The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-22
FIRES HAVOC.
THE PALATIAL RESIDENCE OF AMOS
H0UCK DESTROYED.
Forty Thousand Dollars Gone Up in Smoke
While the Family was at the
Opera House,
It was Considered One of the Finest Pri-
vats Residences in the State-The
Actual Loss is Not Known
But it Will be Quite
Heavy.

dence OF Amos Houck, at e27 North Tope-
ka avenue, together with all sits contents
and rich furnishings, is now only pile OF
ruins without value
Last night all the family attended the
theater, and as the car on which they were
going home reached Oak street they dis
covered that their home was in flames
This was at 1870 and about that time an
alarm was turned in to which fire COM
panies No. and responded, but when
they got there the fire was not
only beyond control. but was burning SO
tiercely thai it was impossible to remove
the furniture
r. NJ. Piatt lives in the house immed-
lately north of Mr.. Houck's and he says
he saw the fire before be heard any alarm
and wondered why they had so much light
in the front parlor; that he heard the
court house clock strike eleven and at
once went to sleep; and that he had not
been asleep but few minutes when he
was aroused by cry of fire aud saw that
the house was burning all over the inside.
Joe Nirdlinger and DR.. McAdams saw
the fire aud broke in the front door, A
| young man that was with them said when
| they got in there was no sign of fire above
the first floor bnt the carpets and boards
over them were all on fire apparently as if
it began in the basement.
They succeeded in carrying out two
pictures but before anything more could
be moved the fame and smoke drove them
back. When Mr.. Houck arrived he tried
TO rush in but was nearly suffocated
and was compelled to back out.
The firemen got TO work as soon as pos
sible and then were delayed by bursting
| hose, having to remove a section and re-
place 1t with another. 1t required long
line of hose to reach the nearest plug and
some OF it is old and rotten. Finally
streams were turned on from every side of
/ be house, but seemed TO but little good.
Il was very fortunate it was still night
or the buildings on either side OF it must
have been destroyed otherwise.
The house was one OF the finest in the
city. Mr.. Houck began the erection
of it in 1856 and it required nearly two
years to complete it. When asked last
night what it cost he said it was hard to
tell 1t was Intended to cost S35 900; but
his experience was like that OF every man
that undertakes TO build complete home;
there is always something more to be done
and paid for.
II was a beautiful building, of modern
architecture, built from Chicago pressed
brick. and surrounded with broad veran-
das on which much work aud money
had been spent. The windows were all of
plate glass and the interior was
finished in rich woods and fitted with
every convenience known to the builders
trade
1t was heated by steam. the heater. of aB
approved pattern being placed in the base
ment, and it WAS from the furnace of this
that the fire evidently originated. There
was not a servant left in the house and at
the time the family started to the theater
the fire was in al apparently safe way to
leave.
The loss of the contents of the house is
beyond replacement, for it included many
valuable paintings, books. works of art
and mHuy adornmeuts OF a perfect home
that can only b. acquired by years of effort
and study. The furniture was elegant and
of rare and costly designs. The carpets
were all imported ones and in keeping
with the other appointments. To all this
is added the loss of clothing. jewelry. sill
verware and costly glass and china.
Mr.. Houck could not tell the amount of
insurance he carried, but said it was only
partially insured. 1t was all placed in the
agency OF T. J. Rogers & Co, with the ex-
ception of one policy.
At the time of writing this report the
fire is still burning, but about everything
combustible in the building has been
burned up, and Mr.. Houck was of the
opinion that the walls had been so heat
ed and that with the vast
amount of water sent against
them they would be worthless even if they
did not tumble down.
The scene around the fir was a peculiar
one in that ii WAS unlike most other fires.
The absence of fu ruiture hastily
carried out and strewu topsy-turvy about
the yard and street, as is usual about
fires was noticeable Non had been car
ried out. IL was al lost and with the
exception of a ladder lying on the front
walk, the several long lines of hose and
the iremen holding them were the only
objects observable on the wide snow
covered lawn while men aud women stood
in rows along the streeJ and looked on the
burning hot e, that seemed like great
fiery furnace.
Mr. Houck and family will have the
sympathy Of all their many friends when
they read of their loss this morning.