The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-05

Frank s. Dodge. superintendent of
the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate, re-
turned in the steamer Kinau from the
expedition to fight forest fires on the
island of Hawaii When he left on
Friday the fires We're mostly under
control. Mr.. Dodge gave an Advertiser
reporter the following connected ac-
count OF the expedition, on which he
accompanied Ralph 5. Hosmer, the
Territorial forester, in the revenue
cutter Bear from Honolulu.
81 went up with Mr.. Hosmer in the
Bear last Saturday" Mr. Dodge said.
1--WE were landed at Kailua, where we
fitted out with tools for fighting fire
and went right over Sunday night.
"We were on the ground early Mon
day morning The fires on the Gov
e.rnment land in the lower end of South
Kona were the most serious. They
started on the land of Kaapuna and
were working south.
Mr. Hosmer went over there ana
took charge Immediately. He organ
ized a gang of Hawaiians and Japa-
nese, about seventy-f1ve in all. They
are still there, with good prospects OF
getting the fire under control. Maybe
il is under control by this time. That
fire was spreading into Government
land north of the Buchholtz place. IN
the woods mauka of the Government
main road.
Thursday morning I had message
from Mr.. Hosmer saying there were
slight rains there. and he hoped they
would soon have the fire under full con-
troll We had some rain Wednesday
night. and Thursday morning it was
raining a little.
"On the Bishop Estate lands there
were bad fires in progress. one was
on the land of Kahauloa, mauka OF the
nasture land leases to John Gaspar.
That fire was extinguished by Tues-
dav afternoon. No great damage WAS
done on the estate lands. few patch
&c of mountain taro and a small area
of pasture land, belonging to other
parties. were burned over. One grass
nut was destroyed.
"a larger fire was on the lana Oh
Honaunau under lease to S. M Da-
mon. and on the portion sublet to W.
w Bruner, whose japanese contrac-
tors were clearing land for coffee plant
ing. The fire got beyond their controI
and extended nauka into the ohia and
fern forests, but did not reach the
more valuable koa.
1--WE organized a gang of forty or
more Japanese and by working day
and night opened a wide trail an
around the burning district. so that
tba fire could not extend outside OF the
trail T. c. White. our local agent
had already done effective work in that
line and we had the fire practlcally
under control by Tuesday.
"wednesday afternoon showed the
fire about entirely extinguished.
therefore left and rode overland TO
yyaimea and took the kinau at ha-
waihae.'' ]
Mr.. Dodge states that Mr.. Hosner
commented strongly on the conduct Oh
4bosa who started fires adjacent to the
forests when everything was superia-
+ix-eI1- dry from the prolonged uIoutii-
while those fires We're in progress, art
AZ Mr.. Hosmer appeared on the ground
paopla started other fires in the neisii-
borhood. taking advantage of the 1he
weather to clear land.
Mr.. Hosmer sent an urgent requeSe
+o High Sheriff Henry that he INSTRUCT !
tho deputy sheriffs in all districts 10
issue warnings. under the heaviest
penaIties the law allows. against tie
starting of fires in dry weather
FORESTER HOSMER'S REPORT ;
Forester Hosmer sends the following
of the fire in the Government
forests 20 L. a. Thurston. president Oh
the BOARD Of Agriculture and Forestry;
THE forest fire in South hona start
ed on Wednesday. Feb. 23, near Iie
southern edge of Kaapuna. about nan
= mile above the Government road 1t
has snread up the mountain side IN
I,roaa -tonped V or L. until now CMaFch
- II averages perhaps : miles "lue
bv from to 1-2 miles up and down
say from 1900 TO 1900 acres. 1t Is
hard to estimate correctly. because
there are no high points TO look OH Ir"ii
and the smoke lies over the mountain
sIope to obscure landmarks
1.-THE fire now extends from the OPP
boundary. across haa-
puma and Kipahoehoe to line drawn