The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-12-25
GREAT 0|LdANkS n
MENACE TOHARB0R
destruction OF Large Containers
WoHid Probably SET FIRE TO
Wharves and Shipping

A 4 .HI d.
| Repeated warnings Of fre danger
from oil Storage tanks that have been
given by the authorities to the Union
and Associated Oh companies have
had no tangible result, and the menace
to property and shipping in the dis.
trict where the great tanks are located
continues to exist.
In what the Standard Oil company
has done to lesson danger Of wide.
spread conflagratioh he two companies
against which complaints have been
directed have an example OF what
should be done and 70 investigators Who
have studied the area in which the
storage tanks are located IL IL appar.
emit that all the work the Standard
Oil company had done to erect safe
guards Is in large measure nulliiied by
the negligence Of the other two com
panies.
Big Storage Capacity
Not counting the smaller so.calIed
measuring tanks, in all there are twelve
large oil tanks all located in an area
Of less than ten acres bordering the.
Iwilei roadway and a scant 500 Yards
from the waters Of the harbor. The az.
gregate capacity Of the tanks Is some.
thing like 100000 barrels. tI
The tract occupied by the Standard
Oil company Is on the makai side of
the road. farthest from other property
that borders the area and also farthest
from the harbor, or from that part of
the harbor that would be endangered
| in the event Of conflagration. The
Standard oil tanks have an approximate
capacity, Of 120,500 barrels. Two of
the large tanks, each with a capacity
Of $4,000 barrels, are used for crude
oil. Another large tank, with capac.
ity Of $1,000 barrels, Is used TO store
kerosene. Two smaller tanks, one Of
IA, 900 barrels and one Of $500 barrels
are, used to. store distillate and gasoline.
Tanks Enclosed
All of these tanks of the Standard,
Oil company are. enclosed in con-
crete wall save at one spot where an
earthwork embankment that serves as
well has been thrown up. The whole
force of employees has been trained
into fire fighting organization by the
frequent fire drills that are held and
that are called by the ringing Of, a
gong without previous notice. Disaster
here very likely would be confined to.
the small enclosed area in which the.
tanks stand. ., u
The danger to the district lies across
the road along which, behind an made
quate barrier, stand the great tanks
Iof the Union and Associated Oil com.
| panies: Nearest the harbor waters are
THE three tanks Of the Associated Oil
company which have an approximate
capacity of 100000 barrels. Farther
along the road are the four tanks of
the Union Oil company with an APP
proximate capacity of 100000 barrels.
/ 1t is stated that all the tanks of both
! eompanies are used for the storage of
crude oil. sS.@ .....5 ~
Danger Is Present "-,
Honolulu harbor with its shipping
land wharves ablaze is possible out
come Of any serious disaster to the
tanks of the Union and Associated
i Oil companies. Tn answer to notices
i that have been sent to these com
panies by Acting Superintendent of
! Public Works Hobby, the companies
have temporized, The Associated Oil
company. has urged that its lease on the
tract it occupies is short, but the lease
lin question has matter of two years
Ito run and the danger Is present
every DAY. In answer TO complaints,
Ithe Union Oil company has stated that
/ the matter has been taken mp with its
Home office in California, When the
company Is officials will act or what
they may elect TODD, 80 far has not yet
been disclosed. In the most recent
4 Communication from the public works
4 department il isgtated that the present
condition cannot be permitted to con-
1 time. 1T has mot been stated what
tacti0n is contemplated, l53Nla ia.
4 Destruction Of one or more Of the
/ tanks Of the two companies would
iprobably spread destruction in two
lSiiTections. Il Onr the laid side are the
lumber Yards and milo the City Mill
O6mpany and on beyond this the plant
tof the Hawaiian Fertilizer company
md a hundred yards ON at the foot
bf a Slope the gas company's plant and
1 storage tank. ygant i %'s
Natural Channel
NJ The greatest menace, however, lies
/ ins the other direction. The asphalt
broadway which borders the tank slopes
gently toward Pier 10 ind the other
fiiers beyond, "a perfect channel down
(which destruction might flow to the
shippingl mo6red AT the piers. Less
seriously nfeuaced Is the drydock plant
of the IntersIsland at the end Of a
short ,roadway.faNsl $40 .N
q The barrier of protection that has
been erected around the group OF OIL
tanks consists Of a board fence, That
part Of the fence that runs along the
j foad%ay is sheethed in metal, but the
lRreater portion of the fence is of wood.
The single purpose il serves is to keep
lpeopie out. 1t could not have been
designed for Any other purpose. Watch
men are maintained around the two
Iplants and "NO Smoking" signs are
Ito be seen ON all sides but a holocaust
would not be stayed by these thingss