The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-08-22
iPhoto by Davey.)

Another possible explanation is Of
fered in the information of w. E. Lee,
South American workman for the
Palolo Land Company, who says that
on his way to his work at $50 O'Clock
on last Friday morning he saw two
Porto Rican vagrants emerging from
the alleyway leading from the Stock
Yard Stables, and that on the follow
ing morning at the same hour, he saw
the same two men at the same place.
1t is presumed that the two vagrants
were using the hay compartments OF
the stables as a lodging place.
Mr.. Lee says it is the habit Of Porto
Ricans to smoke necessarily, and Of
tentimes they go to sleep smoking Gig
arettes. He claims that he warned
Manager Rice against the two va
grants, foreseeing the danger of fire.
He has not seen the two men since,
on his morning trips out King street,
and does not know whether they con-
tinued sleeping in the hay or not 1t
is possible that they may have slept
in the stables Tuesday night, and that
the fire was due to their carelessness
in smoking. 1t is also possible that IL
this is SO. they may have burned to
death in the building.
The new building which was to have
been occupied by the company within
completed, the Mainland strikes having
delayed the shipment of windows and
doors. 1t cost in the neighborhood of
$4,000, and was being erected under
the direction of Beardslee and Page,
the architects, by Contractor Smith.
The harness shop of the Stock Yards
Company was situated in a portion of
the building, and portion of the sec
ond story was also occupied. Other
portions Of it had been rented to differ
ent persons.
The big fire-proof safe was opened
yesterday afternoon. 1t took two men
over a half hour to open the outer
doors with sledge hammer. The out
er parts of the safe were warped and
twisted, having been heated to a white
heat. The outside walls were still hot
at noon time, and it was o'clock
before the safe could be handled. When
it was opened it was found that the
inner compartments had not even been
blistered. Another smaller safe was
also in the fire. 1t was only a skeleton
safe, and was destroyed completely. It
contained nothing of value.
Fire Chief Charles H. ThurSron was
seen last night in regard to the Stock
Yards fire, and he expressed his thor
ough satisfaction with the work of
the fire department.
I'VE made a quick turnout" said he,
"and there was not a single thing that
went wrong. The only trouble was
that We did not receive the alarm un-
til the fire had a good start. AS soon
as the alarm was turned in we were
all out and on our way to the fire
Engines No. l and No. 2 started at the
same time, and took the hydrants at
King and Alapai streets, and in front
of the Castle Home on King streer.
Later the chemical engine arrived, and
engine No. 8 came in from Waikiki,
taking up positions further up on King
street. All four engines were working
for a time, but as soon as we got the
fire under control, all but No were
sent back. We played the hose upon
the ruins and stayed on the ground
with engine No. 2 until 7:30 this morn
ing, to see that everything was all
right.
Later on, towards morning, we
moved down to the artesian well on
Hustace Lane and drew on the water
there. Everything went nicely, and
each fireman worked valiantly and
we'll Better work could not have been
done under the circumstances, and
wish to express my thorough satisfac-
ton with the services of all the men, !
and of the entire fire department.
Mr.. Thurston, in discussing the diff
ficulties met with. referred to the inter
danger of electrocution to the ffremen
and to the crowds that always assem-
BILE at a fire.
THE current should be turned off
by the company the moment the alarm
is turned in said he. THE danger or
live wires impedes progress with the
work. and greatly increases the danger
TO life The electric company did bet /
ter last night than at the Hall fire,
however. and as soon as they realize
how important a thing it is that the
current should be promptly turned off. (
I. think they will attend to the maI- i
ter more seriously. At the Hall fire
the numerous live wires were con-
slant menace to life, and the narrow
ness of the streets gave US very little
room to work. Owing to the breadth
of the street in front of the Stock
Yards last night the danger of wires
was not so great, and the current was
Continued on Page 3.)