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THE RECENT FIXE AT WEST- POINT.
THE ADJOURNED ENQUIRY, The adjourned enquiry into the recent fire at West Point took place before Mr. Gompertz at the Magistracy on Tuesday afternoon. 16th inst. Representatives from the different insurance companies interested again attended. The Cap- tain Superintendent of Police (the Hon. F. H. May) conducted the enquiry.
Hong Yu Hung, master of the Wo Ki fire crackers shop, said his firm had 407 packages of crackers stored in the Chop Yik Godown at the time of the fire. His firm had about 260 boxes of crackers in No 256, Praya West, and they were all destroyed at a previous fire. Those goods were not insured. His firm sold crackers Like those produced.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
say that precautions `should be taken in the | storing of crackers.
[January 20, 1900, nuisance to the greatest possible number of people, and this latrine in particular was a striking example. The Kowloon residents had for a long time complained bitterly about it. He was not proposing to abolish it, but he wished to remove it to another site where it would cause the least possible unpleasantness to the smallest number of people.
Dr. HARTIGAN seconded.
Mr. F. Browne, Government Analyst, said he had experment with saltpetre and sulphur with a view to seeing whether they exploded when heated together. He found that when heated together above the melting point of heat an ex- plosion resulted. He had visited the site of the | Chap Yik Godown since the fire. He examined
No. 4 Godown and found there some melted salt- Mr. 0830 'NE said the latrine was the pro- petre. He took a sample of ordinary saltpetroperty of the Wharf Company and the Sanitary which he found in the godown. He also went Board had no power, he understood, to order ita into No. 6 Godown where he found that a large removal; as a matter of fact arrangements were quantity of saltpetro had been liquifided by the made long ago to remove it in deference to the heat, there being a layer one foot thick. It wishes of the Kowloon residents to a side where would not require a great heat to fuse this it would not be so obnoxious as at present. A sulphur and saltpetre. He did not consider it coolie was paid to do nothing else but to keep safe to store sulphur with saltpetro. In fact, the latrine clean, and large quantities of dis- if this sulphur had not been in the godown infecting material were used. there would have been no explosion.
Captain Superintendent May said that this was all the evidence he could usefully bring
To Sze, master of the Man Wo Leung crackers shop, said that at the time of the fire he had 27 boxes of crackers stored in the Chop Yik Go-before the court. down. The crackers produced were specimens of the crackers in which his firm dealt.
P. C. (31) Ritchie, a member of the Fire Bri- gade stationed at West Point, said he was one of the first two firemen who arrived at the ro- cont fire at the Chop Yik Godown. He seized a hose from the despatch box and went up the lans with it until he got to the third staircase, He commenced to play on the fire, which was principally on the upper floor of No. 4 Godown, P. C. (54) Smith was with him playing on the fire through another window. While they were thus engaged there was an explosion as though some crackers were being let off and then there was a larger explosion which drove out the door alongside of him, and he was knocked down by falling bricks. He also noticed large sheets of flame at the same time.
P.C. (54) Smith gave similar evidence. He added that when the second explosion took place-which was about five minutes after the first-burning material was thrown some 50 or 60 feet into the air. After the second explosion he saw a great many bricks on the roofs of the adjoining godowns. The first explosion took place between Nos. 3 and 4 Godowns and the Becond between Nos. 2 and 3. When the first explosion occurred he did not notice that any other godown besides No. 4 had caughɩ fire.
Assistant-Engineer Robertson said that when P.C. Ritchie was injured he was coming down the stairs with P.U. Smith, on which Ritchie was standing Ritchie was injured by some falling bricks caused by the first explosion. Sheets of flame came out of the window, enveloping Ritchie, part of the roof was blown off and the walls were partly shattered. He was at the entrance to the lane
when the second explosion took place. The second explosion was worse than the first, as everything was sent flying, and the fire spread from No. 4 Godown to the godowns on the other side of the lane. He should say that the first explosion took place on the first floor of No. Godown. He could not say where the second took place. In his opinion as a fireman had it not been for the explosions the fire would have been extinguished in half-an-hour.
P.C. (57) Mackay, another fireman, said that on making a search on the site of the Chop Yik Godown after the fire he found the box of car- tridges produced in No. 2 Godown the right hand side entering from the lane. The box was lying on the top of cow hides, and on the top of the box were about two feet of rubbish which had fallen from above. He found other cart- ridges at other dates in the same godown. They were all lying together in the same place. The cartridges in the box had not not been discharged. He searched the other godowns besides No. 2 and found a uumber of exploded cartridges in No. 3 Godown:
FC. (19) Brown also deposed to finding exploded and unexploded cartridges in No. 2 Godown. He also found the lumps of lead pro- duced in the same place.
Captain Langhorn, an officer of the Ordi- ance Department, said he had made experiments with orackers similar to those produced. If 500 or 600 boxes of the crackers exploded they wonld do a consider..ble amount of damage, and would spread the fire by scattering debris. Otherwise he should say the effects of the explosion would be purely local. As the result of his experiments he should
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His Worship-I think you have a charge entered against several persons for storing explosives.
The Captain Superintendent-Yes.
His Worship-If you had not done so I should havo issued a warrant,
The enquiry was thou closed, his Worship remarking, as he ordered the premises to be released, that he did not know that any expres sion of opinion from the court was required or was desirable.
The Captain Superinte dont-The storage of these orackers will receive my attention, and I hope that soon there will be a law passed by which this foolish proceeding of storing crackers without any precautions will be put a stop to.
His Worship-I think it will be well if I send a copy of the depositions to the Govern- ment.
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
On Thursday afternoon, 18th inst. the the Hong. usual fortnightly meeting of
was beld. The kong Sanitary Board Presiden (Dr. J. M. Atkinson, Principal Civil Medical Officer) occupied the chair, and there were also present the Hon. R. D. Ormsby (Director of Public Works), Dr. Clark (Medical Officer of Health). Mr. E. Osborne, Dr. Harti. gan. Major Brown. Mr. J. McKie, Mr. Chan A Fuk, Mr. Fung Wa Chuen, and Mr. C. W. Duggan (Secretary).
THE SANITARY SURVEYOR'S QUARTERLY
REPORT,
The report of the Sanitary Surveyor (Mr. R. F. Drury) for the third quarter of 1899, said that plans were deposited during the quarter for the redraining of 57 houses, plaus for 318 houses were carried forward from 1898, and 131 from the previous quarter. making a total of 506 in hand during the quarter. The re- drain age of 111 houses was completed, leav. ing 395 to carry forward. Repairs to drain.
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The Hon. R. D. ORMSBY saw no objection to a latrine being in a public place and he did not see why it should be offensive, but as Mr. Osborne had informed them that it was in. tended to remove it he had nothing further to say.
Major BROWN asked when the latrine would be removed.
Mr. OSBORNE-Within the next three months.
Dr. CLARKE said the only way the Board could deal with a latrine belonging to a private person was to summon him for commiting a
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musance.
On the motion being put it was lost.
Major BROWN then proposed the second motion of which he had given notice, vis:--- 'That the mat-she ( latrine between Knutsford Terrace and Ormsby Terrace he removed.” He said there had besn continual complaints from the residents of the locality.
Mr. MOKIE seconded.
DR. HARTIGAN said that this was simply a mat-shed put up for the coolies working there. The same complaint had been made over and over again in regard to other buildings..
DR. CLARK said the remedy was for the Board to prosecute the contractor.
The PRESIDENT said that after the observo- tion of the Medical Officer of Health he should say that the best course would be for the In- spector to receive instructions to visit this latrine daily and report to the Board if he found it in a filthy condition.
Mr. OSBORNE proposed as an amendment that the contractor he made to build a small bamboo wharf leading beyond low water mark and put this latrine with receptacles at the end of this bamboo pier.
DR. HARTIGAN seconded and the motion was carried.
MR. MCKIS proposed :-" That the public uriual situated on the western boundary of the Hongkong Cricket Club ground, which at present is an antiquated, insanitary and obnoxious nuisance, be removed entirely." He said that there was a generally expressed feeling that this place should be removed, and added that it was a great nuisance to those who had to use the sidewalks when going to the tram station and to those who frequented the cricket ground.
Major BROWN seconded.
The Hon. R. D. ORMSBY strongly opposed the removal of the structure and asked what on earth the coolies were to do if it was removed.
Dr. HARTIGAN agreed with Mr. McKie that the place was a nuisance.
age arrangements were carried out in 91 in- stances and 282 houses were carried forward. This made a total of 873 houses in hand for repairs during the quarter. Certificates were granted for 87 new buildings. The draius of 649 houses were inspected and reported on; of this number one required re-constructing 168 amending, 480 were found to be in good order. Notices were served on the owners of 169 houses, calling upon them to execute the neces sary work. The number of drains found defec- tire wore small compared with the houses in- spected, but in connection with theso inspection there were 247 complaints of dirty over-crowded honses and illegal structures forwarded to the Medical Officer of Health to be dealt with by him.
A great many houses were found to In regard to the proposal to extend the need sub-soil drainage and were drained accord-Central Market ou to the ground to be reclaimed in front of it, the following report from the ingly.
Director of Public Works was forwarded to the Government :---
Dr. Hartigan minated:-" l'he remark re- specting sub-soil drainage is most important.,
After some discussion Mr. McKie consented to alter his motion so as to end "be removed to a spot more westward to the north of the City Hall" and this was carried.
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THE PROPOSED EXTENSION TO [THE -
CENTRAL MARKET,
The land in front of the Central Market
I believe this defect to be very common, parti-will not be reclaimed and fit to build on until cularly in the Western Distriot.”
THE LATRINE QUESTION,
Major BROWN, pursuant to notice, moved "That the latrine in Elgin Road, Kowloon, be|
He said it would almost seem as if removed."
the sites for latrines had been selected on the principle of making them the greatest possiblə
towards the end of 1901. I think an extensión of the market will then be necessary, and this will be a very suitable site for a fish and poultry market. It will, I think, bo sufficient to inform the Sanitary Board that the matter will be considered when the time comes and the land reserved in the meantime."
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