The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1875-03-04
The Fire Fiend at Wichita.

The Fire Fiend at Wichita.
Abont half past on. O'Clock Friday night, or
rather Saturday morning, fire was discover
ed in the rear of the old Southern hotel, on
Main street near Douglas avenue. The driver
of the baggage wagon for the night tram at 2:SC
a. M. is credited with having given the first
alarm, many however dispute this; at all
events the alarm was given and soon citizens
came from every direction, but not until the
house was a vast sheet OF flames and the adj
joining houses sojeopardized that all efforts to
save them was Immediately pronounced fruit
less and abandoned; attention was turned to
those near enough TO the fire TO be saved with.
out erdangcring life, the iiremen worked he
roicalIy and assisted by just few citizens. we
are sorry TO say, won the victory after ayigor'
Gus light, not only against the flames. but any
appliance worth nam ing for putting out fire.
Water was scarce and no one inclined to pass
il regularly. the lines would brake and water
suddenly be cut OF. The hooks were used
with the most beneficial results, several little
frames were torn out of the way on the north
side. and the flames staid from reaching
further up. upon considerable row Of frames.
On the south stood the heavy brick walls Of the
New York block upon which were crowds Of
men pouring water down the walls and over
the tin root, while just east it, and adjoin-
ing, was Charlie Hill, with his little fire ex-
tinguisher walking around in the flames,
by which means be saved his own, and Aliens
brick building from destruction. Fortunately
aeg of powder exploded in the burning
grocery OF Chenneworth. this had the effect
TO level the fire in that direction, and it was
soon after smothered out, the danger was
here. as north wind was blowing which
might, despite the efforts ofall, have carried
the fire upon Douglas avenue. The united
efo.;s of all hands finally staid the flames on
the north after it had burned out five
buildings, including Chenneworth & Co.,
grocers. stock and building; Hope a. Richards,
Wholesale liquors: Southern hotel; Todd a.
Royal, and Cluysion's building, occupied by
Thos. Rehan. auctioneer; the building belong
ing to Tewksberry 81 Chandler, Manchester.
n. IL. and two buildings owned by W. &.
Wooiman. All the rooms were occupied by
business men, none of the stocks were insur-
ed except Kohn a. Co., New York block,
whose damage will not reach over two hun
dred dollars on building and probably two or
three hundred on removed stock. The total,
actual loss. will reach somewhere near twen-
~ thousand dollars. Many have been named
TO us as deserving special credi; for the work
they performed, several importing their lives:
while we would enjoy any favorable men,
tion OF them as much as they would. still 9th
ers would reflect upon any notice given, and
doing less, would claim more; we are acquaint-
ed in these parts. We will again say that our
firemen distinguished themselves and are de-
serving OF much moro consideration than has
heretofore been shown them, many needed
articles asked at the hands of the city were
refused them. which they had afterwards to
provide out OF their own means. A number
OF citizens worked hard who were not jeop-
ardzed in the least. they are known and their
deeds will be remembered, while the reward OF
labor and merit viii surely follow. The only
serious accident of the hre happened to Mr..
Goodrich who lately came here with his wife
from Louisiana, and had taken rosms tempo
rarily, over Todd Il Royals. lie bought farm
several weeks ago and was waiting until
spring would open TO begin work. He and his
wife were not awakened until the fire had
caught front and rear of the building they
were occupying. no one present knew OF their
being there. Mr.. Goodrich jumped from the |
second story window MASKING his ankle In |
frigbtful manner, while his wife ran down
and through the fire into the street. thence |
up the alley where she was caught by Johnny |
Peters and Johnny Stewart her clothes all on
fire, and by vigorous pounding OF their caps |
upon her garments her lite WAS saved: in the |
mean time cries Of help came from the hus- |
band whom the fire had almost reached, |
when he was dragged from his perilous posi-
tion Both parties we are sorry TO say are |
badly injured, Mr.. Goodrich may never have |
the use of his limb again, while his wife is |
said 10 be burned fatally. her head was one |
blister, all her hair of. and her arms were most
burned-the flesh hung from ner
fingers. These people hade expended all their
means TO procure the farm aud Mr. Goodrich |
had been hunting days labor for means OF live
lihood. he is upwards Of fifty years old. We !
trust our community will help them. we be-
lieve they will. The conhayration lasted not /
over AN hour and is really our first baptism |
N the way of n fire, others were merely |
and efficient fire organization as was abund-
antly testified on this occasion. The city
council should buy the needed apparatus
forthwith, we know that citizens are fayora-
bic to man. Had we been prepared. this
fire alone would have saved double the cost of
efficient fire apparatus.
The following is a summary of the loss
Southern hotel owned by George Harrington,
loss thirteen hundred; building Of Geo. Sauls-
bury, loss thiteen hundred. occupied by Chen
nwerth & Co., grocers, loss two thousand dol
lars; building of James McCulloch. twelve
hundred dollars, occupied by Hope d Rich
ards, liquor dealers, loss, twenty-five hundred
dollars; building Of Todd, Royal & Ciuyston,
loss fifteen hundred. occupied by Thos. Re-
building Of Tewksbery & Chandler. Manches-
ter. n. H., loss one thousand. occupied by
Iigoy Co.. as \ restaurant. loss two humid
rcd building Of W. G. woodman. loss five
occupied by G. Meyer, baker, loss
four hundred. building OF W. c. Woodman.
oss three hundred. occupied by NJ. Meaber,
butcher. loss two hundred; building and stock
Of kohn & Co.. damaged four hundred, fully
insured building Of C. W. Hill. damage
wo hundred and tifly dollars; no estimate of
damage to stock; fully insured. The building
III. Noble, was damaged two hundred dol
ars, occupied by J. NJ. Allen. grocer. dam
,ge three hundred dollars, fully insured.
Several other buildings were more or less
damaged. The risks are carried by the
American Central, of st. Louis. Bre wers, of
Milwaukee. PhGnix, OF Hartford, Globe,
Chicago, and Kansas. Leavenworth
District court, March term. sits Monday
The first installment of meadow larks arriy-
ri yesterday.
Eggs are plenty in this market at - cents
yer dozen.
Last saturday our streets were unusually
rowded again.
Proceedings of the county board will be
Iounu ON The second parp