The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-03-21
A Fatal FIRE,
Kansas City , Visited by Another Msa~y
Tape ,wfeV, Fatal R~~u,S-

Kansas City , Visited BY Another Msa~y
Fire with Fatal Results.
KAzsAs CRY, March 14.-At fve O'clock
this morning the night watchman Ia Wood
ward, Faxon 4 Co.'S wholesale drug store, /.
120S Union avenue, having completed his
rounds Of the building, turned in signal to
that effect to the Home Signal Company.
Ten minutes later smoke crept up the eleva-
tor way into the first floor, where he bad
gone, and cropping his way towards the
basement he discovered Q fire making rariA
Roadway. Half stifled by the flames from
the burning drugs the Waterman returned to
the Office and turned in an alarm. He then
ran to the fourth story and aroused young
man named Abernathy, whose room fronted
on Union avenue. Returning to the office
he found the entire building fast yielding to
the flames, and had barely time to
rush out and save himself. Meanwhile
young Alternately wasted time in endeavor-
ing to save his trunk and clothing, and when
he started to go below the fire headed him
off and he was driven back into his room.
While he was meditating some way Of MAXI
ing his escape the room began to fill with
smoke, and fearful of being roasted alive il
he remained longer, he plunged through
the window to the pavement, distance
of sixty or seventy feet He was at once.
picked up by the crowd, and carried into.
McCOrd 4 Nave's store. where hasty ex-
animation of his injuries was made. Hewas.
suffering intensely, and those who laid hips-
upon the floor shook their heads significantly
as they left the room. A slight examination
showed that lie was fearfuliy smashed,
his arms and legs being broken in several
places, and his whole body covered with
cuts and bruises. The police ambulance
was called, and the was removed to the
Sisters hospital, where hee del
few hours later The alarm which
the night Waterman turned in brought
every hose cart in the city to the.
scene of the fire, but before water could te
turned ON the whole building, from the base
ment to the roof was ablaze. 1t was found
wholly useless to attempt to save any Of
the stock, but the structure was deluged
with water, and in this way the:
flames were kept from cOmmunfca-
ting to the adjoining buildings
The origin of the fire is unknown, but there
is no doubt but that it started in the base
ment. 1t was stated by some that the
rubbish burning in the alley communicated
the flames to the basement, but no trace
of fire outside the building could
be found. The exact loss to Messrs. Wood
ward, Faxon & Co., can not yet be estimated,
but gentleman connected with the firm
stated that it would amount to between $751;
900 and $4,000, on which there is an In
surance of about s7l,OO0. The total stock
of the company is about S125,000,.
but $4,000 of this is stored in another
building and is not damaged. The
total insurance amounts to S150,00O. The
firm has been in business nearly six
years, and three years ago last Monday it
was burned out in the great fire that des--
troyed an entire block. The building is
owned by Leach g. Olmstead, and is valued
at about $4,000. The loss on the building
will fall but little short of $4,000. Camp
bell d. Cutler, dealers in varnish and oils,
were damaged about $4,000 by water
McCOrd & Nave were also slightly damaged