The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-11

on the first and second floors and in the
attic. Meantime hose company No. 1
laid a second line of hose to the front
of the house and about this time hose
company No. arrived also with a line
| of hose. Hook and ladder company No.
! 1 arrived and the ladders were used to
good advantage in removing furniture
and household goods from the upper
rooms. Chemical company No. was
called over from headquarters. With
three streams of water, two chemical
streams, and 20 fremen, the blaze was
soon under control. But the frame
building burned like finder. The house
next west of it was with considerable
difficulty saved. 1t caught fire but was
promptly attended to. East of the Mil
Ter residence there are three vacant
lots and east of these the residence of
Elizabeth B. Norris. The barn was
separated far from the house that it
was not endangered.
D. G. Kline, the piano tuner, and M.
r. White, had narrow escapes in get
ting out of the burning building. They
were in bed in the southwest second
story room which was adjacent to the
summer kitchen in which the fire start
ed. The flames had eaten through the
partition and the ceiling of the first
floor in instant, and the room was
filed with flame and smoke. Kline and
White hurriedly picked up their cloth
ing and a few personal effects and ran
down the front stairs and into the front
yard. Misses Mabel and Grace Miller,
daughters of Mr.. G. S. Miller, were
awakened Ine smoke winch poured
into their room on the second story.
They had but a moments time to throw
a few garments around them and eS
cape into the street.
Mr.. S. c. Miller, husband of the dead
woman, was overcome with grief. He
was taken by friends to the residence of
Mrs. Norris. The shock of the affair
was terrible to bear. His grief stricken
daughters, Misses Mabel and Grace Mil
Ter, were with him, as were also other
relatives.
Mr.. Miller gave his account Of the
fire to a State Journal reporter:
q had gone out to the barn to milk
the COW, and 1 think had carried two
buckets of water. 1t was about $50 as
near as 1 can remember. When came
out of the barn again saw smoke and
fire pouring from the south door of the
little kitchen.I ran there, but the flames
were so hot 1 couldn't go in, so [ went
around to the front and kicked in
door. I went in, but it was so hot there
that I had to come away for air. Then
I got down on my hands and knees and
crawled as far as 1 could, but 1 could
not find her, ana then ! ran to the front
to try and get my children out of the
house. 1 can't see how it happened. The
stove was an old one. 1 remember OF
my wife saying that it needed repairs
But can't see how it happened.
. There was insurance on the house
amounting to $1,100. This policy was
placed on it after the house had been
unprotected by insurance for some time
T.. c1AAO~
on his household goods, but let it lapse.
The injury to the building is great. The
walls are still standing, but the interior
was burned out in the south end ana
badly charred in the north end. The
furniture was ruined. Some of it was
saved but a very small part. The piano
was blistered and probably ruined
Mrs Esther Miller was AZ years of age
and had lived in Topeka many years
She was a member of the Second Pres
byterian church and an earnest Chrls-
tan. She had been prominent in church
work in North Topeka and had large
circle of friends. She was born in Plain
field, ILL., She leaves a husband, Mr. Z.
s Miller. who is a travelling salesman
for the Thomas Page mills, of North
Topeka, and two daughters, Miss Ma
bel Miller who is a teacher in the city
schools and Miss Grace Miller, who is
a young girl
The arrangements for the funeral
services over the remains of Mrs. Miller
will be announced later. Relatives from
q distance are expected.