The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-07-12
DOWN
TO BUILDING
New Pantheon StruC-
ture Permitted.
BOARD OF HEALTH ACTS
Former Resolution Against Houses
on Plague Sites Practically
Rescinded.

A precedent was establishes by the
Board of Health yesterday that will in
all likelihood result in the rebuilding
OF great portion of the burned district
in Chinatown within the next few
months.
According to 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 vas 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 IL 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 i'm 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 II was refused for the reason
that the sewerage system had not been
completed so that connection could be
made directly with IL.
w. o. Smith appeared with Mr.. Ables
yesterday TO present the case to the
Board and it was finally agreed to per-
nit the work of building to go on with
the reservation that no steps be taken
towards occupying IL or building a
lcessTool until after a special committee
appointed for that purpose should re-
port on the matter.
In presenting the case OF the Ables
people Mr.. 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 hat
learned that a permit had been refused
at the instance OF the Board of Health
THAT was done" said DIR. Wood, Ell
: compliance with the order OF the Boar,
> that no buildings be erected wher'
. plague had existed until after sewe
connection had been made"
"And we contend that just therein
: lies the injustice Of the matter" sal,
IMr. Smith. "for II Is not the fault of tn
people who wish TO build upon thi
property that the sewerage system
) inconrrlete and II is out of their hand
= entirely
! when the resolution was passed b
the Board" explained DIR. Wood. "
h was for the purpose OF preventing tn
= promiscuous erection of buildings !
the burnt district. which would hav
resulted soon In conditions similar
those that existed before the plagu
q broke out. with cesspools everywheI
"A c,,Hftfope tho r-nruf w
y expected at the time of passing n
resolution that the sewerage systel
would be nearly completed ere this an
that buildings could be erected the
without violating the order OF, Il
Board"
= we are willing to do anything Will
IN reason To follow the orders VI Il
Board" said Mr.. Smith. "if the Boal
3 will but permit work to begin On Il
VI building. Wen put in water tig
s. cement cesspool. and well burn eve
.. particle of dirt tn 1T we take from q
20 ground in digging the cesspool."
DIR. Wood said that "a the Panthe
buildings had been burned more TIL
five months ago he thought that t
danger OF an outbreak OF plague frc
al that spot was entirely rast. but
feared to establish a precedent Of t
kind Pc Nv many other places where ~
rilts had been refused the fires had {
CURED within n less period and th'
might still be danger.
~. Frrerson moved that n commit
OF three be appointed to consult on I
matter Of restrictions on cesspools a
&c the erection and occupying OF buildir
ne on rrorertv where plague had existe
10 This motion carried and at the ca
~, oct reTuest Of Mr.. Smith. The Bot
IN, also rassed a resolution permitting
of Pantheon people TO RI ahead with
thS erection 81 their new building prnvi'
or that no steps were 10 be taken iowa
ted occuryirr " or digging n cesspool u
m rerort from the committee had h
D. received and permission had b
ut. granted from the Board.