The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-12-13
VE HE fumigation of the

vg HE fumigation OF the Oceanic
wharf began yesterday. The
wharf has been so arranged that
the sulphur fumes under IL will stay
there, as the wharf has been made
practically air-tight. Tarred paper and
planking laid in several layers cross
wise over one another, prevents the
fumes from escaping through the floor
of the wharf: on the sides, planking
extends below the surface of the water
at low tide. The cracks between the
planks have been carefully caulked.
The process of the fumigation was
watched with much interest yesterday
by Marston Campbell, DIR. Cofer, Jack
McNeigh and others, who wanted to
see If the work had really been sue
cessful.
The work on the barge which c2rrles
the fumgating apparatus was flashed
yesterday. The pan in which the sui
phur is being burned and the sulphur
fumes generated the pan which
brings the fumes from this generator
boiler, pipe connections, and all the
other FILINGS were In good working or
der, and the whole of the machinery
had been covered by n shed. on the
wharf three pipes leading down to the
space underneath had been placed.
One of them is located near the malSai
end of the wharf. one at the middle.
pipes the hose is screwed which leads
to the fumigating plant and the fumes
pass through this hose down under
meath the wharf, the barge being shift
ed from one place to another.
At l2:i5 yesterday afternoon the
fumigation Of the wharf started. j. ID.
McNeiEh was I'm charge of the appa-
ratus; Marston Campbell and United
States Quarantine officer DR.. Golfer
and the carpenters who had been pre-
q airing the wharf, We're also in at.
tendance. About 300 pounds of sui
phur We're burned in order to insure
perfect work 1t is generally consid-
cred that five pounds of sulphur will
thoroughly fumigate a space of 1000
cubic feet The space underneath the
Oceanic wharf is only somewhat over
100000 cubic feet. but 800 pounds Of
sulphur. or enough to fumiCate 100000
cubic feet of space, were used in order
to make up for losses through possible
leakage.
The fumigating apparatus consumes
on an average about so pounds of ma
terial per hour, so II can be seen that
the entire fumigation of the Oceanic
wharf would not take an even five
hours.
Yesterdays work was "A success
There We're practically no leaks in the
boarding along the whole wharf Nor
were there leaks in the flooring: while
in the planking extending along the
sides a very small jet of sulphur fumes
penetrating some small assures be-
tween the planks showed at one or two
places but these cracks were so small
as to be entirely harmless. The fac.
. that the steam was forced out through
these small cracks already a short
while after the operation had been
started, showed the great pressure. The
only structural place where an appre-
ciable leakage was evident was at the
corner of the dock, where the Oceanic
wharf joins the Inter-lsland wharf.
Here the fumes had penetrated the
earth on the mauka side of the wharf
and forced themselves through the
coral rock which forms the foundation
OF the corner. IT is the opinion of Mr.
McVeigh that the earth at this spot
must be penetrated by rat holes, and
that it was probably through these
that the fumes made their escape The
corner VIII be Cemented this morning
The greatest loss of the sulphur
fumes does not occur through the crew
ices but by reason of the fact that the
sulphur fumes are at present pumped
through the pipes which go through
the wharf, right down against the sur
face of the water with considerable
force. When the fumes come in con-
tact with the water sulphuric acid is
produced, and in this way the greatest
loss occurs. This will be remedied to-
day, however, by substituting for the
straight pipes, pipes furnished with ell
bows, so that the end piece Will be In
horizontal position, instead of YER
teal one. The fumes will thus be
spread over the water, instead OF being
forced into ii.
Superintendent Boyd of the Depart
ment of Public Works is much pleased
with the success Of the job, and will
soon begin work on the Pacific Mai
wharf. The Railroad wharf, upor
which the American Hawaiian Steam
ship Company's sheds are situated, ha.
already been bulkheaded and the barg,
with the fumigating apparatus will
probably go over TO that wharf ant
give it a thorough fumigation in tn
near future.