The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-02-27
HAWAII NEWS
Burning Of the Serrao
Premises.
Dr. Wood Crtlclsed--Meetin Of hiIo
Teachers--C Condensed News
or the Island.

strength OF a cursory glance at micro
scopical slide made from some Of the
matter taken from a decomposed gland
from the body of Mrs. Serrao; a bacte-
biological examination had not been
made by DR.. Hoffman,. The tests usu-
ally applied were not made for the
reason that there was not time between
the receipt of DR.. Moores letter in Ho-
nolulu and the departure of DR.. Wood
and party for Hilo. But the distin-
guished head of the Honolulu firing
brigade said burn" within few min
utes after arrival in Hilo, and burn 1t
was.
Sheriff Andrews arranged with Fire
Chief Vannatta to have the fire start
ed at 4 a. m. Friday, owing to the pre-
vailing winds at that hour being usu-
ally from the land. but Providence was
opposed to the scheme, for when that
hour arrived a gale was blowing from
all points of the compass. Chief Van
malta had the engine tried with a view
to using 1t later in the day, but a plug
blew out after few turns of the
wheel and 1t required several hours
labor to fit a new one.
was favorable, but the engine was not
30 the work of destruction had to be
delayed. After noon the owners of
property adjoining the Serrao store be-
gan making preparations for saving
their buildings in the event of the
wind changing. A fence was built in
front of the Spreckels block and De-
mOsthenes Lycurgus had number of
bags tackled on the side of his building
next to where the fire was to take
place. Then the engine was tried again
and once more the plug was blown into
the sea.
Sheriff Andrews decided to have the
Serrao building pulled over on to the
beach If possible, so that the danger
to other buildings would be leSsened,
but this was not practicable, owing to
the fact that portion of it rested on
a stone wall. He then decided to have
it pulled down when the fire had burn
ed sufficiently to permit 1t. A chain
was fastened to the underpinning and
a block and tackle attached. The prison
gang brought stacks of dried cane tops
and by the direction of the sheriff
these were placed under the building
and in storeroom. A portion of the
iron roof was taken off and holes cut
in the floor and the side of the build
ing in order to make a draft. When
this work was completed kerosene was
literally sprinkled over the floor and
stock of goods, stack of fifty-seven
bags of coffee standing in one corner
of the room being well saturated with
it. At 5 O'Clock the torch was applied
directly under the building and the
fire rapidly worked its way upward,
and in few minutes burst through the
roof. In ten minutes it had reached
the oil boxes piled near the window on
the Waianuenue street side and the
spectators on the postoffice veranda
moved away expecting an explosion,
but none took place.
Chief Vannatta had one set of men
posted on Front street using water
from the hydrants and throwing It on
the front of the Lycurgus building. On
the beach side the men handled anoth-
er pipe, the water being pumped from
the sea, and between these there was
not moment when the surrounding
buildings were in danger. The fire
worked from the Waianuenue street
corner, but progress was retarded by
the bags of coffee piled against par
tition between the main store and an
reached the floor at one end of the
building an effort was made to pull
away the underpinning, but 1t could |
not be done, and prisoner was sent |
under the building with an axe and !
told to cut away. But the fire was too
hot for him and after several ineffect-
ual blows he retired and Sheriff An
drews undertook the task and did 1t |
effectually. Then a long pull and a |
strong pull let the building settle on
The beach. In an hour from the time
the torch was applied the place was
reduced to a smouldering heap and not
4 microbe was visible. No rats were
seen during the fire, and 1t Is supposed |
they made their way out through the
sewer. The safe generally used by
Mr.. Serrao was removed from the
building before the fire, but an old one
les in the ruins. 1t Is said the safe
will be kept in quarantine for
he usual period.
1t was decided to destroy the dwell
ng occupied by the Serraos on Satur-
lay and arrangements were made to
move the family to Cocoanut Island
hat morning. An estimate was made
II the building and contents, and at
p. M, after preparations had been
made. the torch was applied and in
hirty-five minutes the place was a
mass of ashes. Nothing was allowed
o be removed by Mr.. Serrao, not even
he portrait of his wife, and a 5000
,iano went up In smoke. The firemen
lad less difficulty at this fire, owing to
he fact that there was no building
lose to the one burned.
Meeting of Hilo Teachers Union.
Rain, illness and plague rumors were
oint elements of disturbance in the
'lans of the program committee, yet a
,oodly assemblage OF teachers and an
session were the rewards OF
heir labors. Miss Vests class in sing
ng was the first number. These pupils
AVE but recently been trained in two
art singing by the tonic sol ia method
nd did credit to faithful, painstaking
eacher. The same class next reduced
pile OF sand to semblance of the ISL
nd OF Maui answering numerous ques-
Ions relative to structure and division,
nth principal business and educational
oature6 or the Island In n diacuaaion