The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-07-13
BARS DOWN
To BUILDING
New Pantheon StruC-
ture Permitted.
BOARD OF HEALTH ACTS
Former Resolution Against Houses
on Plague Sites Practically
scinded.

A precedent was established by the
Board OF Health yesterday that VIII in
all likelihood result in the rebuilding
Of a great portion of the burned district
in Chinatown within the next few
months.
According to a resolution OF the
Board passed during the plague times
building permits were refused for the
re-erection of buildings on lands where
plague had existed until the sewerage
system Was completed so that the new
building could be connected directly
with the sewers and the necessity of
cesspools be done away with.
But yesterday after a discussion last
ing over an hour II was decided to per-
init the rebuilding of the corner of Fort
and Hotel streets, formerly occupied by
the Pantheon Stables. Several cases of
plague were found in this corner and
the whole block of buildings were or
dered burned by the Board on Feb. 9TH
last Since that time l.. c. Ables has
made several efforts to obtain permis-
sion from the Board to rebuild the
place but 1t was refused for the reason
that the sewerage system had not been
completed so that connection could be
made directly with it,
w. o. Smith appeared with Mr.. Ables
yesterday 10 present the case to the
Board and it was finally agreed to per-
NIT the work of building to so on with
the reservation that no steps be taken
towards occupying it or building a
cessYool until after special committee
appointed for that purpose should re-
port on Il e matter.
In presenting the case of the Ables
people MIR. Smith said at the outset
that he did not believe that the Board
had any right to take such arbitrary
action on building permits. Those
should be issued by the Board of Public
Works. but on applying there he had
learned that permit had been refused
at the instance of the Board of Health.
''That was DONE" said DR.. Wood, Gin
compl ance with the order of the Board
that no buildings be erected where
plague had existed until after sewer
connection had been made"
"And we contend that just therein
lies the injustice of the matter" said
Mr.. Smith. for 1t is not the fault of the
people who wish to build upon this
property that the sewerage system Is
incomrlete and 1t Is out of their hands
entirely"
'When the resolution was passed by
the Board" explained DIR. Wood, " II
was for the purpose of preventing the
promiscuuus erection of buildings In
the burnt district. which would have
resulted soon in conditions similar to
those that existed before the plague
broke out. with cesspools everywhere
and sanitary conditions the worst. We
expected at the time of passing the
resolution that the sewerage system
would be rearly completed ere this and
that build nes could be erected then
without violating the order of the
Board"
1--WE are willing to do anything with
in reason to follow the orders nf the
Board" sa d Mr.. Smith, 'if the Roard
will but permit work to begin on the
building. Wen put in water tight
cement cesspool. and well burn every
particle of dirt that we take from the
ground in digging the cesspool."
DR. Wood said that as the Pantheon
buildings had been burned more than
five morths ago he thought that the
danger of an outbreak OF plague from
that spot was entirely past, but he
feared to establish precedent of the
kind ne in many other places where per-
mits had been refused the fires had oc-
CURED w''''in less period and there
might still be danger.
DIR. Frerson moved that committee
of three be appointed to consult ON the
matter of restrictions on cesspools and
the erection and occupying of buildings
on property where plague had existed.
This motion carried and at the earn
est REQUEST Of Mr. Smith. The Board
also passed n resolution permitting the
Pantheon people to go ahead with the
erection of their new building provided
that no steps We're to be taken towards
occupying u or digging n cessrool until
a report from the committee had been
received and permission had been
granted from the Board.
S&>
Prinz Carl Fiend Doomed.