Page
RACECOURSE DISASTER.
OWNERS OF STANDS GIVE
EVIDENCE.
LOCATING THE FIRE.
ELECTRIC LIGHT AND COOKING
THE HONAKUNG DAILY PHKEN, SATURDAY, MARCH 162H, 1918.
The Coroner Did the Electrin Cam pany know their current was being used
Yes. They supplied the meters,
Do you know how many sheds had tinuing his evidence said he was in the electric light? No
Can you say in which direction the matsheds fell? I should say in the direc- tion of the Mahommedan Cemetery, be cause I fell on my back
The enquiry was then adjourned for tin
The Chineza correspondence clerk, con-
Kashed at the time of the collapse. He was on the first floor on the side next to No. 9, engaged in making alterations in oer- tain tickets. He heard a commotion among the people on the racecourse and zong those in the front of both foors The enquiry into the disaster at the
of shed. He could not make out what it was all about. He did not notice the shed move before the outbreak, of Bace Courco wae continued at the
noise In a second or two, however, he Magistracy yesterday, when partners in the stanus detailed thoir
felt the stands move and then came the collapse. The collapse occurred fairly quietly the sheds fell towards shed No. experiences in the disaster. Mr. A. E
MR. 8. M DE CRUZ. _____________0__ He could not say how far the flogr Hall, appeared for Mr. M. K. Lo, to
of the families of a number of S. M. de Crag a dark, said he of his shed sank. He was pinned down the Chinese victims
lmost, upright
Was there any strut behind your shed of the Golf Club side1-Yos, but it was Was the electric light burning all various day No. It was used about 46 clock on the first day. It was not used on the second day,
assisted Mr. Ritchie in running the by the floor above. He freed his foot, Colonial Stand, No. 9. There was on which took him a little over a minute. cooking in the shed and no boiling of and then made a hole in the roof of the water for tea. Theo shed comprised tw shed and crawled out. As soon as he floors. He was prevent at the time of got out be saw a fire about 50 feet away the collapse on the ground floor, hoing the side of No 11 He helped to engaged at the counter in selling sweep reece people until the heat became too tickets. His back was towards shud Notary when he went to see that all bis He could not say 10. He first heard people in No. 10 family were safe, stand shouting for help and then in about what was the cause of the collapse. This shouting which he heard and the collapse They paid 4 81,000 for the site year in one second the whole shed collapsed. The was the first year he had had a sher occurred to all intents and purposes not know who had the site last year simultaneously. He heard cries of "fire" before the collapse, but he did not any fire before it. When the collapse occurred he was knocked down by the wall of No. 10 and was rendered un
By the Crown Solicitor: He had been on the Erst day, to the ground floor where the restaurant was focated
SPORT.
CRICKET NOTES.
TO-DAY'S MATCHES.
LEAGUE
Hongkong v. RGA. on the Clab ground.
Civil Service. Navy on Civil Borivce
ground.
University *v. Middlesex on University ground." UNA NO
VRIENDLY.
Kowloon RE at King's Part Craigengower. 83rd Co. R.G‚Å. ut Craigongower.
Both the Club and the University hre expected to win to-day and ought to find little difficulty in getting all the points but cricket in a most uncertain game, and the Gunners and the Middlesex have both sprung surprises already. Any mis- takes made by either of the leaders this afternoon will probably cost them ho Shield.
the
The other league match between Civi
elnas, sile, and with Commander Gibson Service and the Navy ought to provide a hard struggle. The anilors are a first- in lord, are as good as any combination in the league Civil Service will be out to win, draw
will ruin any prospects and the result of the
mat
Hamilton and Bird's bowling. List
this
It is a pity that. Kowloon and Craigen- gower could not play off their remaining uxture, us a break in the weather might easily delay the final matches. //
KOWLOON A ROYAL ENGINEERS.
INTIMATIONS
LANE, CRAWFORD LANE
ESTABLISHED
1850.
AND COMPANY.
TELEPHONE 1741.
GENTLEMEN'S COMPLETE OUTFITTERS.
I. & R. MORLEY'S
WHITE AND NATURAL SUMMER LLAMA
UNDERWEAR
FOR THE PRISENT
ALSO ALL SIZES IN
SEASON.
AERTEX CELLULAR
INDIA GAUZE
SILKETTE
MR. JO REMEDIOS. Mr.JO Remedios, clerk in the Mercantile Bank, said he was a partner in stand No. S. He had had a share in stand for the past seven years. No stand comprised two and a half hours the ground floor being about two feet from the ground. The shed had been of the sachine chatting were in ise on the the same height for the past four years. Erst Hoor for boling water. He was present at the time of the collapse, on the first hour. He was selling sweep tickets at the counter at the time. He had bis
may live bly depend on whether back to No D. He heard a noise of
By the Coroner--The chatties were people running, which he judged to
about Lfree feet from the partition or Gibson and Hack can mako runs against THE IDEAL WEAR Confrom two or three shits away scious for a second use thed, the sailors fielding was excellent, and Week People in his stand then began to run standing at the Golf Club endioses By Mr Bowley: There were two stair- they will give their opponents of to-day towards the entrance on the Golf Club shed. Subsequently, when consciousness
a much-needed lesson, as lately the Civil aide. The entrance was on the arst floor. returned, he tried to struggle out and was case up to the nrst-floor of his stand, one At this time the shed hnd not fallen, but pulled to safety by his brother, Mr. Bat. a side of the ground floor, He did Servants have coctainly not, shone in
direction then suddenly he felt himself going downres was pressed down by a bamboo table not know how wine ine staircases wert. with the stand. He was pinned down by and chairs and witness tried to save him, Anyone who wished to buy a ticket cou'd the partition of No 9 He hard cries but without success. At the time be was nie. There was a counter on each side for help and the people running trampled endeavouring to assist Mr. Barros he saw the first four, cue close to shed No. 1 on him. These people, as they passed tire about two yards away. He saw no fire and one next to No. 11. The end of the him scenied to be running to the Race on the side of alec No. 8. Cooking was counter was about nec tret from the done in No 10 stand in the basement trout of the shed and it ran to within Conrse side. He managed to get his pen knife and to cut a hole in the matting ivur or five chatties being used. He had bought feet from iba back. The That Ireed, his head and he then saw cen soup being made and water boiling star as he could 800, was He could property bulk. U. new who Dad examin- fire in the direction of shed No. 11 Charcoal was the fuel used. was burning very fercely and No. 9 was not say whether the fire broke out in one ed we saca previously, had lost his life also alight. He forced a higger hole place only or in more places than one in the disaster. U hew at the time of in the matting and managed to get out There were over 300 people present in the accident was on the first floor close on the Race Course aide. He dragged his his floor of the shed at the time of the to No. 11 stand. The second floor was wife through the same hole, sore soldiers collapse. Ar Ritchie and most of the used for spectators; anyone could go rendering assistance. As far as he knew Chiness lost their lives. The floor was there who wished. The floor of his shed about a dozen people in his shed lost packed ftell. He could not any how many gave way in the first instance. The CRAIGENGOWER 0.C. v. 83x9 C0 1.0.A. 1he Mahommedan Cemetery. He thought was no electric light in, bis shed. When he save the charties on the ground his friendly fixtura will be played to their lives. When he fell, he felt towards people were on the upper floors. There was a cooking in his part of the matshed.
By the Crown Solicitor: When he saw floor he did not think they were danger day on the Craigengower ground at 2 his stand collapsed because it was pushed down by the other stands. There were the dre it was on the partition between us. There was a bucket of water on p.m. The home team will consist of about 250 people on his stand. Admittance No 8 and 10. The cooking in No. 10 the first floor for washing cups, etc., but A. W Grimmett, J. H. Mody, F. 8. was by invitation card, of which 500 were was done against the partition. The no ta was made there. At the time of Thompson, T. F. Ford, L. A Rose, S. insued Two Portuguese porters were fire appeared to be just about starting the collapse there were a number 1 Ja, A. Arculli, C. Saru, G. Manley, W. for the invitation card in each case were two or three iron stoves. There was Parker Rees, the head of his department engaged and they were instructed to as In addition to the Chinese chatties there people on the first floor, bat it was not Pitt, and D. Vincenet.
Loo full. He did not get leave from Mr. By the Crown Solicitor His stand also a large brass pan for boiling water- was called the D.AJA Those letters He heard the cry of fire before then the FW.D, to run the shed. On race were the initials of the four partners collapse, and these cries came from No. days the P..D, closed at 19 noon, D, Lopez, A. Rocha, J. Remedios and A. 10, but he could not say from which floor, kney that one of the conditions of letting. Osmund. All were present at the Race People were running when the cries were matsheds was that there should be no Course at the time of the collapse The raised, but witness did not see any sign gambling. ground floor of the stand was set off to of fire at that time. The present waa Mr. Rosario for cash sweeps Electric the first year he had assisted in the shed
By Mr. Bowley He could not say light was fitted in the first foor. His partner Mr. Rocha made the arrange whether the public were admitted to No. ments for the instaliation. At the time Chinese servant at the door. Anyone a free of charge. There was one old of the collapse it was possible that the
might have bien enter and buy sweep tickets; com- He could not say for chifau halition mission was charges with toket as a coins to No. 6 stand. Een his partners had used by ladies and admission to that a half-four in No. 9. He did not know, floor was free. He had tiffin in shod No, beu he first heard people running, what 9. It was a cold tiffin, there was no was the cause. There was a separate on
Year
Не
By Mr. Mall. He did not know the causs of the commotion which occurred in his shed..
the shed. instmetions to the contractor regarding nstitions to the contractor Gineing
By the Coroner: He could not say
whether the collapse was caused by the next shed talling on his own or whether the loor of his shed collapsed by itself
cooking. There were no fire buckets infor
The foreman to Wing Lee, building con-
The following will represent Kowloon in a friendly home match again the Royal Engineers to-day at 2 p.m. sharp: J. Lobinson, J, Stalker, L. ES. Hodge, W. J Haines, L. J. Blackburn, W. Elson, F. Wheeler, R. Lindsell, R. Pestonji, L D. McNicoll and P. H. Cobb.
ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL
NAVY, 2;. ROYAL ENGINEERS, 2.
A very interesting match was witnessed yesterday, on the Club ground when these teams met in the United Services League The game was very fast and full of life throughout. In the first half the exchanges were fairly equal, the Navy
better of
prope having it
and leading at half-time by one in the second bave the Data Lancia te
y
being the scorer
ly started a bombardment of the Navy goal, and, except for a few brief inter- als kopt it up until the final whistle sounded Townsend was responsible for the equaliser McNiven put the Navy again ahead and Osborne equalised once
their
have
trance to his flour as distinct from the the shed. People were smoking there tractor, said he was one of the partners floor let off to Mr. Rosario. Some years Most of the Chinese on the ground floor in the No, 10 shed. He was present on more for the soldiers. ago by heard of a small accident through lost their lives because the No. 10 shed the ground floor at the time of the Referee Mr. Wright. a floor collapsing. He could out say what was on top of them. He saw no police collapse He heard the sounds of minor pa
entrance matshed any When he first antith anyone could her, seen the cook tion above and the bamboo cracking of das in the Hongkong League, when the Club and R.G.A were to meet to The By the Coroner When he first Enw the Arg his stand bad already caught ing geing on in No. 10 if they looked fire. He got out on the golf club side gunners would have been given the op- fire from the next standa
When he saw cooking being done in No By the Crown Solicitor: The largest 10 on Monday he asked the man in charge and then saw the sheds falling down. He portunity to see if they could maintain number he had ever had in his stand was to move the chatties farther away was only a foot away and his left shoulder fxture in this league. The
unbeaten record, it being their last was struck by a bamboo, The shed foll
Club, however, 300; there were about 250 preant he esti- from the partition as he thought them towards No. 9 with a light tendency to .G.A record thus reads played 8 and
points, and given them tha mated when the collapse occurred. Mr. dangerous. The chattica were then rewards the golf club. He ran to ship won 3. The civilians often have a diffi Rosario, to whom the ground floor was let moved to the centre of the shed and they Street to fund his brother, and he did culty in golting a good tou
team together, vera in the centre of the shed on the not see any fire
and no doubt this is the case this time, Tuesday. He made no report to the By Mr. Bowley: He saw no sign of any but one would prefer to see them keep Police or Fire Brigade in respect to this one cutting the lashings of the shed. He their engagements, even at the cost of only went to the racecourse after two turcing out with a weak team. The match o'clock on Tuesday. He did not see any was not on the original fixture how: of the racing
It will be a pity
no chance of
had perished in the fire.
By the Coroner It must have been about are minutes after the wilame that ke saw the fire,
mattor.
MR. J. GONZALES
ever canceller explains why
Ty the Coroner: Ho heard the noise at to be
46
B.V.D.", ETC.
LANE, CRAWFORD & CO.
A SOAP FOR PARTICULAR—PEOPLE
Made
from
Palm
and
Olive
Oils.
PALMOLIVE
1010
Calendar
Free
with Every
Purchase
of
two
cakes
for
fifty cents.
Andersen, Meyer & Co., Ltd.,
Distributors.
the
Hotel Manstons.
to turn out because one's
who very lik
floor, which was acquired by Mr. Rosario ron because they heard the shouting of water tank Iron chattica were used: next yung
which to
Telephone 1990.
Powell
TELEPHONE 346
NEW STOCKS!
Lid
JUST ARRIVED!
GRAFTON'S
COTTON VOILES
FOR
SUMMER DRESSES, BLOUSES, JEA GOWNS,
EVENING WEAR AND CHILDREN'S DRESSES.
By Mr. Bowley: They were running cash sweeps and a pari-muttel in his Joseph Gonzales, a clerk, said he shed and he and his partnen deducted assisted at No. 9 stand and was selling commission. As provision in case of fire tickets on the ground door at the time the same time as the shed collapsed other teams who
four partner her respective leagues lot the the chatties on the first floor and sanding in the upper part of No. 10. They in No 10 shod, who was present at the season fizzle out by giving their points was strewn under the chatties. During called out that the shed was collapsing time of the collapse, said he heard sounds away. After all, it is a poor gage that the intervals between the as he also and the people on the ground floor of of commotion from the next shed and in is not worth playing for its own sake,
and refusing warned the people present, on the stand No. 9. ran away bed for a moment the waving then. When the shed fell he position in the league is hopeless is hard- to be careful with matches and cigarette occurred he was and ends. There was a strut on the Race rendered unconscious,⠀⠀ Afterwards he was pinned down by the bamboo countri
r to one a opponent Neither is it Course side of his shed, but he could not seized a hammer, made a hole in the which had been situated on the first floor to say whether one was in existence on the partition and escaped on the Race Course He escaped through the roof of the shed fair to the large number of spectators
who Golf Club side.
the fortunes follow
of their fav side. He felt the heat of the fire whilst and landed on the gulf club ground. He on
game whichever MR. A. G. REMEDIOS,
he was pinned down; he was down less did not see any fire then and he could ourites, and enjoy a good game which
side wins. than two minutes. The fire was between not say where the fire origiusted. There Middlesex team has given
given 118 Alberto G. Remedios, employed by the Nos. 9 and 10. He was quite ance that was no stampede before, the collapse fine example of the spirit in Hongkong Electric Light Company, said the people began to run before there was By the Crown Solicitor. The plan play football, going down to the tune of he was an assistant on the ground floor any sign of his shed collapsing dued showed correctly the position of 18-0, 70, 40, el week after wek, but for the Each time of the D.A.G.A. stand. This particular By the Crown Solicitor - The people the bamboo tables, the stoves and the coming ap
were rewarded last was known as the Kun Les stand. Me collapse. He heard no shouts of fire. There was a large water jar and two work by a win against the Navy who are Rosario had been killed in the collapse By the Coroner: When he got out he wooden buckets on the ground floor, a notoriously unlucky team. In many Small chatties were used for making saw the fire between Nos, 9 and 10: the By Mr. Bowley The ground floor of of their matches this season they have coffee and tea. He believed wood was partition was burning The partition No. 10 was used as a restaurant. He had had by far the larger share of the game, used as fuel. Electric light was installed; between 10 and 11 was not burning. He no licencs for carrying on an eating. but they have generally managed to
allow their opponents to work o
to walk off with the there were about six lights The light&w the fire only in one place, house. The police, na far as he saw, made fittings were supplied by Chinese con FLOORS SUBLET TO COOLIES.
no objection. The ground floor of No Pon - tractors whilst the current of the Hong.TE
10was of boards. The iron chatties how The Middlesex will give the gunners kong Electric Light Company was used
today if they play as well A Chinese Correspondence clerk in the ever, were placed on bricks.
A good The electric light installation was arrang PW.D. said he was a partner at shed thang Shit Tong a Crows Sergeant as they the last week, and L. Bayer is available. The artillerymen must cap ed by Mr. Rosario. Admittance was open No. 10, which was called Kung Ping. of the Police Reserve and Warning Overture both points to retain the slight to the public, but invitation tickets were Twenty-five people had shares, but they to the Ambulanca Platoon, said he was chance they have of
catching the sued There were over 200 people pre did not hold equal interests. Each a partner in shed No. 10, and was pre H.K.D.C.
and the F Royal Engineers in the sent on his floor at the time of the share was $10. Witness was the sent at the time of the collapse. When United Service vision match between collapse; the shed was packed and on manger of the booth during the he first saw the fire it only covered about The second account of the crowd it was difficult for race meeting. Ten of the partners a foot square and he tried to put it out people to get in and out When the belonged to his department of the He did not see a fire in Nes, 17, 18 or collapse occurred ho saw no fire, He was P.WD. The shed consisted of two floors 39 until long after the collapse covered by the debris and it was totally and a half. The ground floor, bowever. By Mr Bowley He first tried to put dark There was a separate entrance to was sub-let to Hung Kee a gyndicate out the fire, but he could and no water. his part of the shed by a gangway about composed of four Chinese The members It he had had two or three buckets of two feet from the ground. He would not of this syndicate were employed by the water he could have put the fire out. He say whether the gangway was broken at F.W.D. two were coolies and two clerks, blew his police whistler Immediately at all in the crush.
The first floor was used for betting; the the back of his mailed there war a mat By Mr. Bowley There was a cash second as a reception room Two coolies fonce about six feet high. When the FG.A Middlesex RegClubADY STENOGRAPHER and TYPIST. sweep and a peri-mutuel on bis stand acted as door keepers, but no instructions stand fell the fence was smashed. Thore ground. Kick-off 4.30 p.m. and Mr. Rosario charged a commission were given them to keep people out were ten mombers of the Ambulance un the takings. He was present on the Water was boiled for tea on the ground platoon on duty, but, as far as he knew, FONGLONG DRAGUE, DIVISION 11.
- Beuth - Ching- Autio. v. there was only one ambulance, which was Navy ground. Kics, 3 p.m. Race Course on · Monday and Tuesday. Hoor, hat no provisions were cocked. There was a bucket of water on the There were five electric lights in his in the grand stand.
AD
Middlesex Reserves 81th Co. R.G.A. ground floor, in the tilin room. This shed on the first floor and one light on In answering questions by the Coraner
Glüb ground. Kick-off, 3. p.au. was for whing up plates, etc. He saw the second. There was no electric light withess acmed to be in some doubs as
Relarec Mr. Atwell. no fire buckote,
on the ground floor. & Chinese firm put to whether the mat fence was knocked By Mr Stevenson; Before the cold the fitting The current was down by the sheds lapse he did not notice the electric light obtained from the Electric/ go of and come on sgain.
who supplied the meter
Company
The enquiry was then adjourned until
16.30 this morning.
gamo
South China Athletic and Kowloon will attract a large crowd, and should provide a keen struggle, as the Kowloonites aro now playing right at the top of their ferm
TO-DAY'S MATCHES.
JJEREN, JEITED SERVICES EXAGUE
Kowican-
Other faul Mesos will be found on
THE FINEST and MçeT VARIED ASICHININT
OF PATTERNS.
WANTED
Apply with references
IN THE COLONY.
Box No. 100% Care of "Daily Press Office.
1700
ANTED.
AT the FZAK for a little art of El ran
resident EUROPEAN NURBE
Box No Ex
Com of Disily
TOR BALE.
BED POSTAGE STAMPS (all diferent)
1600 Stære ↑ #COL9¢o Shinta # 10CD
Bro 1εCO
3000
|18,00] ECCO:
23222,00 14ECO:
$25 000
Kexo 175.00
GRACA & CO..
BONGKONG