The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-02-07
WILL RESU ME
" D RK AT
PAHOA
Some Main Machinery Not Badly
Damaged and Work Will
Be Resumed.
MEN SHOW THEIR LOYALTY
Offer to Work for "Kaukau
Money" Until Company Is
Again on Its Feet.
(Mail Special to The Advertiser.)

mail Special to The Advertiser.)
HILO, February 3.-Although the de-
struction of the lumber mill and stock
of the Pahoa Lumber Company seemed
as complete as it possibly could be,
J. B. Castle, the owner, and Sol. Sam
johnson, the manager, have not accept
ed defeat.
They will save out of the wreck
whatever they can use, and with this
as modest beginning they will build
up gradually the business which had
just been proven to be success.
1.-THE company is still in business
and will continue to be so, is the word
Mr.. Castle left in riilo. "Mr. johnson
will save what he can out of the wreck,
!, and such machinery as can be used
will be put into operation as soon as
possible. The fire has, of course, not
affected our forest operations, and
these will continue. !"
Some Machinery Escaped.
Colonel Johnson reported today that
matters look much brighter for the
survival of the Pahoa lumber industry
than was thought at first after the
great fire. G. d. Russell, of the Homo
lulu Iron Works, last Saturday made
an examination of the machinery. He
reports that most of it is in such
condition that it can be used. Four
boilers and the most important engine
can be used right away, and most of
the other machinery can be put in use
after having been subjected to com
paratively inexpensive repairs.
Johnson is now making arrangements
to secure money with which to start
operations again. He has been able to
make a showing which has made fav-
orable impression on local financiers,
and finds, that if it is necessary to
start new company, it will not be
difficult to find the money.
Men Show Loyalty.
The plant will be started immedl-
ately, as far as possible, to fill the
orders on hand. Several of those have
been postponed "a number of months,
the parties who had made them hav-
ing indicated their willingness to wait.
A most pleasing feature is the loyal
ty of many of the workmen. They have
volunteered to work for 'kaukau
money" SIS month, until the COM
pany gets on its feet again. There is
now virtually no doubt but that oper-
ations will be continued.
The decision to continue operations
means a great deal to Hilo and Puma.
The abandoning of the business would
have meant virtually the death of Pa
hoa, and it would have materially
checked the development which Puma
is receiving from the Hilo Railroad
Company branch, as that received It's
entire support from Pahoa from the
lumber company.
Two Previous Fires.
That the great fire of wednesday
had been preceded by two smaller
fires, occurring the previous day, was
brought out at the fire inquest which
was conducted at Pahoa last Saturday
by Sheriff Pua and Deputy County At
torney Heen. Nothing developed, how
ever, as to the cause of any of these
fires, and the jury returned verdict
of "causes unknown.
Among the witnesses were Manager
johnson, Archie Hapai, police off
eer, Moody, who is a Chinese foreman
with haole name; and several Orient
al employees of the mill company.
1t developed that about five O'Clock
!. Tuesday evening, the police Officer
saw fire in the sawdust just outside
the room where oil was stored. HI
Called AICult Ildpdij %hOOug anu w.
ers, and they extinguished the blaze
or thought they did so. Several o.
the extinguishers would not work, bu'
Others did, and water was also used
No sooner had this been done thai
another smouldering blaze was discov
cred some ten or fifteen feet away
They also tackled this fire, working OF
il until it was apparently eXtinguished
One of these fires was partly unde
a platform, but as lumber had beeI
stacked thereon, it was found i'm
practicable TO tear out the floor boards
and water was poured through thu
cracks until the smoke ceased. TIT
men also thrust their hands down int
the sawdust and could feel no hea
there. All of the men then left, ex
cept Moody, who worked on until h
managed to rip up some of the boards
lie could find no evidence of fire, an'
when he examined the same place a
about half-pa seven that night every
thing appeared all right. No one mad
any report of the matter to Johnson
Waterman Discovered Blaze.
The big fire was first discovered b!
two japanese, whose duty II was 4
Keep the fire going for the dryini
kiln and also 10 act as watchmen
ih'f nHiH TINT tH'g saw HBhh HhNN
the saw mill, and when they ran owe
there, tho flames were climbing up th
sides of the oil room. The blaze We
then not very large and the two mel
tried 10 extinguish IL without assist
nnee. Failing I'm this, they raised th
alarm, but the flames spread with sue
amazing ramdity that all efforts Z
stop them were futile.
The ihquest was conducted with oul
four Jurors, namely y. X. Kaloi, j. q
Kamakaiwi, A. j, soaFes aud 0e,
Chalmers The general idea n0w
that the ffp Tuesday afternoon yer
not really eatinguishrd. but that tho
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