The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-07
The Question of Rats.

The Question of Rats.
George w. Smith: 1T is a popular
opinion that rats escape out of the
burning buildings and go into other
buildings"
President Wood: THE testimony of
every one is that no rats are seen to
come out. In all the fires no rats have
been seen by the firemen, with one
single exception in the case of the fire
on Kukui street, when a rat escaped"
Dr.. Day: 81 think fence ought to
be put around the place before the
fire.
Mr.. Hatch: 81 think there is dan
ger of the rats going into the interior
of the blocks
Andrew Brown, the Fire Commits
sioner, was present at the meeting,
and his opinion was asked as to the
advisability and practicability of put
ting rat-proof fence around the
premises while they were being de-
stroyed by fire. He expressed his
opinion that it was quite unnecessary,
stating that rats are never seen by
the firemen escaping from the burn
ing buildings; and that if they WERE
they could be killed by the firemen,
seven of whom carry revoIvers for
the purpose of killing cats and dogs,
if necessary
Dr. Day thought the danger of in
lection from rats warranted the Board
in Offering a premium for their cap
ture dead or alive and therefore
moved:
In view of the fact that rats are
known to be dissemihators of the
plague and that it is important to
have as many as possible destroyed.
therefore the Board will pay a bonus
of rs cents apiece for live rats deliv-
ered IN traps to Mr.. Hits, agent of
| the Board of Health in the infected
district, and Is cents apiece for dead
rats delivered in tight containers such
as boxes, tins, etc. Avoid handling
dead rats with the bare hands. Remove
them with shovels. Before removal
pour on large quantity of boiling wa
ter or kerosene OIL" Motion carried.
Afternoon Session.
At the session yesterday afternoon
there were present, President Wood
George w. Smith, DR.. Day, FIN. Hatch
and F. J. Lowrey.
A report from VIM. Blaisdell was re-
| ceived relative to sanitary conditions
In the quarantine district. He states
that the cesspools have had little at.
tentlon as yet, and advises the BOARD
to issue instructions to construct eartf
closets until the cesspool question i.
settled.
1t was suggested that if people are
to live over the stores in Chinatown
patent closets should be put in al
buildings, arranged to empty in a com.
mon cesspool, to be constructed under
directions from the Board, and within
easy reach of the odorless excavator.
A protest was received from Ceei
Brown representing l.. L. McCandless
property on Nuuanu street. The rea
structures Of his buildings were con
demned by the Board as insanitary ant
cause of sickness and were ordere,
removed and destroyed within forty
eight hours after the condemnation
Mr.. Brown took exception to tn
Boards action, and said that the build
ings would not be torn out without re
course to court of law. No attentio
, was paid to the communication and n
answer was deemed necessary.
/ Arrangements were made for trans
ferring the inmates of the cottage, fror
which Mr.. Hartmann was removed t
1.-THE pest hospital, to a special quaran
tine at Kalihi. There are nine person
included in the order; one man, tw
women and six children, all white
foI, 4al hot l.,
, have a cottage prepared for them b
this morning Mr. Weldon is lookin
after the commissary while the pee
/ pie are held in the present location.
Paul Neumann, representing ter
7 ant of one of the eye-sores at the corne
S of Emma and Beretania streets, al
peared before the Board and asked ths
4 his client be allowed to remain in til
Q building. The cleansing process ha
begun, he said, when the protest I
q neighbors appeared in the newspaper!
: and since then, Mr.. Neumann has bee
= awaiting some action on the part of Il
. Board before proceeding further vii
the renovation. No decision was a
: rived at, and whenever convenient Il
g Board will visit the premises in box
: to pass upon the sanitary condition
e Mr.. Neumann represented to the Boa
h that, in his opinion, it was possible
n make the premises sanitary.
d Mr.. Lowrey moved that the saloo
be ordered closed at all times exceptil
IS between the hours of z a. m. and
r M In general discussion of the que
g ton, the motion was lost, and no fu
!. ther action was taken.
n The Board devoted most of the afte
noon to study of the map covering t
area enclosed by Fort street, Chapla
!, lane, Nuuanu and Hotel streets, a.
u the advisability of condemning the bio
} entirely and destroying it by fire. T
y Ii. marked out in the proposal COZ
mences at the corner of Fort and Ho
l. streets, extending mauka to the Lo
II building thence directly Eva throu
at the block to Nuuanu street; thence
ut a meandering course through Fowle
Yard, taking in all the cottages thel
DR. thence back to the original starti
Id point, sparing the brick buildings Fl
e. ing on Hotel street, opposite Bet
r. street. The matter was taken unt
l. adyisement, awaiting results from
~ destruction of the Pantheon saloon a
stables.