The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-16
THEY STICK i'm MUD
WICHITA FIRE COMPANIES HAVE
MANY TRIBULATI0NS.
Being Called to the Corner of First Street
and Minnesota Avenue, They Make the
Run for a Short Distance and Get stuck
In the Mud-OnIy the Chemical Engine
Beaches the Scene and Uses Two Tanks
IF Chemicals - The House iotai Loss
Two Other Fires Supposed to Be From
Incendiaries

There we're two fire alarms Sunday
night calling the department to action
under the most trying circumstance
no. because the weather was cold, but
because the soft, heavy SHOWS have made
The unpaved streets like Illinois winter
roads. The first alarm called the firemen
70 the corner of First street and Mime
sofa avenue, near the Hydraulic mills
The firemen made a gallant start for
the scene of the conflagration, but Inc
noble steeds soon slackened their pace
and then came to a stop. For the first
time in the history of the department the
engines were stuck in the mud, and FOR
the first time the fire laddies were called
upon 20 lift and boost the machines The
engines could not be trundled and they
doubled teams on the chemical engine
and finally got il on the ground. Two
tanks Of chemicals were exhausted on
tie building but it was a total loss. 1t
belonged 10 the Cooper Investment COM
rany. and was occupied by James Wal
ton The origin Of the fire is unknown.
The building was fully covered by insur-
ance. the amount being $500. As Mr..
Walton was 'baching,' the loss on goods
was small.
The next call was at lis a. m, the
building being on the corner of Pine and
Main streets, owned by Mr.. Robertson
and occupied by a colOred family named
Morris. The loss on building was about
So and on contents about the same. AT
this fire there were unmistakable evil
dences OF incendiariasm. The insurance
authorities found yesterday that the
building bad been fired al three different
points, oiled paper being used to cause
igni ion, and the oil can was left near
tic place where the incendiaries had pied
the match. Ii was probably the work Of
some wretches who had a spite at the
Morris family
STANTON HOME BURNED.
About 5 o'clock the residence of NJ
STATION, situated about two miles west
of the city, was completely destroyed by
fire The first inimation Of any trouble
was the awakening of Ed Stanton, who
discovered considerable smoke in his
loom. He hastily ran to the other mem
bers Of the family and awakened them,
hut the fire had attained such start that
the roof of the kitchen fell in just as the
family eft the house.
Very little was saved from the flames,
as Il came so suddenly upon them that
by the time they mad gotten out il was
too late TO save but little. 1t remains
total mystery as to how the fire started,
anu from the looks o. the SITUATION no
cause can be ascribed save that it was
tine work Of an incendiary. There had
been no fire IN the house since o'clock
the night before, and no lamp was allow
ed TO burn during the night. Just why
eny one should attempt 10 set fire TO the
Mouse also remains mystery. But one
thing sure, it burned, and no reason other
than that it was set afire has been
ascribed.
The air was very still and the flames
shot straight upward and were visible on
the West Side very plainly. If there had
been breeze blowing from the northeast
the barn would have been destroyed also,
hut luckily the house alone with its con-
tents suffered destruction.
There was small insurance carried
upon the house and barn, but none upon
the furniture, and the loss over and
above insurance is estimated TO be about
81 900. The loss viii he felt quite percept-
ibly. as a great number Of pictures and
keeDsakes were lost which can never be
replaced.