Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-09-04
TRIBUTE PAID
RALPH HARRUB
BY DIR. WADMAN
Men Who Lost Lives in ExpIo-
sion and in F-4 Were All
a Heroes, Declares Minister

ether two men who lost their lis es
In the explosion OF a distillate tank
ct 1wfIei a week ago last Thursday
and to the brave men who went down
with the "A. was paid by DR.. John w
Wadman in an address delivered in
the Methodist church last Sunday.
Bravo men were they, and brave
women too, are they. who live to bear
the burden Of life alone without com
plant, God bless them" said Doctor
Wsdman in the course OF his address.
The address was, in part, as fol
lows: .s.:': 49,. ~. ~ ~
There is a heroism in common Or
binary life as there Is in military
achievement To die for ones coun-
try Is heroic. To live and toll for
ones country is no less heroic. We
glorify war and cxtol the heroes OF
the battlefield. None, the less We
should glority LIES common struggles
and extol the virtues Of those who why
Ivy sweat ct brain and Drawn. contri-
hute their faithful share to public vel
fare. II these men had met an acct.
dental death In a joy ride or in pur-
suit Of some foolish purpose, our feel
ings today would be altogether differ
cnt. But they met sudden and mys.
FERROUS death In the ,dutiful perform
ance Of daily toll. ~ ...s
1.-The mystery,o of the sad occurrence
we cannot understand, Life Is beset
with contradictions, Il is $50 often
chaotic and confusing. We believe in
God, merciful and mighty Nor Is
here anything purely accidental. Lies
calamities are not ill-starred. A d.
vine purpose prevails The ripening
process is not complete II win take
an eternity to reveal the whole plan
Of life. s, -. &, ?
dow in the 9th story OF the Stangen.
wald building last Thursday near
noon, there was seen q terrific explo-
sicn on In the lwilei direction, tail
pillar OF FIRE and then clouds of black
curling smoke. An hour later, some
one stated that, an accident had oc.
Cured, caused by a tank explosion
and three men were fatally wounded.
Some few friends gathered at the
Queens hospital that evening to sit
through the night, watches with those
in deep distress Three men, swathed
and bandaged, lay in rooms adjoining
each other. The sight was pitiful.
Two wives, a mother. a father, q
brother and a. little sister were bowed
with anxiety and. griek Skilful nurses
were in attendance under the direc.
ton OF competent surgeon with his
assistants. All was being done that
could be done. One OF these men had
grown up in Honolulu as one, of our
own dear boys. / came to know him
well as a lad, of IL or IL. He was de.
voted to an only little sister of or
4. They walked and. SAL: and played
together just like lovers During all
these years, the little sister has been
his idol. Ralph was born an electri.
cal engineer. His little deft fingers
Rs q boy were constantly engaged
in some sort of constructive work.
While other lads played with bat and
ball, he delYed. HIS disappointment
later In not being able to continue
his studies In the university did not
crush his ambitious purpose. He took
a course in correspond and quail.
fed as an expert mechanic. -
Little things reveal character.
When the ambulance was too small to
take the three men to the hospital
Il was he who offered to sit In a
corner and permit the third man. to
be taken, and upon arrival at Queens
hospital, II was Ralph who insisted
that his comrades should first be car
ed for as he could wait. Those acts
were heroic. He did as he lived
facing death brayely, sweetly. His
nurse picked up bunch Of American
beauties from a table and holding
them closely to his face, said, See
Ralph, here isare some roses your
friend has sent you Opening his
eyes and smiling pleasantly, he re-
piled, How lovely. Thank you,' and
soon fell to sleep.
Such men are heroes. Ten thou.
sand upon ten thousand poor. dear
women in Europe weep for husbands,
brothers, fathers and sons wounded
and slain on the CORY fields of pur-
poseless war. With US. there are
those whose hearts are broken be-
cause of the dear husbands and sons
who in honest toll for livelihood and
in faithful discharge Of duty along
lines of public welfare have met with
death. Brave men are they
and brave women too are they who
live to bear the burden of life alone
without complaint God bless them.
Honolulu will not soon forget the
accident of the F4 and the tank ex.
plosion. Some day, perhaps, her ctt
sens, will see their way. clear to per
oetuate the memory Of her deceased
heroes in the strife of life by-let
ne see-not% erecting a marble shaft
serving no real utilitarian purpose, but
~ endowing a chair OF electric engi
,eerAGg in the College of Hawaii, with
available for worthy
struggling boys like Ralph, or by Gre
lting a park on the waterfront with |
shady palm trees and pure ice-cold
49, = - b g 20