Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1893-10-18
Up In Flames.

by fire alarm, and those who could see
the west side of Main street were
amazed at seeing that part of it be-
tween Kansas and Washington avenues
apparently ina blaze. A second look
located the fire i'm three buildings,
flames reaching upward i'll nearly the
same proportion from the warehouse
of Stamford, Youmans & Co., South
worth's drugstore and r. NJ. Wood
wards harness store. Those of oar
fire department were among the very
ilrst to reach the scene and prepare for
action. 1t was seen at a glance that
the frame row was mostly gone, and
the hose company at once got the hose
in shape at each end of the block to
save the brick buildings and what else
they could. BY the time the hose be-
gan playing large crowd had gathered
and were watching the struggle of wa
ter and flames The brick buildings
were first saturated and then the hose
were turned on the two sides of the
fire. For half an hour the battle was
almost even, and then the tide began
to turn In favor of the fire ladies. They
had checked the further advance of the
foe by brave and prompt action, and
saved the brick buildings.
During the excitement Mrs. Coan
gave the alarm of fire at the rear of
Chase & Coan's store, across the street
and opposite the burning buildings.
Several men took buckets of water
around, and put out the flames which
had just started. Noone had time to
think but what burning cinders had
caused it, and general attention was
again diverted to the main fire. AS it
began to be subdued, however, specu-
latiOn became rife as to the probable
cause or the fire, which from all reports
had broken out simultaneously In three
or four more buildings, and the general
opinion formed from such circum-
stances was that the fire was of incen-
diary origin. The opinion was con-
tirmed when it was discovered that the
room at the rear of Chase Il COan's had
been turpentined before fire was set to
it. The fire was all subdued at 400
o'clock and everybody went home. In
the early light of morn, however, the
work of the big fire was being surveyed
by an increasing number of citizens.
But one building was intact between
Book s and Youman's stores, it being
Immediately adjoining the former and
protected by sheet iron. 1t was bad
looking sight, ashes and blackened tim
bers for over half block where the day
before had been a center of business.
Behind Chase and COan's where the
small fire before mentioned had been
eXtinguished the door and ground un-
derneaLh were thoroughly saturated
with turpentine, showing beyond
doubt that it had been set by some foul
miscreant, and the whole work had the
appearance of being premedltated
arson. Whoever the criminals were
they evidently had in view the total
cOnsumation OF the city as result of
their malicious actions. The identity
of those who did the work and their
motives is the only thing in question,
as the evidence of incendiariSm is
prlma facie.
The losses were as follows: Ware
house, property of Standiford, Youmans
Il Co. Goods belonging to the COM
pany and to Geo. SOuthwOrth were
stored in 1t. and were all lost. Mort
Strong, w. w. Standiford and Otis
Coyle had several thousand bushels of
wheat inside, which is so damaged that
it is only tit for feed. A large gasoline
tank was in a small cellar directly I'M
der the warehouse, but fortunately the
fire did not reach it. The loss Will
amount from two TO three thousand
dollars, including damage to wheat.
Cook & Palmer, real estate, insurance
and abstract Office; entirely Quilted and
nearly all valuable papers burned. a
sheet iron cover saved it from being a
total loss. The building can be re-
paired with considerable expense.
Geo. SOuthworth, stock of drugs and
store fixtures, valued at So, 800. Total
loss. Insured for 81 500. Oil and gas
oline in the back room added fuel to the
devOuring flames, which consumed all
in very short time. w. w. Hull lost
considerable personal effects, which he
had kept in the store.
Henry burst, building occupied by
Southworth. Tota! loss. Insured for
5000.
w. w. Standitord, building occupied
by Mort Strong. Total loss. No in
supancc.
Mort Strong, furniture and stock
amounting to several hundred dollars,
also 1900 bushels of wheat stored IN
the burned warehouse. No insurance.
G. L. Rigg, building formerly occu-
pied by Am. Allen. Total loss. Not
insured.
Il. NJ. Woodward, harness and sad
dies. Stock valued at $500. Total
loss. No insurance. ''Uncle Dick
had succeeded in building up a nice
business, and this blew falling upon
him at his age is especially deplorable.
J. X. Sawyer, Wichita, building oc-
cupied by Il. Nj. Woodward. Total
less. Not insured. The small brick
building behind, used as a storeroom
was damaged badly and a stock of
leather just purchased was entirely
consumed. The little building is an
old land mark, having been used in ear
Iy days for keeping county records, etc.
o. Rogers. Wichita, building occu-
pied by Mrs. Belle Browns millinery.
Partial loss, but can be repaired with
considerable outlay. The millinery
stock was carried nut and saved.
Or. Gould, office fixtures and surgical
Instruments in rear of burst building.
Value $1,000, insured for $500.