Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-02-17
Pathetic Story of Nations Egrataude.

ly. for brown October was on the wane
before the next chapter was added. 1t
appears that the adjutant general i'e-
ferred 1t to the Quartermaster general
by order of the secretary of war.
1t will be observed that nearly year
had now elapsed since the fire and the
consequent destruction of the hose,
How the Honolulu fire department was
making out with their loss can only be
surmised. Perhaps they borrowed the
garden hose of an English resident in
Hawaii At any rate, nearly a year
had elapsed and the only progress
made toward the replacement Of their
hose was the fact that dozen or more
officials of the United States govern
ment had become acquainted with the
history of their loss.
But the quartermaster general sent
the documents back to the adjutant
general with the endorsement that
there was no appropriation in the
quartermaster's department considered
applicable for the purpose" He re-
quested, however, that the hose be reg
placed by new hose purchased with a
fund from the contingencies Of the
army fund, estimating the cost of the
new hose at $500.
The secretary of war took another
crack at the papers in the case at this
juncture. He sent them to the comp
trOller Of the treasury, with a history
of the loss written by himself. He
asked for a decision as to what appro-
priation could be used for purchasing
hose. The comptroller. of the treasury,
in his reply. reviewed the history of
the loss and threw this light on the
subject:
1.-The papers indicate that the fire de-
ated to put out the fire. One means
employed was to attach the hose to the
pumps of the Iroquois.
But whether this was done at the
suggestion of the quartermaster's de-
partment or at the suggestion of the
fire department or both is not shown.
1t was the duty of the fire department
of Honolulu to use every effort, and no
doubt it did. If the hose was loaned by
the fire department to the quartermas-
ter's department to be attached to the
pumps, and It was so attached and
used for the purpose, in the absence
of negligence in such use. no legal la
'bility on account of such use would
arise. advise that the claim should
not be paid"
This effusion brought the matter up
to the, date Of January g. 1902 on which
date II was received by the quarter
master general and referred to the sec
rotary OF war, not, however, until the
quartermaster general had written
new history of the loss sustained by
the Honolulu, fire department.; Test
we forget two years having inter-
vened since the. loss.
The secretary of war did not faint
when the bunch of documents, now
grown to ripe old age and size. again
came into his hands. He indicted a
letter to the speaker of the house and
asked that the attention OF congress
be called to the case for such action
as congress might be pleased to take.
The documents were referred to COM
mittee of the house for consideration.
A report is expected at this session Of
congress.
Perhaps in-years to come, when a
new generation is in charge OF the
Honolulu fire department, new set
of hose, bearing the official stamp and
seal of the United States government,
may arrive in that faraway Pacific is
land to gladden. the hearts of the in
habitants and to lower the insurance
rates. But unless the various histo-
ries of the original loss accompany
the new hose, no one will know the
reason why.