The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-04-18
FIRE LIMITS
EXTENSION
The Resolution of
j. B. Atherton
Adopted.
MACFARLANE HAS
OBJECTIONS TO 1T
Says Residence Portion of the
City Should Not be
Considered.

ed the resolution presented by j. B.
Atherton advocating the extension of
the fire limits as proposed by the Board
of Fire Underwriters, the resolution
reading as follows:
Whereas, it is understood by this Cham
Der that no action has been taken by
the Legislature now in session to eX-
tend the fire limits of the City; and.
Whereas, it is very desirable and for
the best interests of the whole commu
nifty that the present fire limits be ex-
tended; and,
Whereas, the Board of Fire Under
writers addressed a communication, dat
ed the 18th inst, to this Chamber, rec
ommending the extension of the fire lin
it's; therefore be it
Resolved That this Chamber petition
the legislature to favor any bill that
may be introduced before it for the ex-
tension of the present fire limits of the
City, on the lines recommended by the
Board of Fire Underwriters.
Present at the meeting were w. F.
Allen, president; j. G. Spencer, secre-
tary; T. r. Walker, H. a. Isenberg, F.
A. Schaefer, f. C. Macfarlane, Mamie
Phillips, f. ]. Lowrey, A. J. Campbell,
A. A. Young, w Schmidt, w. NJ. Gift
fard, ]. w. McChesney, P Muhlendorf,
~. P. Cooke, j. B. Atherton and C..
Bolta
The resolution which was originally
read at Tuesdays meeting was re-read.
Mr.. Schaefer explained that the Board
| of Fire Underwriters had taken in the
extreme limit in the lines suggested by
them at their meeting last Friday, as
already printed in the Advertiser, and
| believed that the limit proposed by
them was all that could be asked of
the Legislature. He explained that aft
er much discussion by the Board it was
deemed unwise to extend the limits fur
Their as they might not meet with the
approval of the Legislature. AS Rich
ards street is likely to become a BUSH
ness street in the near future, for that
reason it was adopted as the extreme
| Waikiki limit. Mr.. Schaefer said the
whole question was fully discussed by
the Board which had at first proposed
to extend the limits Waikikiwards only
as far as Alakea street, but subse-
quently took in Richards street instead
1 MI. SlAdIu SdlQ llS as III Ielf W VI
extending the fire limits as far as
PunchbowI street and thence down to
the waterfront This limit was suggest
| ed by the government. The Board of
| Underwriters had fixed upon Richards
street because they thought it might
find more popular favor with the Legis-
iature. BY referring to the map of the
City, 1t could be seen that most of
/ 1ictric+ batuea0 Richards street
and Punchbowl street was owned large
lily by the Government, upon which gov
eminent buildings were located. Below
| the Judiciary building was the Naval
reservation, but on private property
therein there were a large number of
lshacks, and business was extending in
/ that direction. In reality there was not
much private property to be taken in
| by extending the proposed limits to
Punchbowl street but what little there
was would be advantageously corralled
by the fire limits. Speaking for w. G.
Irwin Mr.. Giffard said me former
owned a whole block IN the district
mentioned by him and he had no OBJ
lection to have the fire limits include
this property He urged that the lines
be extended to Punchbowl street He
thought all buildings near the Capitol
should be fireproof or brick, and no op-
portunity given for the erection of
shacks.
Mr. Atherton said he would favor the
suggestion of Mr. Giffard were 1t not
for the fact that the Legislature might
consider the area too large and reject
the whole proposition.
| Mr.. Schaefer said the principal OBJ
lject of the Board is to take in China
town and it was deemed unwise to try
and carry the lines further than now
proposed. The Board at first did not
wish to go beyond Alakea.
| Mr. Macfa rlane was opposed to ex-
tension of the fire limits Waikikiwards
and taking in what has heretofore been
called the residential portion of the city.
He objected to the measures proposed
also on the ground that no time limit
had been set. AS it was the measures
proposed would go into effect imme-
diately and work great hardship upon
many property owners who were about
| to construct buildings on their prem
fses. He thought some recommended
ton should go from the Chamber of
Commerce suggesting time limit. As
far as old Chinatown was concerned it
was a wise thing to do, but extending
/ in the other direction. Waikikiwards
into the residence district, was a little
premature. He did not think the Cham
Der of Commerce should adopt such a
sweeping proposition.
He pointed out the fact that the lum-
| Der yards would be affected by the
adoption of a bill taking in the area
proposed, and to have them move out
/ Immediately upon the adoption of the
bill would be arbitrary. Some of the
yards had been in, their present 1oca-
lions for tfirty-five and forty years
and it would certainly be very arbitrary
| to have them move out on such short
notice. Before presenting the resolu-
| ton or proposition to the Legislature
Mr.. Macfarlane thought suggestions
| ShoIIld he made aS IN the time limit