Page
THE CITY FIRE. "FULL" PARTICULARS OF INSUR- ANCE.
THE HONGTONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST
of-water, could have checked the course of the Ere. Owing to the present abortag of water in the Colony it was sometime before the supply of water was sufficient
THE WATER SHORTAGE. PROPOSAL TO RE-OPEN WELLS REJECTED.
the highest to work up the necessary pressure-120lbs / ZIPOSSIBLE FOR SANITARY REASONS
We are informed, on authority, that the total insurance on the buildings destroyed or damaged in the Duddell Street fire on Monday night amounts to 8420,000. In this total the China Fire Insurance Company and the Union Insurancs Society of Canton aro concerned to the extent of about a lakh
nud u half,
Mesara Kelly & Walsh's printing works, beneath which the Hongkong Elec tric Company had a cable store and work. shop. were insured, as to the building. with the Commercial Union Company,
11
The. Cariton Hotel Annexe, the contents of "Messts. Kelly & Walsh's premises, nind the contents of the Electric Company's part of the premises, were insured with the thina Fire Insurance Company, and the Union Lasurance Society of Cunton.
To Local Priating Press owned by an Indian firm which was also destroyed in "the fire, was insured with the South British Insurance Company to the extent of $15,000:
Two farts were transposed in our report of the fire published yesterday. The Belilios Estate were the Owners of the Messrs. Kelly & Walsh's godown, not the Hotel Annexe, which is owned by Mr H. M. B. Nemazee.
The gause of the outbreak and its exact
to the square inch. This was unavoidable and it was during the first half hour, while waiting for the pressure that the fire got such a hold. "
WATER CARRIAGE SYSTEM. WATER SHORTAGE PREVENTS EX TENSION TO THE COLONY. PËRALISSION FOR THE PEAK. Yesterday, at the Sanitary Board, the i Hon. Mr. CHOW CHOL Soy moved the letter was read from the Government At the Sanitary Boaril, yesterday. #
resolution of which he had given notice: announcing that the present position, re-
That on account of the present garding the Water Supply made it im shortage of water the wells in existence in the Colony be opened up for public possible to extend the water-carriago
service."
..
The Peak, the Government has decided, can have the water-carrings system. The water-supply required would be small and the expense of the present method over such a scattered area is considerable. The letter is as follows
THE GOVERNMENT'S LATTER
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Hongkong,
Mr Moss expressed the opinion that had the annexe of the Carlton Hotel been
system of sanitation to the Colony, fitted with fire hydrants operated from
Mr Chow Syour Sox explained that he generally pending the completion or af -the interior of the building the verandahs, moved the resolution as the instaner of comprehensive scheme of new waterworks with constant washing down," would the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and which is now in euntemplation." probably have been saved, and the whole on behalf of the Chinese community. He Building saved as a consequence, for the suggested that the wells would provide first things to catch alight in the annexe suitable water for washing and it is well were the verandahs and typhoon shutters known that the Chinese did not care to adjoining Kelly & Walsh's building."
drinkwater which, had not been bailed: Another thing that hampered they all means let the well water be used Brigada in its efforts to prevent the fames for all purposes if it was found to be safe, spreading to the annexe was the fact that but, if not, the Chinese could be warned three very useful branches of water were Probably 20 per cent. of the present con- only to use it for washing purposes.
wall water were only suitable for that the 7th October, and the 30th March, I am
11th July, 1999 sumption was used for washing so, if the STR-With reference to your letters of Purpose it would still he very useful in directed to state that the Sanitary Board's. reducing the demand upon the mainscarriage system have been receiving the recommendations regarding "the water Mr. Crow spoke, also; of the hardships used to the Chinese by having to live in queues for water and acknowledged was an unavoidable delay in reorganising. L. PERKINS as Water Authority
the sympathetic attitude of the Hon. Me. and replacing the streams of water thu-"]
Mr. S. 19. Two seconded the motion Mr. Moss considered the saving of the and sad that, the well water could not
buried under the debris when the wall of
Kelly & Walsh's building collapsed into Duddell Street. About this time the Bames spread to the hotel annese and if it was to be saved every available branch was needed to arrest the spread of the fire. The these buried hoses would hair been a useful check. As it was there
cut off.
Masonic Hall from total destruction to
ing.
seful consideration of the Government. 2.The increasing demands upon the water supply presinde any question of making the mains available for the general flushing of water closets, pending The completion of a comprehensive scheme of new waterworks which is now in con templation.
he worse than the proact of sidequiring careful consideration. The 3-Harbour pollution is another factor Atchannels and ditches which the Chinese presence of faecal mangler el sudy
were drived to use at present for wash stitutes a nuisance in places where the ing purposes.
scour of the tides is least frit, and it is
direct drainage into the harbour.. pow of sewage by methods other than becoming necessary to take steps to dis-
place of origin are not definitely estab❘ be one of the Brigade's finest efforts. lished. It could not have began in the
one time the typhoon "shutters "and win area recupied by the Electric Company dows of this building were well alight but beneath the printing works for the watch by strenuous efforts the flares were put man there, hearing cries of Fire," ont Some of these windows are situated "walked right through the electrical store
50 to 60 feet above Kelly & Walsh's build and saw flames outside the place, near a
Our reporter was taken over the part of the store where there is a sand, promises and saw ample evidence of the bin and sune metal castings--nothing danger which had threatened the Masonic inflammable The destruction of electri-Hall. cal stores, at the depót is not as great as it would have been some little time before so many of the new cables were faid. Nor has the Company, as Mr. F. R. Marsh Expressed it yesterday, all its rug in -one basket.
SOME CONSOLATIONS.
It is small comfort to those directly affected, but the Colony, generally, may take some consolation fron two considera-
All three engines rearked Mr. Moe worked very sweetly and gave no trouble throughout the night: The new Dennis engine did exceptionally fine work. The then also worked well, and there were, fortunately, no serious acei deuts: Sgt. Carey had a thumb put out. Moss himself, had a very narrow escape of joint in manipulating a hose. Mr
from being buried nuder the wall which
W. W. Pearse) was sorry to oppose the The MRDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH (Dr.
motion but these wells had been closest
4.For these reasons the Government is because they were contaminated. Excel.nable at present to extend the water lens work had been done by the P.W.D. in drainage of the City, during the last the purpom either in Victoria or in carriage system on any large scale, nor en it permit the use of the mains for 20, years, but it was impossible to say
Kowloon to what extent sewage found its way into the sub-soil and into the wells, which were very badly constructed. It was all very well to say that the Chinese would not drink will water but they would wish their cooking utensils in it and there lay a considerable danger. The Colony was always liable to an epidemic there minst be a number of carriers in the of cholera-n Water-borne disease and
L'olony.
The CHALIMAN endursed the Medical
3. It has however been decided to accept the recommendation of the Board abould be connected with the mains: and that water closets in the Peak District. the necessary steps can be taken after the 1st October next. The amount of water quid is very small; the carriage of over a large area, is difficult and expen night-soil from houses scattered thinly sive; only part of the drainage falls into
Government is satisfied that there is no the harbour and this will shortly be diverted to the Aberdeen outfall; and the risk of contamination of the water catch- ment areas from leaky, sewers It is
be introduced also into the servants' system is introduced into a house, it must quartere, and night-soil carriage from such house will no longer be permitted. It has been decided in this connection to water from 75 cents to 81.00 per 1,000 increase the charge at the Peak for excess gallons,
tions. The first is that the heavy rains collapsed two seconds after he had passOfficer's view? especially having eagard to Kzred that when the water carriage
of the week-end had dainped the trees and undergrowth which grow freely in the vicinity, of the fire might have bein spread enormously by: inflammable material, which fell all around the fire The other source of colisolation is that x typhoon wind was not blowing or the centre of the town might have been devastated.
Messrs. W. G. Humphrey's & Co.'s godown, adjoining Messrs, Kelly & Walsh's was found, ou a visit yesterday, to mentirely undamaged and the vopinion is confirmed that its rebuilding
-on fireproof principles was the means of saving enormously greater damage to the -titre of Victoria,
by that way.
Mr. Moss has no idea how the conflagra tion started or what the damage would be estimated at, bits suggested $500,000 to 8750,000 ns a likely figure.
KELLY AND WALSH'S PRINTING WORKS.
Great difficulty will be experienced in estiunting the damage suffered by Messrs,
Kelly and Walsh, Mr. Clover, the manager, stated yesterday afternoon that until such time as his directors had been consulted he could make no statement as
to their losses or what action the Com
the situation."
the closer crowding of the population in the last 20 years since the wells were closed. Mr. Perkins also suggested that the population was
not being severely tinted for water, seeing that the daily comption in Hongkong was still six million gallons.
The motion was rejected,
who were
With the departure of the Empress a number of guests, 17 in all, living in the annexe left by the steamer. As it was, the annexe was practically empty,
1,
any propose to take in dealing with Cameron succeeded in saving a portion With the aid of a Police Inspector Mrs.
of plant and indehinery, many valu- to America.
In addition to the loss of consignment of eurios from the annexe partially packed for consignment Mrs. Camera also rejoiced able manuscripts and records have been in the fact that she had succeeded in saving all her pet animals and birds. managed to get them all from. the veran duh, before Messrs. Kelly and Walsh's wall-crashed, carrying the verandah with
&-The Government is unable to permit the use of waste bath water for flushing purposes. It is an expedient which can hardly be supported from a Sanitäry point of view and its adoption in dis tricts other than the Penk is tantamount to connection with the water mains.
7. It is not possible, under the terms of the Public Health and Buildings exemption from the provisions of section Ordinance, 1903, to grant a general 102 of that Ordinance; and in any event it is considered desirable that individual applications should be dealt with in the prescribed manner, in order that statistics of water closets at the Peak.I am, sir, your obedient servant,
EXTRAORDINARY SCENE EFFECTS destroyed. Amongst them was a comprWith the help of soms gentlemen" she may be available as to the installation|
Our buld like to attempt a word pic-hensive list of errata and addenda labor fure of the scenic effects produced while lously compiled by Mr. A. Dyer Ball for the great fee was at its height but the use in connection with a reprint of his subject is equally difficult, probably, for father's well known publications on either pen or paint brush. A correspon- Chinese subjects. upon which Messrs. dent mentions that one of the most extra Kelly and Walsh were engaged. ordinary effects was to be observed look. ing into Daddell Street from Queen's Road Central. The trees at the top of the steps were transfigured by wonderful lighting and smoke effects and the steps themselves, bathed in a glowing radiance, Koked like the gold stairs" of. painter poet's dream of Heaven, y
it.
Mrs. Cameron remarked that this was. her fifth trying experience with Gre Three times. have. I been severely burned, and I came to Hongkong to try and forget about it."
AT THE CARLTON HOTEL. A call at the Carlton Hotel yesterday morning found Mrs. Cameron, the pro In enticlusion Mrs Cameron said that prietress of the Hotel, busily engaged in the hoped to have fresh bed-room accom reorganising the hotel services which for modation ready shortly to replace the I have not much time to spare, said all probability would be opened by the the moment. have been seriously affected. rooms in the destroyed annexe. These in
would like you to tell the public that the The annexe of the hote! is the property Mrs. Cameron, but ia the first place beginning of September
by Cariton is not closed. I am able to of Mr H. M. H. Nemaze who purchased conduct, the business of the hotel from the building from Sir Paul Chater abopt the main building which is not affected, two years ago for $60,000.
I shall have to have a new dining-room and
a new cook-house. These will be ready in few days. Two large rooms at the
THE POLICE REPORT, Yesterday's police report contains the back of the main entrance hall are, to following official account of the fire
(sd.)-M-FLETCHER,
Colonial Secretary:
PCBLIC WORKs (who presided) considera
At the suggestion of the DIRECTOR OF tion of the letter was postponed until the next meeting.
CORRESPONDENCE.
THE LIGHTER DISPUTE.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE HONGKONG
DAILY FRESS."
818-Referring to the news which appeared in your paper on Saturday last, the 20th ult. reinting to The Lighter Disputestating that our Guilds mem- bera have recently pressed for an increase of rebate fo 10 per cent, on all transac
KING PING QUILL
Another impression of the night was of the anoimang cwds that lined every on the fire and sought a view of the conflagration from every point of vantage. Alike from the Peak and from Kowloon, the fire was a wonderful spects cle. Thousands of people were in the streets of Victoria until a late hour.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE FIRE
be fitted out as a large dining-room At 21.06 hours (9.00 p.m.), on July 31st, whilst luggage room, conveniently the alarm was received at Central of an STATION MASTER
situated, is to be turned into a cook-house, outbreak of fire at No. 7, Duddell Street,tions, with lightermen, instead of 5 per During the early hours of yesterday to dine out,
For a day or so a few guests may have a storeyed building occupied by Messrs. cent. as was the old usage, we may kay morning while the fire still smouldered Regarding the damage to the annexean the Hongkong Electric Company's bers did not put forward any demanil on
Key And Walsh's prinung department that the rumour is untrue as our mem one of our representatives was conducted, which Mrs. Cameron explained was testing depot. The fire, which was up this point round the smoking ruina by Mr. C. G formerly the main building of the hotel, posed to have originated in the Electric Moss, Station Officer in Charge of the not a stick of furniture was saved from Company's cable store, completely gutted kindly state this in your paper.-Yours We shall be very thankful if you would Hongkong Fire Brigade. Mr. Bloss the first and second floors and the pro- No. 7, Duddell Street, and spread to the dearibed the fire as the hardest fight the prictress estimated her losses incurred in west portion of the Carlton Hotel the truly, Brigade had experienced since his arrival the annaxe at $20,000 or thereabouts. first and second floors of which were in the Colony, Bt. Moss had much This was not insured. The old insurance completely gutted. Damago was done to Hongkong, August 1st, 1927. experience of big London blazes during policy had expired recently and it was the ground floor by water. A portion of the air-raids and ho regarded the Duddell Mrs. Cameron's intention to have the the cast wing of Zetland Lodge (Masonic Street blaze as very similar and just as furniture re-valued and to take out a
fficult to fight.
free policy during the present month The cause of the ontbreak, the extent. The half-yearly accounts of the Singt The Brigade, remarked Mr. Moss, and a large dining-root,
In the annexo, there were 18 bed-roome, of damage done and particulars of in poze Sporting Club, show a bank balance bad numerous difficulties to contend The bed-rooms in all, enses contained
surance are not yet known
of $54,233, as against $37,823 at the be with, the outstanding one being the short not less than two beds in each room. In
The Carlton Hotel was not insured. ginning of the year, a fair indication, age of water during the earlier stages of one or two cases there, were as many as
ANILL WIND."'
the Straits Times says, of the hard times, the fire. If there had been a heavier four, while the lining-room was capable.
since during the period. there have beca pressure at the commencement it was quite of seating over 100 guests.
Ricksha coolice were much in evidence two meetings five days racing in all filly that the fire could have been check We have to lie thankful for small washing down their conveyances with the lotteries, sweeps, etc. came to $88,718, but at a late hour on Monday night, busilyThe general receipts from totalizator, Ed sooner than it was. Everything was mercies," added the unfortunate lady, residue water from the fire. Owing to stakes for the Spring meeting fotzlled to dry and this made the atores in Kelly Had the fire occurred prior to the de the water shortage, many of these rickshas 25,560 and totalizator, lottery and sweep & Walsh's printing works and the Hong parture of the sa Empreïs of Cadajudging by appearances and the state expenses came to roughly, 915,000 Sub. kong Electric Company's building so the situation might have been much worse of one's whites after a journey-base scriptions and entrance fees totalled combustible that nothing, saving a deluge (Continued at foot of next column.) Been long overdue for a washing
$10,000,
Hall) was also burned.
1923.
KEEP FIT.
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ANDERSON'S
Powell
Wm
TELEPHONE 3146.
GREAT CLEARANCE SALE
OF
GENTLEMEN'S
BOOTS AND SHOES
NOW ON.
We are offering all aiser in BLACK, BROWN and WHITE at greatly decreased Prices. They are worth from 88.75 to $21.75 per pair.
SALE PRICE: $4.75 to $12.75,
ALSO
"BARGAINS SHIRTE, TIES, BELTS, UNDERWEAR, ZU, BIG,
20% OF TRUNKS AND BAGS.
Inspection Invited at
No. 10, ICE HOUSE STREET.