DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT HONOLULU.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5289, 8 March 1878, Page 3

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT HONOLULU.

.The Pacific Advertiser gives, the . following account of a fire which occurred at Honolulu on December 18 1 1 '• i The most extensive las well-as pecuniarily disastrous I-fire i that > has ; ever occurred in Honolulu or elsewhere on these islands [devastated the, lower, or e- planade part 01 this city on the night of-Tuesday last, December'lß. In proportion to the size of Honolulu and the;property destroyed, it may with propriety be compared to the great Chicago fire, although fortunately there is lacking here the element of personal destitution and physical suffering which' characterised; the Chicago affair. The fire on Tuesday night was first discovered at about 9 o’clock. " Several parties had run out .into the yard, with the intention’of “ stamping out” the incipient conflagration, but jin a surprisingly short time the flames, spread in every direction, so that these persons had to beat a hasty retreat: ’ The cry of “ fire” was then raised on the . street, and - the alarm was struck from the'station house bell, followed soon after,by the bell on.the tower of the firedepartment. - The different companies!of the .department, were promptly cut aud got on the ground without delay; but in the meantime the fire;i with..,wondeful rapidity, had spread to the adjoining wooden [buildings,' and ' before the engines could get to work, the flames were mounting high, and lighting up the; scene With a 1 fearful radiance. The wind,.' which was from the north-east, was blowing a furious gale,i and; it soon l became evident that an extensive co flagration was imminent. The fire-fiend marched on, i ; laughing at - man’s puny ; efforts - to’ stay his progress, and only ceased his march when the harbor was reached; destroying the wharf of the P.M.S.S. Go.. ,’Everything in the intervening space was oonsumed by the devouring element.’ "This in'bluiles—the stable and shed adjoining the fire-' proof building where the fire started;’ the storehouse ;of; Green; Maefarlane, 'and Co.; the cooperage; of -J;-H;‘ Burns'on Fort-street;; the barrel factory and machine shop”of J. A. Hooper on the same street,’ ’and his rice mill on Robinson’s wharf; the'old James BobinSon and Co.’s homestead, part of the coral Walls of which only arb left standing; 'Allen and Robinson's’' shed and piles of lumber; lumber belonging to - LewersandDiokson; J. L; Dpwsett’s woblsheds; the sheds and wharf of the Government devoted to the use of the'ocean mail steamers; the piles of coal belonging to the latter and to lother,parties ; ~ahd lastly the fine large Government warehouses opposite . the’ Custom House.-—These last were supposed to be firepronf, and would have been tm under‘ordinary .circumstances; i hut ’unfortunately a large quantity bf coal had> been piled just'to windward of them, and this getting well bn fire was enough to burst the walls of almost any building. "A large amount of’property'■ of’various, kinds was stored in the Government warehouses—wool, sugar, .coffee, &c.,'which; was all burned by 2 o’clock a.ra., at which hour the fire had reached its limit. The only building left standing on its line of march was that on the north-west corner of Fort and : Queen-; streets, occupied by a saddle and. harnessmaker. .. His Majesty the King was early on the ground, ~ and with the household troops remained throughout the night, working efficiently ou the brakes and otherwise.' Governor Dominis, . Marshal Parke,,,. Deputy-Marshal Dayton, several prominent citizens, bud .the. police were also active in rendering efficient aid in assisting the firemen in efforts to save property. The lower, part of Fort-street and the esplanade was crowded with spectators, male and female,- natives and foreigners, during the . moat of the night, viewing with sad interest the unwonted spectacle of a great, fire in Honolulu. , • [The Advertiser here gives particulars of the destruction of property, which is estimated at 195,600 dollars, only 63,100 dollars’; worth being covered by insurance.]