The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-06-18
BIG BLAZE ON
THE HEIGHTS
RAPID DESTRUCTION OF C. w.
BOOTHS RESIDENCE ON THE
HILLSIDE.

The remains of nine large oil cans
on the scene of the fire which destroyed
g. w. Booths residence on Pacific
Heights last night explain the extra
ordinary rapidity with which the blaze
completed it's work, while ashes far
down on Fort street show that tine con-
Migration brought no little danger to
the city generally. There was much
alarm in the homes nearest to that of
Booth and under his dwelling at the
top of Nuuanu avenue, while on Pacific
Heights everyone turned out to watcn
the blaze which no one could attempt
to suppress. The firemen looked at it
helplessly from a distance, none of
them even going TO the scene.
The house was in fit condition for a
quick fire. The work of painting it had
already begun and THE roof was COW
cred with new paint. Booth had given
orders ITO the Chinese contractor who
was doing the work to use plenty of oil
in oiling the floors, and the contrac tor
had a lot of material on the spot. The
building was not occupied, and just
how the fire started will probably never
be known. Within half an hour or so
before the time when flames were seen
coming through the roof, the building
showed no signs of fire.
Mrs. Wotkyns whose home is nearest
to the Booth place and a trife below
1t, was probably the first to see the fire.
She was in her own home all evening,
so near to the Booth place that it is an
easy call, and the neighbors were wont
to call good night Ito each other when
Judge Silliman occupied the Booth resi-
dence. Mrs. Wotkyns remained in her
home reading up to nearly midnight.
hon rln Lob Cd
blaze to be seen at the Booth place. But
about half an hour later THE fire at
tracted her attention, just after she had
retired, and by that time the flames
had made big progress.
The principal theories advanced to
account for the fire are that a smould-
ering cigarette caused it, that sparks
from rubbish fire higher up on the
mountain were blown down, and that
the contractor left some oily rags which
/ developed heat and finally fire as such
rags often do. The fire on the hill side
was caused by burning rubbish and
was quite large fire all day yesterday.
The wind blew down the hill as usual
and some of the lower residents took
occasion to do some extra watering
around their homes with a view to
! preventing any spark from lighting the
, dry grass and brush. c. w. Booth this
morning expressed the opinion that a
spark from the brush fire might have
landed on his building and caused the
fire.
The destruction was naturally COM
plete. Nothing that would burn was
left on the site of the handsome resi-
dence and the trees and plants around
it were destroyed. The fire spread a
short distance in the grass and died
httf In
red fire. among the ruins and Booth
made arrangements to have some wa
ter turned on.
There is some criticism of the fire
men for not going to the fire them
selves even if they could not have TAX
/ en- the engines up there. The place is
supplied by water pipe from the res
Z ervoir above, and though the pipe
is not large one, the head" or
pressure is great. The department
turned out but the men stopped at the
head of Nuuanu avenue. Police officer
Renear went up the hill and remained
for time, to watch for danger to sur
rounding property, but the condition OF
the ruins this morning indicates that a
rise in the wind would have made the
blazing embers a source of serious dam
! ger at any time.
| c. w. Booth and family were living
at Waikiki and intended to move into
the Pacific Heights place in a few days
after the painting was finished. An old
native had been sleeping in the house
as caretaker, but he was also at Wal
kiki last night. He was at the ruins
this morning and the owner was there
also. The native used little fire or light
in the house for his meals were
brought to him from down town and
he did no cooking.
Booths residence was a handsome
one, at commanding point on the hill
side. 1t was insured for $4,000 in the
Phoenix Insurance Company of Brook
lyn, and for $4,000 in the Scottish Union
National Insurance Co., and is said to
have cost nearly $4,000.