Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-08-15
ship OF FIRE is A
BIG ATTRACTION
TO HILOITES

1
| Especial star~gulletn Correspondence
| HILO. August I4.-More than sS1di
worth OF gasoline and a scow valued
at about $1,000 went up in smoke las
/ Tuesday evening when a fire broke
out on a lighter laden with auto juice
which had just been discharged from
| the steamer Enterprise. The sCov
and its contents burned until
O'Clock in the morning and then the
charred remains Of the punt went tC
the bottom some three miles out al
sea. Ill. -s... r..
| Ii was 10 o'clock on Tuesday night
when the fire alarm was sent in from
the Matson warehouse at Waiakea. In
stantly about everyone in Hilo turned
out and by means of automobiles
hacks and rigs, rushed to Waiakea
The first rumor was that the Matson
warehouses were en- fire. This story
was soon killed when il was seen that
a seow was drifting down the river.
Flames hundreds of feet in height
were rearing from the scow and the
sound of bursting drums of gasoline
terrified those in the immediate Vicin-
ity. The line that had moored the
scow to the shore had been cast off
in order to allow the dangerous load
of fire to drift with the stream out
into the bay This action undoubt,
eddy saved another scow and the ware
house from destruction.
The burning mass fIoated down the
stream under the two bridges and
then swung around with the tide till
the scow was almost beached. Then
the current again took charge and the
scow, still with flames mountain high
issuing from her, drifted along until
1t looked as If the railroad wharf and
the lumber schooner Camano, along
side of it, were sure to be DESTROYED.
Sampans, boats and launches kept
cruising around the scow, but the in
tense heat and the frequent explosions
made it a dangerous proposition to
get close enough to make a towline
fast. One attempt was made and al
thought the launch got to within a
short distance of the scow, the in.
tense heat and the darling flames
made it impossible to get line on
board.
Just as the launch made the first
and failed, a terrific explo-
sion took place and gas and flames
shot out 100 feet horizontally from the
scow. by good fortune the men in
the launch had just passed the dan
ger point and thus escaped certain
death.
Undismayed by their narrow escape,
James Reid and Hawaiian, William
Holt, made another attempt to put a
line on the scow. 1t was ticklish work
and for a time, the job seemed to be
an impossible one. However, Reid
md Holi stuck to their task in plucky
fashion and, finally, managed to, in
cowboy fashion, throw a loop over one
Of the corner posts of the scow. Then
began the exciting tow out to sea.
The little launch towed her blazing
and exploding charge straight out and
when the tow line burned through,
some miles out, finally abandoned the
ask
When the launch lost her connec-
ion with the scow the latter still
lirfted on and at times the flames
we're just as fierce as when the fire
'irst started. Away on the horizon
he shooting masses of gas and flames
played on the water and the spectacle
vas a striking one.
At 2 o'clock in the morning the end |
,ame when the flames had burned the
tides of the scow and the water came
n. The lighter sank, but the gaso
inc at once spread over the surface
Of the water for an area of at least
IN acre. The fire blazed on the top
If the water for a few minutes and
hen all was dark.
Most of the gasoline on the scow
vas consigned to the Volcano Stables
Company and was covered by insur-
lnce.
The Hilo fire department turned out
Is soon as the alarm was turned in,
The engine raced down to Waiakea
ind. as the first impression was that
he fire was at the Matson warehouse, |
| line of hose was coupled up with q
lydrant which was at least 1000 feet
way. 1t was than seen that the hose
vas not long enough, so Fire Chief |
Johnson ordered the engine back tc
own for more hose. The chief re-
rained at Waiakea to take charge OF
he fire Soon after the auto depart
d for the extra hose Johnson discov.
cred that the fire was on the scow.
lie at once tried TO get into telephone
with the fire station.
He had to go some distance before he
,ould reach phone, and then could
lot raise the station.
The fire truck in the meantime had
attached reel as tow and start
ID to speed down to the fire Just at
he postoffice corner the left wheel
If the reel collapsed and the appa-
'atus was wrecked The truck then
-aced down to the railroad wharf.
where it was stationed in order to
light the flames should the burning
;eow touch the wharf.
The origin of the fire is thought to
nave been a cigarette butt that was
dropped from the Waiakea bridge on
% the scow
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