Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-09-29
HOW navy BOYS
SAVED COQUIMBO
CHILEAN TOWN OWES
EXISTENCE TO SAILORS.
Men of Second Division Of Pacific
Fleet. Now Here, Waged Two
Hours Fight Against Fire
Threatening City.

Filed away In navy chronicles
among the unnoted accounts of the
army and navy in time of peace, OF
the heroism which the public never
recognizes, coming, as II does, with
out the excitement and glamor ac-
corded to it in war, are the accounts
of the manner in which the city Of
Coquimbo, Chill, was saved by the
boys of the Second Division of the
Pacific fleet, now here.
+ II was while the feet was off that
port in January of this year that
the aid of Uncle Sans sailors in
fighting sudden and furious fire
that broke out in the hotel, saved
the entire town, dried by the sun
and untouched by rain, from COM
plete destruction by the flames.
In the report of Captain Fiske.
who directed the fire fighters, to Ad-
miral Sebree many of the officers and
men are mentioned for conspicuous
bravery, and George II. Wheeler,
ships filter. first class, and william
Gowan, botswains mate, second
class, have been awarded the gratui-
ty of 500 and the medal of honor.
II was seven o'clock in the, even
ing when large fire suddenly blaz-
ed out in the city, and Captain Fiske
sent Ensignu Rees into the city to
offer assistance in case II was need
ed. The chief of the fire department
sent back word that h needed all
the assistance that could be given.
The fire and rescue parties at
once started for shore, and Captain
Fiske took charge of them. They
found the Hotel Royal, the largest
in CoQuimbo, n mass of fire. A par
ty of American sailors who were
found operating on a three-foot
ledge, part of the burning second
floor, were ordered into the adjoin-
ing house, as the ledge would soon
have fallen.
Lieutenant Commander Charles +,
u,y,as ,.d o,.,. =, ,,,. ,,,,
and h,a n,roroa ~ ,r,,n ,,ran y,
four I,nes ~, bosa -, ,ho sro sror,
that noir, =, y,ntora uns,ahi. =. 4,
w.s Thor. ware tb,,,v nan ,n A.
urphes, nartr ord onoro,irg In ,bo
bouso mn ahut,oa nn N. roar =,
tho b,,ors ,ho, Ion, IN, A.. ,ron,
snreading'i,r tho, d,roc,,on uod
he fire snread Tn this bouse n wonId
have snread bavond contro, rho frl,
Ienpth of tho watsrsront Mr.
Hupbes b,mseIs took choryo NJ The
Marty and often ris,,ed hts own Iire
nv nu,Iinp down burnirg r,,ters ou
b,m.o,, Go ha,,o,oa :, no ~, IN,
,edye wba, n gave woy and owed
his life IN the fact that tho oro no.
po,th had nartIv burned out Tho
s,bt w,yed hv bipssIs mud bis mon
ON tbis side or tho fire ,osted ,w,
bours witbout intermiss,on
Meanwhile Captain Fiske had
throw, cordo, n, mon around IN,
sr. aud drove all excent tho actual
fire fighters from tho scsne taking
precautions against ni,ferers
Midsbipman Harry A Mcclure
was found Inv Captain Fiske nm the
roof of the one-story house tina,
ahutted nm tho reor NJ tho ho,e, and
ordered him and his Marty IN kee,
away from the burning thirty feel
NJ wal, that rose above them Nc.
CIuro mapoged IN 90, t>vo Iines ~,
hose playipg from ano,ber roof and
afterwards carried one-to the ground
and tro,nad n On tho portbeasteru
ipto,,or NJ tho bote, where tbo arr
wos than tho hotties
Several imes bis commapder had
IN order him hack from excessiveI,
dangerous points and IN one occn.
sion Cant Fiske seized him nv tbs
collar and pu,,ed him hack IN tbs
,,o, So, ,,n,, ,,,t,J--,,