits.
burning alive seemed their fate.
The national gunrdsmen who were
nolding the quarantine lines withstood
:he attempts to escape. They were
speedily REINFORCED by all the reserves
,f the National Guard and OF the po-
ice. who were sent to the scene OF
:rouble on the double quick, and Dy
nundreds of citizens who rushed TO the
scene. armed for the most part with
axes and jackknives, which they took
ram hardware stores on their way.
The Hawaiinns were soon under con-
rol, so far as being efficiently guard
ID was concerned. Then line OF
guards on each side of the street from
he quarantine district fas formed, and
.he people were marched to kawaia-
nao church. So far as possible drays
and express wagons were provided for
a.. .ltt1rnn and tho aged
and feeble.
Within two hours 4,500 persons were
crowded into Kawaiahao church and
yard. There were 100 Chinese men
| and 500 women, 700 Japanese men and
100 women, upward of 1000 Hawai-
ans, about evenly divided between the
sexes, and a score or two of whites.
While this movement of refugees was
going on efforts were made to stop the
Games by blowing up buildings ahead
If them. But the wind carried burning
brands over the streets and open
spaces, making their efforts futile. The
flames swept on toward the water
front. A score Of vessels at the
wharves were quickly pulled out into
the stream to save them.
The Honolulu Iron works stood In the
line of the advancing flames. If 1t
caught fire large portion of the busi-
ness part of the town toward Fort
street was doomed. BY the aid of
those from the United States steamship
Iroquois and the government tug Eleu
and OF bucket brigades the iron works
were saved.
An area of thirteen blocks was
burned over. All of 1t wns In the in
fected district and all of 1t with the ex-
ception of certain brick and stone
buildings which could be efficiently
fumigated had been condemned to be
burned. The property destroyed will
aggregate probably several hundred
thousand dollars in value.
While one portion Of the community
devoted itself to fighting the fire, an
other devoted itself to caring for the
thousands of unfortunates at Kawaia
hao church. The church itself was re
served for women and children. AL
were hungry and food was the frs
thing provided. Generous citizens sem
food, and ladies all over the city gath
cred and brought garments for the chill
dren and infants. Within two or three
hours all had been provided with food
Chinatown. the central source of in
fection, is wiped out and it is now be
lieved that the end of the plague is II
sight.
Up to date there have been fifty-fiv,
cases of plague and forty-one deaths
There are ten convalescents.