The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-05-06

fought until exhausted, and the dyna-
miters blew up building after building
in hopes of stopping the fire. but, in
stead, the explosion of dynamite some
times started other fires. Our relief
badges. furnished us by President Jor-
dan. allowed us to penetrate into the
city for some distance, and We watch
ed block upon block go UP in smoke,
and also assisted people to save their
valuables from doomed buildings.
Everybody of course, was in the street.
Several times automobiles would dash
into street carrying fire chiefs and
dynamiters. The cry would go up,
THE block is to be dynamited.' Ten
minutes would sometimes be given for
the occupants of the houses to remove
what they most desired, and then the
men would plant the dynamite, and in
a few moments all trace of street had
been destroyed. In connection with
this many humorous incidents occurred,
although no one saw any humor in the
situation at the time.
The most valuable asset of many
household seemed to be either a cam
ary or a parrot. It did not seem pos
sib1e that there were so many birds in
the city, but women especially strain
ed every effort to save their feathered
pets. But there We're other things saw
ed also. One woman. when told to
save what few things she wanted,
hurried into the house and brought out
a table leg. | saw fashionably
dressed lady standing on a street corn
er holding in one hand a can of toma-
toes which had just been opened. and
in the other hand. bunch Of roses.
She was boxing from one to the other
and crying.
The most humorous scenes were en-
acted in front of the wholesale liquor
houses. When the word went forth |
that a block was doomed, if there was
a liquor store near by the entrance !
would be crowded with "hobos'' and 4,
men. The proprietor would |
save his papers and vaiuables and then |
give the word and the crowd would /
rush in The first ones in would salts |
" themselves with q bottle of whiskey /
lr wine. Then one a trifie bolder than
he rest would bring out two bottles. /
rhe rest would follow suit until each
nan was bringing out an armful of
assorted liquors. After this came men
'olling small kegs. then barrels. 1t
vas impossible to roll the later farth-
r than the street. but the men did not
seem to care. When they could get
he barrels no further, each man
would mount his own keg and sit
Lstride of it. no doubt praying for an
.uger. There they would stay until
,rdered to move on by the police. All
his, of course happened during the
arlv part of the fire. The next day
nyone caught with bottle OF
iuuor had to give it up.
There was really no night in the city
or two days. The fire made every
hing like day and no one gave any
hought 10 the time. About nine
clock in the evening. however, we
tarted for home. AS We left the fire
one and reached the outskirts of the
itv we first noticed that il was pitch
ark. On reaching the top of the
i'll back of the city we turned back
1r a last look The whole city seem
doomed AS far as We could see /
here was one plain of fame leaping .
I ali directions. Market street had
Iready been destroyed. The flames
ere well into the Mission district and
ere eating their way through China-l
,yvn and up into the. fasniona bic Mob r
Till district.
Dynamite was being used with great
r frequency but seemed 10 have no
fleet. 1t was hard to realize that the
reatest city of the West was disappear
~ before our eyes. that her pride was
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