The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-10-13

of that fire, it is stated, was merely
the falling of hot rivyt ON oil soaked
ground. and if such o. small accident
could cause such a fire it is indeed adj
visublc to take every precaution. We
believe that the building of more tanks
I'm this section unless they are isolated
and well protected, should be prohibit
ed by law and that the present tanks
should be safeguarded as far as req
sonably possible by the construction OF
an earthern embankment on the mud
flats, high enough to hold the es-
Gaping oil and forming a basin I'm
which the oil might burn away without
doing any harm. The height that the
embankment should be built would de-
pend upon the amount of land il en-
closed. 1t should be built of fine
earth from which all organic matter
and stones have been removed. Il
should have a crown of at least feet
ana a slope of two to one-there should
be no openings i'm it and pipes should
not break through. We believe that
the concrete wall ON the land side of
the Union oil cos premises should be
continued at the same height without
openings from the point it now stops
around the two sides of the Pacific Oil
cos premises to the flats.
We believe the wooden structures i'm
the Pacific Oil cos premises should be
removed and no such buildings allowed
anywhere near oil tanks.
We also think that there should be
some restrictions placed around the dis
charge of petroleum from the ship.
Ships carrying oil i'm bulk should not
be allowed to lie alongside Wharves ON
which are warehouses or other property
of considerable value, to discharge, but
should be at safe distance. No open
lights should be allowed ON board ship
while she is discharging; there should
be double gate valves i'm the pipe, one
one the wharf and one a short distance
say 10 TO Is feet back from wharf; con-
nections should be male and female
coupling at the wharf to prevent Leak
age and the accumulation of oil on and
around the piers, and the pipes should
be buried to prevent accident.
We would respectfully suggest that
if Legislative action is taken that the
construction and location of the tanks
should receive attention as well as
their efficient safe guarding.
Another very important matter is
the quality of oil that should be all
lowed to land. l understand that any
oil that will not flash below 1907 Far
is now approved by the authorities it
being cassed with coal oil. This we
should not object to if the same res
trictions as to the keeping of coal oil
were placed around the keeping of
petroleum but of course they are not.
Where there is no restriction as to
quantity of petroleum that may be kept
nor how it shall be kept we certainly
believe that the flash test should be
made higher than that applied to coal
oil.
This Board enforces its rules govern
ing the installation of fuel oil plants
largely for the sake of general safety
but its power is limited. As we all
know the question of flash test of
petroleum was threshed out pretty
thoroughly at the last session of our
Legislature but nothing came of it
and we would now respectfully sug-
eest that it receive your careful con-
sideration.
Yours very truly
A. r. GURREY
Spcret1rv