Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1906-02-09
WAS NOT LEGENDARY
DETAILS OF FIRE AT
0N0MtA PLANTATION
STARTED IN TRASH AND WAS BE.
YoND CONTROL IN TWINK.
lING-HELP FROM 9TH
Err PLANTATIONS.

The Hawaii Herald gives the follow.
ing account of the Onomea mill fire:
The fire at Papaikou last Saturday
destroyed property of the Onomea Su.
gar Company to the value OF half.
million dollars beside the loss caused
by the delay in grinding the crop
which is ripening daily. Such cane
as ID now cut It has been decided to
grind at the Pepeekeo mill. six miles
distant from the Papaikou mill, but In
close proximity to the fields of cane
that are cut or are ready for cutting
BY this means much of the ripe cane
can be saved
Just how the terrible fire started IL
unknown; there is no question Of in
cenGiarism, and II is generally beliey
ed that 1t was caused through some de.
fect In the blowers used for drying the
bagasse. There is an arrangement at
Papaikou by which the bagasse mixed
with molasses and the barley is dried
before being sent to the stables to be
fed to the stock, and II is said some.
thing connected with this dryer went
wrong Saturday night with fearful re.
suits.
II was about half.past seven when
one OF the japanese employees OF the
mill saw tiny blaze In the trash mad
before he could give an alarm the
blaze had reached proportions that
placed II beyond human control. In
less than Ave minutes the boiling
operations were going on at the time
OF the fire and the usual SHIFT was at
work at the centrifugals and in sack
ing sugar. Not a Japanese remained
at his post and the centrifugals were
left to take care OF themselves.
Through the superhuman efforts OF
Engineer Cant and Assistant Manager
Silver the flames we're kept away from
the mill proper and in this way much
of the valuable machinery in that
structure was saved. What was left
in the boiling house Is principally q
mass of twisted iron. The main vac.
cuum pan filled with Juice is practical.
ly intact on its foundation and not
warped by the heat. the result OF the
juice being In II. Some OF the newer
centrifugals may be overhauled and
made ready for use when the mill Is
refitted but all OF the old time centrll.
ugals are beyond repair. 1t is believed
that within three months, possibly two,
the mill will be again In service.
Manager NOR was In Hamakua
when the fire broke out and returned
at the earliest moment after hearing
the bad news. His assistant. Mr.. Sik
yer. and Engineer Ed. Cant worked
like heroes and by careful manage
ment had a corps OF men at work saw.
Ing all property that II was possible
to reach. The first notice Hlo had OF
a fire was red glow 10 the north of
town and many supposed II was moth.
ing more than trash fire. but as the
glow increased in brightness alarm
was felt and telephone message
brought back the dreadful news.
Crowd of people went down to the
waterfront from which place fine
view OF the fire could be had and
many persons journeyed to the scene
In carriages, automobiles and on horse.
back. The olaa people went to the
fire In autos and on horseback and
lent valuable aid. There were fifteen
thousand bags OF sugar destroyed, that
amount having been sacked and left In
tho sugar house preparatory to ship
ment on Monday. About eight thou.
sand bags had been taken from the
mill during the two previous days and
stored on the opposite side of the
gulch.
Insurance companies represented in
Honolulu carried policies as follows:
On building and machinery. s71,375
Sugar, $4,000, There Is no undeTwrit
ing that covers loss to crop through
Interference with the grinding.