The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-01-05
Condemned Buildings
Demolished.
Some SkiIful Work of the Fire De-
rartment - Boundaries Main
tained--Red-hot Time.

htSdIuitSS Ol the leIIluC neat thrown
out by the blazing structures. but keep
ing an eye open for the numerous fall
ing walls and timbers, the frenen
worked throughout the day with de-
termination and skill, which provoked
the most favorable comment from by
ISLANDERS, and stamped the local depart
ment as worthy of comparison with the
best fre-fghters abroad
The building to which attention was
first directed, was the japanese candy
and cold drink store. OF Merchant
street, back of the No. / Engine house,
from which a japanese woman
named Shine, and her child, had been
removed to the Pest hospital The
match was applied a, about o'clock,
and in little over half an hour, the
shack was demolished. 4 wall of the
premises mauka of this building. and
right against the destroyed structure.
was Slightly scorched, but the house on
the Eva side was not even scorched.
The next blaze was started at the
Chinese Joss House, on Pauahi street.
between Maunakea and River streets,
from which a Chinaman had been re-
moved TO the Chinese Hospital as a
suspect. This building was a twO-story
affair, hemmed in by other wooden
structures. The ground floor had been
devoted to the use of certain japanese
women, while the first floor was Occu-
pied by the Joss and his associates.
together with the priest and parapher-
MALTA.
Burning of Joss House.
This fire was started at about 10
o'clock, and proved rather difficult
one to handle, on account Of an made
qua:e water supply, and the crowded
condition of the locality, but the
structure was RACED TO the ground
without damage of any kind to the sur
rounding buildings; the wall of Chuck
Sings new house on the Waikiki side,
which was abutting that of the con-
demned Joss House. escaping withOIh q
scar.
In this as well as the Merchant street
fire. the general opinion Of onlookers
was that the men did their work just
a little too well, and should have allow
ed the flames a little more liberty. par
ticularly round the old Blue Gate Jap
anese lodging house on Merchant
street
The real heavy work of the day was
the destruction Of the big h8lf-blOck.
bounded by King. Kekaulike and Queen
streets and a lane midway between
Maunakea and Kekaulike streets con-
Meeting Queen and King streets. In
structiOns were given by the Board for
the salvation. If possible. OF the church
and one building on each side of IL.
Preparations for the fire We're COM
menced by the department at about
1890 O'Clock. Engines were posted at
Kekaulike and Maunakea streets at
their point of intersection with King
street, and two lines of hose carried
from each. The large compound en-
CINE number / was posted at the Old
FishmaTket wharf and from that posi-
ton pumped sea water through three
lines of hose, carried through from
Queen street
Kekaulike Street Blaze.
All being ready, at a little after half
past one in the afternoon, the signal
was given to apply the match. and two
men dragged a lighted swab through
the kerosene soaked rooms of one of
the buildings fronting Kekaulike street.
They had scarcely emerged from the
structure when the flames burst
through the open windows and doors
of the entire upper story of the build
ing.
In less than an hour from the first
outbreak, the flames. famed by a
northeast breeze, had secured a hold
upon the uildings fronting Kekaulike
and King streets, and were quickly eat
ing their way bac!; towards Queen
street.
The heat of the fire was terrific and
streams of water directed upon the
/ houses on the mauka side of King
street raised clouds of steam. At one
time il was feared that these buildings
would catch the fire, and cOpious
. streams of water were directed upon
them.
4 The Chinese and Japs in the vicinity
of the fire were kept busy with brOoms,
branches of trees and garden hose in
putting an end TO the danger from the
immense number of burning fragments
deposited on the roofs of their homes
BY 4 o'clock all the condemned build
ings were demolished and the debris
burning furiOusly and an hour later the
fire had burned itself out and the en-
gines prepared TO leave the scene.
The good work Of the department be
came apparent as soon as clear view
was opened up. The church and two
buildings aforementioned were saved
and beyond a few charred corners, are
uninjured. The same may be said OF
the buildings on the Waikiki side oil
lie lane. and these show damage &C
even less extent.