The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-02
500 FEET OF HOSE AND s;
 TROUBLE IT HAS CAUSED
Honolulu Fire Departments Strenuous Efforts to Save Uncle Sans Coal Not Appreciated by
 the HeartleSS Government Officials.

He alsosrsromnsnded thst the AesA Asss : The cnisf' ouartsrmaster, of the Ds :. partment of California referred the docu- of serial to General Shafter. of tho Department of California, he of SantlAko fame. January was half spent ere Gen. ossf on ths sts he referred, the documents to the Ad1u- tant General of the army at Washing- ton. f
 At Washington 1t got lost evidently. for the next chapter was added. It appears that the Ad1utant General referred it to the Quartermaster General by order of the Secretary of War.
 It will be observed that nearly year had now elapsed since tho fire and the consequent destruction of the hose. How the Honolulu fire department was mak- missed. Perhaps they borrowed the gar- den hose of an English resident In Ha- vail At any rate nearly year had elapsed and tho only progress made to- fact that q dozen or more officials of ths United States government had become acquainted with the history of the loss. .
 But the Quartermaster General sent the documents back to the Adjutant Gen erai with the endorsement that there Is no appropriation in the Quartermas- ter's Department considered applicable for the purpose: He requested, however, that the hose be replaced by, new hose purchased with fund from the contin- gencies of the army fund, estimating the cost of the new hose at S6pQ. q
 The Secretary of War took anotser 5ssss juncture. He sent them to the Comp troller of the Treasury. with a history ox the loss written by himself. He asked could be used for purchasing hose. Tho Comptroller of the. Treasury. In his re- ply, reviewed the history of the loss and threw this light on the subject:
 tsThe papers indicate that the fire de- partment and the government cc-opcrat- ed to put out the fire. One means ern- ployed was to attach the hose to- tho pumps of the Iroduois. But whetner this termaster's Department or Rt the sug- gestion of the fire department or both is not shown. It was the 5dnty CT the fire department of HonoMln ta.use every effort and no doubt 1t didtSs If the hose was loaned by the fire sdepartsnent te the Quartermaster's Department to be attached to the pumps. and 1t was so at- tached and used for. the purpose, n the absence of negligence in such use no legal liability on account of such uso would arise. I advise that the claim should not be paid
 This effuslon brought the matter up to the date of January 8. 1892. on which date 1t was received by the Quarter master General and referred 10 the secre- tary of War. not. however, until the | Quartermaster General had written q | new history of the loss sustained by tho | Honolulu fire deDartment Test we for | get" two years having intervened since | the loss.
 | The Secretary of War did not faint | when the bunch of documents. now ! grown to ripe old age and size. again l came into his hands He indicted lef- | ter to the Speaker of the House and ask | ed that the attention of Congress be called to the case for such action as | Congress might be pleased to take. Tho | documents were referred to a commit- tee of the House for consideration. A report is expected at'this session of Cons gross.
 Perhans in years to come. when new generation is in charge of the Honoluiu firs department new set of hose. bear ing the official stamp and seal of tho Tinted States government. may arrive tn that far away Pacific island to gladden. the hearts of the inhabitants and 10 lower the insurance rates
 Milt Saul.