The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-03-06
ApAD nLAzE


The Buiknings m Lota No. 12o and 12z
C0mmsreisIcstrees cSasamsd by
Fire This A0Fnin9.
| Il would sem that there is truth in
the adegs that misfoi tunes never come
Linely. Following closely in the wake
Of the horrible accident that resulted 50
fatally to . prominent. citizen Sot
this city, Friday night, and the serious
naming of another, came the startling
cry of IRE Of quite an early hour Sat
uFday, and ia q few moments Con.
mercial street was lined with people
called from their homes and 6Tesides by
The clzmoring of the fire bells. TIE 10
cation of the FIRE WAS discover, d 10 Be
At 40 Commt rcisi street. and in very
short time the fierce flames were seen
above the housetope, devouring with
lightning raDIdlty all that came in their
course. The FIRE originated in the
frame building owned aad occupied by
Augustus Gutekunst, al 40 Commercial
street, the upptr pat of which was used
by the family as sleeping apartments.
and the greuod foorIs it: hen, cigar
store, etc.
While Mrs. G. was Lighting the fire in
. gasoline stove in the middle room,
preparatory to get ing breakfast, the
lighted nuid escaped, and in an instant
had ignited dry board partition. She
essayed TO turn on the wst T to put it
out, but in her excitement was unable to
do SO. She called for help, ard in a few
moments several men aad her husband
were at htr side, the latter with bucket
of water, which he threw on the fismes.
This had . tendency to scatter them, and
only short time had elapsed before the
flames reached the second fiDOr, where
were sleeping Mr.. G.'s seven children.
Mira G. then ran upstairs to succor her
children. She was Yearly stifled by the
dense smoke that filled the chsmbers,
but happily she succeeded in rescuiDg
all of the little oues. During this time
outsiders were busy In removing the
g lods and fixtures from the doomed
building, and tho fire department had
been notified and arrived upon the scene
in a few minutes after the slarm was
given. They worked most faithfully
and tnergeticalIy, but had much to con-
tend with. The fire had gained great
Roadway ere they were summoned and
6 tiff north wind tanned the flames into
double fury; nevertheless, they did ez-
cellent work, and saYed the
small buildings on the corner
occupied by L. Fl. Hines and s. B. Riggs,
though the rooms Of the former were
flooded with water, and his stock. on
which there was no insurance, WAS DAM
aged to the extent of 800 or more. Mr.
Riggs escaped without loss. His fix
lures were removed to Ireland Bros
store, and his Uffice received q bad
drenchiDg. The flames caught the sd-
joining building on the north, which
was also frame one. and it vas impos-
sible to save it. By the noble exertions
Of the IRE company. however. Sam
Faust's meat market. the next building
to the north, was saved with but slight
damage.
The two story frame on lot 122 which
has been vacant for sometime, was owned
by Comstock s. Prescott, of ST. Louis,
their agents in this city being Messrs.
Holmes & Holden, with whom it was IN
sured in the Springfield insurance COM
pany for $1,000, which will nearly or
quite cover the loss It was rented only
few days ago to w. P. Broadwell and
Mr.. Jones, who were just fitting it up
aud putting IN . stock of we'll,
the eases of beer and bottles of liquors
removed from it this morning are suf1-
eient evidence that il was not to be Oper-
sted as grocery. Their loss was CON-
psra'iveiy small, and was probably a
God-send. to the people of EmporIa.
Gutekunst's building and stock
were an entire loss, as was about half
of his household goods. Lucky
for him, however, ne. carried heavy
assurances. The building, which was
but shell at best was insured IN the
Germsn-AmerIcan with Howard Dunlap
for 81, 800 His household goods were
insured with Asa Bancroft IN the Niagara
company, for $500, and his stock in the
same compsnY and with the same party
for 81, OOO-sggregating 5000.
The scene of the fire presents rather q
sad look but We hope these old frames
will be replaced with substantial brick
structures. Had it not been for the en-
ergetic and we'll directed exertions OF
the fire department the flames would
have extended to many other buildings
and the loss would have been very much
greater. AS it lie, the firemen are to te
greatly commended by every property
owner in the city.