Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-08-18

At 4:30 o'clock, the fire was practi-
Cally at an end. although the depart
ment remained on duty to drench with
water the smouldering remains. The
fire had done its work well. leveling
to the ground all the buildings in The
block with the exception of the one
owned by Chock Sing. The same
thing may be said of the buildings
burned on the makai side of Hotel
street.
Theater Threatened.
At one time. the newly erected jap
anese thaeter at the mauka corner 81
River and Pauahi streets stood in
great danger of being burned. but The
tiremen were on the lookout and ev-
cry once in while sent a stream m
water over in that direction and thus
| prevented further spreading.
Had the flames ever jumped to the
mauka side of the street, there is no
telling where the CUnfagratiOn nigh;
have ended, for all along River street
to Kukui is line of frame buildings
of the same kind as those which had
been destroyed.
Sought Safety.
On Maunakoa and even on Smith. to
say nothing of Pauahi street, China.
men, Japanese and others, noticing the
rapid spread OF the flames, simply pill.
ed the stun nOm their stores out into
the streets, preparatory TO moving
away to a spot Of safety as soon as II
should be seen that the fire was vita.
in reach Of them.
At least two thousand people from
all over the kapalama, Liliha street
and Kalihi districts watched the fire
from the opposite side Of the River
while distributed along the streets in
the vicinity of the fire were hundreds
more.
Police Turn Out.
The police. headed by High Sheriff
Brown and Deputy Sheriff Chilling
worth were early on the scene and
did good work in keeping back the TOO
inquisitive crowds, roping off The
streets where necessary. Both mount.
ed and foot officers were out in quite
a large body.
Property Owners.
The Armstrong building ON the he.
kai side of Hotel street stood on land
owned in part in fee simple by Mr..
Armstrong and a part under lease from
Mrs. Mary L. Foster.
The lot on River street just next 10
this building. was owned by Paddy Ry.
an and others and was recently sold
to Victor Hoffman. An order from tne
Board of Health recently caused eNca.
vatiOns to be made and now there -
u lot of standing water to be found on
the place. \ building was TO have
been erected there.
The land upon which the River Mil,
Company building stood is owned BY
the james Campbell Estate.
Historical coeoanut Tree.
There Is one interesting incident n
connection with the fire. On the Vida
lot on kCkauliko street, Just back Oi
where the McrrIfold building stool, is
an old cOCOanut tree which has passed
through three big Chinatown fires.
The fire Of 1856, the plague fire and the
one Of this morning. IL sent out
leaves again after the 1886 fire. bat
the plague fire Slapped every bit o.
life from It and LEFT nothing but a
Charred stump. II caught fire again
This morning. but Is still standing, y
monument to the destruction OF thou.
sdnds Of dollars worth Of property.
Was II incendiarism3
The origin Of the fire seems shrOud.
ed in mystery. No one knows Tuss
whore or how II started. but all opm,
ions agree that the first flames Rcre
seen in the rear Of the second store Of
lhe Winston building on Hotel street
and the general impression Is that The
he was started and did not come
about in any accidental way. No one
can give anything but general state
monts.
OniCer Hart who turned in II,
alarm. states that he saw fire in the
store mentioned, and Chief Thursi ~
was ON the spot simultaneously will
the fire engines, says that the whole
back part of the store was in flames
, when he arrived there and that whnr
, the chemical engine went around ~
River street flames were seen 10 he
. coming out the alleyway running ne
+ hind the Winston building.
\ lunch counter man from near bv
states that he was on the scene pr.
n viOus to the arrival OF the engines am
smelled kerosene oil. The flames
, seemed TO him to Save encircled tEG
:, whole building.
r The idea of incendiarism seems L
, be strengthened by the fact that abou
= A fortnight ago an attempt was made
to set fire to a small building in th'
vicinity of the River Mill, which burn
, ed down this morning. II will be 70
/, numbered that an investigation va,
, made by the police at the time. and !
was found that lot of cotton, satIr
ated with benzine, had been place.
!, under the house. Had II not been IL
:, the early discovery OF the fire. the IL
suit then might have been as disas
trous as that of this morning.
The hour chosen for the setting afr
OF the building was about the same =
b the time when the fire was first disco
: cred this morning.
Disposition Of Engines.
At the first alarm tins morning. FL