The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-08-18
TOrChFIay HaveBeenAppIied

Some Seventy thousand dollars worth
of property in that part of Chinatown
bordering on the Nuuanu stream, on
the Waikiki side; was destroyed early
this morning by fire. About $4,000 IN
surance is placed. There are several
things that point toward incendiarism
as the cause of the outbreak The fire
covered half of the one block and burn
ed out two buildings on a small tri-
angular lot, half of which is vacant and
waste ground. The fire would, 1t is
thought by the experts, have easily been
kept within smaller limits had the en-
gines not had to stand idle for lack
of water for several minutes after their
arrival.
The property burned is located as fol-
lows. on the block bordeTed by River
and Maunakea streets on the west end
east and by Pauahi and North Hotel
on the mauka and makai sides, the eva
half of the block, facing river, is burn
ed out. The buildings We're the Win
ston block, two story frame building
on the makai-eWa corner, a tenement
house of three stories Immediately
back of this, the building of the River
Mill Company a Chinese planning mill
concern, on the mauka-ewa corner and
some Intermediary buildings.
The flames also leapt across Hotel
street and attacked a small triangu-
lar plot bordered by Hotel, King and
Kekaulike streets. The latter street,
running maukawards, stops abruptly
at the block where the chief damage
was done and would if continued have
equally divided that block. The apex
of the smaller plot towards River, was
unoccupied by buildings. Facing Hotel
ran the Armstrong block, a two story
wooden structure filled with Oriental
small-store keepers and the upper story
used as sleeping apartments. In the
middle of the plot stood a two story
tenement burned to a shell. On Kekau-
like street runs a two story building
barely saved by the department, and on
the opposite side of Kekaulike a similar
structure the end Of which is badly
scorched.
In the big block, facing on Maunakea
the buildings are undaTmed. Half way
dividing the block is an unoccupied
piece of property which is practically
used as an extension of Kekaulike street
by foot passengers. On Pauahi street
the flames were arrested midway, the
end of one two story structure which
commences in the center of the block
and continues to the corner of P9uahi
and Maunakea being badly burned. In
all, about three quarters of a regular
block is burned. The destruction Is
complete where the flames obtained the
mastery. Only twisted water and sewer
pipes rise from a blackened desert or
charred timbers and corrugated iron
roofing. Canned goods and an Occa-
sional safe show here and there and,
until ten thirty this morning the hose
was still playing under the direction Of
Chief Thurston. No flames We're visible
only thin smoke and haze of heat but
the water was kept going for fear the
valley breeze might find some pertina-
cious sparks and carry them to more
destruction.
The fire was discovered at about three
O'Clock by the police and an alarm turn
ed in. The flames were in the rear of
the Winston building All the engines
from the central station arrived and
Chief Thurston Immediately turned in
a general alarm Flames were seen Is
suing simultaneously from a narraw
alley running back of the Winston
building from River street and also
from the front of the Winston building