The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-09-17
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EknIai RlEMlSHES,
MIDNIGHT ALARM.
Tho south Side Was the Scene OF Considerable
Exc tement.

Just about midnight, while attending to
his duties about Roots hack barn on
South En- poria avenue, Mr.. Frank Roots
attention was attracted westward by a
sudden flash of fire BY running to the
front of the barn he and his associates
could see "a small blaze, and be at once
telephoned tor the fire department, which
call was misconstrued by some means, and
when No. came out OF the stables they
turned TO 90 north. The mistake was
soon noticed, and in a remarkably short
time they were at the scene.
The fire was fouud to be In what is
known as the old brewery at the corner Of
South Topeka avenue and Waterman
street, the property of Mrs Anna Weigand.
whose home is just across Topeka avenue
from the destroyed building. When the
department arrived the whole structure
seemed TO be in flames, coming from the
inside Five streams OF water were at
once turned on and after "a hard battle,
lasting an hour or more, the fire was con-
trolled, but Lot until the entire frame
part Of the building had been burned
down and the inside of the brick struc-
ture enten out by the flames
This ola building, which was once &C.
cupied by the old Star laundry, has been
unoccupied for nearly six years, daring
which time Mrs. Wiegand has been unable
10 procure insurance, hence the work of
last night means total loss The structure
was quite an old one, the front being Of
brick, two stories high. This was sur
rounded on the east and south by frame
additions, which We're almost as dry us
powder. as was also the old lumber which
had been stored there. There was also
large boiler of considerable value in
one part of the frame work. 1t Is no
doubt badly damaged.
Mr.. Webster, solicitor for the ,Commoner,
occupies with his family the residence on
~ "A few feet north Of the burned building
ana so completely WAS the fire under head
why when he was aroused by the shouts of
the men from Roots stable hat The entire
structure seemed ready to fall. This fact
ms well as statements from othe,: neigh
bors is almost positive evidence that the
4, e was of incendiary origi1 md 1t is to
,e 'oped that the perpetratn of such
Inst. rdly crime may be maze to suffer.
# il a. 'derstood that active mea 'snres will
he sdon> Ell TO follow the Sigh, est clew
hat NAV he developed.
Mrs Wi. Cand stated in the pres, mce of
, reporter IL at she had made all arr 'ange-
neuts to hav, n force of men begin work
omorrow mo rning tearing away the
wooden part of the building, as she W as
10 .rful that It m, light not be altogetht Y
safe. Her workmel' have been forestalled
and the intended re moval has been &C.
copied by the ravage, -fire- She stated
also, that she had contemplated to have
the boiler and lumber stored therein,
moved within a few days rs she had sold
them and this makes the loss seems all the
greater to her.
Expressions were heard from every side
about the almost wonderful escape of all
other buildings in the vicinity as millions
of flying sparks were in the air for blocks
and the shingles were very dry and SO fit
TO ignite but fortunately nothing was In
jured aside from the tool house in the
rear and Mr. Webster's house, both of
which were somewhat scorched, but not
badly damaged
The loss certainly falls heavily upon
Mrs Wiegand who has the sympathy of
The entire CITY.