Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-12-29
YOLUNTEERG GUARD
At INCINERA1OR
IS GERMAN BORN
Raa0ed and FriendIess 0Cto'
9snarian Makes Home in
Powder StorehouSe

The old, hard OF hearing. nearly
blind and crippled" octogenarIan
whom a morning paper describes as
voluntary guard at the old tncineTator
on the waterfront where large quaint
ties OF black powder are stored, Is
German by birth,
Separated by only the brick walls
Of the incinerator from hundreds OF
pounds Of the explosive, the old man
lives there night and day, not because
he wishes TO guard the powder maya
zine, but because II is his home.
w. r. Hobby, superintendent Of pub
lie works, is authority for the state
ment that the aged tramp, whose
name Is not known, is a German. Hob
by adds, however, that he has citizen.
ship papers and that he came here
from the state of Indiana. Hobby
does not believe he is a dangerous
character.
1.-THE old fellow lived in the states
for 80 or 40 years" says the superin-
tendent. I'VE have let him make his
home, for some time at the old incin-
orator. because he had no home OF his
own. I understand he gets his food
from The scraps at Fort Armstrong. |
regak thim as absolutely harmless"
Some old boxes, some strips OF cap
vas, few pieces Of tin and iron
these represent the old mans home.
The hut is fastened against the Eva
wall OF the incinerator.
Some boys come here smoking" he
related to a Star-Bulletin representa-
tive, but I told them TO get away. Il
don't let anybody hang around here.
Day times the old man sits in front
Of the wooden door that opens to tho
powder stores. At night he seeks his
pile of rags and blankets. Aged and
infirm. he Is still apparently keen OF
mind. He jokes about his house"
and asks for bids on II. His neck and
ears give no signs Of recent washing,
and his gray hair Is long and shaggy.
To Gil appearance he is harmless old
man. living out homeless and friend
less old age alone because he does not
believe in accepting the general form
OF charity. -.=.-
THE time to have stirred up agita-
ton over the powder situation. was
last June, before we had separated
the detonators and black powder from
the giant powder" says Mr.. Hobby.
THE condition ! found here when l
took charge was indeed dangerous
enc. With the explosives separated
this way there Is little danger now.
Its not perfect, perhaps, but we are
dong the best we can. The last legis-
latire refused to give as a new store |
hotise when requested. There is not
even fund from which to draw
money TO tear down the old wooden
framework about the building, thus
iessening the fire hazard"
Yet the danger Of fire from sparks
and the chance or an explosion even II
the framework should burn seems
very slight. The real danger seems to
be IN the absence Of q cons tant guard
about the place. A German plotter
bent on doing damage could take off
the wooden door to. the incinerator
md start q fire within. The black
powder Is In tin cases and might not
~ explode at once. Again, II might.
AZ the main explosive magazine where
1namite IL stored, the separate
are arranged carefully with
Stats between.
Soldiers are said sometimes to sleep
and play cards In the upper part OF
the incinerator. Just above the pow
der. Several piles Of straw that we're
found there during the week were or.
dered removed by Mr.. Hobby. A fire
I'M these might easily have spread To-
the wooden shed covering the tincin-
orator and thence to the trestle work
1t.