The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-03-20
A FATAL FIRE.
Kansas City Is Visited by Another Heavy
Fire with Fatal Results.


KANSAS CITY, March 14.-At FIVE o'clock
this morning the night Waterman IL Wood
ward. Faxon & Co.'S wholesale drug store,
1908 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 had
gone, and cropping his way towards the
basement he discovered fire making rapid
headway. Half stifed by the flames freIn
the burning drugs the watchman returned to
the Office and turned in an alarm. He then
ran to the fourth story and aroused young
man named Alternately, 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 aid save himself. Meanwhile
young Alternately wasted time in endeavOr-
ing to save his trunk and clothing, and when
he started to 90 below the fire headed him
off and he was driven back into his room.
While he was meditatlng some way of max
ing his escape. the room began to fill with
smoke. and fearful of being roasted alive if
he remained longer. he plunged through
of sixty or seventy feet. He was at ODce
picked up by the crowd, and carried into
NcCOrti q Nave'S store. where hasty eX'
animation Of his injuries was made. He was
suffering intensely, and those who laid hiI<
ul,on the floor shook their heads significantly
aS they left the room. 4 slight examination
showed that he was fearfully smashed,
his arms and legs being broken in several
places. and his whole body covered with
c It's and bruises The police ambulance
was called, and the was removed to the
Sisters hospital. where he dol
a few hours later The alarm which
the nigl Watchman turned i'll brought
every hose cart in the city to the
scene of the fire. but before water could e
turned on the whole building, from the base
ment to the roof was ablaZe. II was found
wholly useless. to attempt 10 save any of
the stock, but the structure was deluged
with water, and in this way the
flames were kept from communica-
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. IL was stated by some that the
rubbish burning in the alley communicated
the flames to the basement, but no trace
of a fire outside the building could
be found. The exact loss to MesSrS. Wood
ward, FaXOn q Co., can not yet be estimated,
but gentleman connected with the firm
stated that it would amount to between So,
600 and $50. 900. on which there is an in
surance of about ST., 900. The total stock
of the company is about S125,O0
but $4,000 of this is stored in another
building and is not damaged. The
total insurance amounts TO S150,0OO. The
firm has been in business nearly six
years, and three years ago last Monday it
was burned ont in the great fire that des-
troyed an entire block. The building is
owned by Leach & OlmStead. and is valued
at about $4,000. The loss Oh the building
will fall but little short of $4,000. Camp
bell IL Cutler, dealers in yarnish and oils,
were damaged about 50 600 by water
McCOrd II Nave were also slightly damaged.