The Hawaiian gazette., 1913-02-18

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The assistance of the entire water
front was last night extended to fight
the fire within the Lurline. The rev.
enue cutter Thetis was the first to re-
spond and waterfront officials, private
and public, were quickly on the spot
working as hard as laborers with
bucket, hose and superintendent.
Captain Altman, dock superintendent
of the Inter Island Steam Navigation
Company, at once offered the use of any
of the company's steamers in port to
move the Lurline to perform other SER
vice whenever desired. Superintendent
Sheedy of the same company, himself
took command of a squad directly in
the engine room and did yeoman work.
Alarm Startles Town.
The fire was discovered by the sec
ond engineer as it climbed up the side
discovery and the alarm by whistle,
very few minutes elapsed. The un-
usual and prolonged whistle startled
the town mildly, but as the oil tanker
Santa Maria was due to leave in the
she.
1t was the only alarm given. The
police, however, recognized in it the
signal of distress and Motorcycle Off
Ger Chiffon was sent down to see what
was needed. He soon learned the
facts and unable to secure telephone
on the wharf motored back to the sta
tion where he turned the alarm in
both to the police and the fire depart
ments.
The engines and chemical trucks, to.
getker with the police patrol and a
special force of police guards from
Chief Kelett s department were soon
on the spot.
Chief Engineer Thurston of the fire
department took of the fire fighting
Immediately upon arrival.
Thetis Sends Men.
The first alarm was recognized as q
police signal and was answered almost
at once by the United States revenue
cutter Thetis. A squad of twenty
men, including a number of Filipinos
among the crew, were sent over to the
Lurline under command of Lieutenant
James Pine, and performed invaluable
service, getting down directly with the
fire aud staying with it until they
were ordered out after it was plainly
seen that the danger was past.
The only accident during the even
ing occurred to one of the Thetis men
O. Seeland, who was overcome by the
gases while in the fire.room and was
carried out stiff by his companions
He quickly recovered in the open all
and was sent back to his ship.
Fight With Chemicals.
No water was the first order OF
Chief Thurston upon arrival and being
shown the fire. In consequence, al
/ though two engines were connected
with hydrants on the wharf all the
evening, the hose was not used.
The two chemical trucks from cen
trail were brought up alongside thu
/ steamer and five lines run over thu
rail. These and buckets of sand wer'
the weapons of the fire.fghters In
oongruously enough the sand wa
called for by a drunken member of th
black squad who, too intoxicated to d.
anything else, perceived at once th
need for it and staggered about thu
wharf exhorting the spectators to ge
sand, sandl
A bucket brigade was quickly forme,
of the Thetis men and these rushe'
bucket after bucket up the gan
plank and down into the smoking hole
Eack truck, capable of holding "a
gallons besides the mobile apparatus
was quickly exhausted and each wa
dispatched in turn to central to refill
In several instances il was necessar.
TO attach n pump midway to get tn
fluid over the side of the steamer.
Flames Threaten Vessel.
The fire reached its worst shortly af
ter nine O'Clock. Clouds of vapo
from the boiling oil foated lightl
above the vessel and the intense hea
below commenced 30 be felt throug
the iron decks On the port side thi
heat became 80 hlistering that after
hasly survey last night IL WAS declares
that ore Of the life boats had bee
slightly ehafrel
With the exception Of clouds Of vapo
which arose when the bunker hole
we're occasionally opened 20 permit
more ready attack on the hfe, then
ans little indication af the fire ahoy
decks. iiut the heat below was intens
aud the gases suBasatine The aide
Of the settling tanks grew red bot AM
thr Oh within commented "a boil FUR