Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1903-11-04

AdSL TiU6y IuOTQlUU m0ulClU0 AOuR0
experienced the most disastrous FIRE in
her history and the Chase Hardware
Company sustained loss that runs
high into the thousands. The fire broke
out at 4:30 and at daylight a mass of
ruins which covered nearly half
block in the heart Of the city, told the
story of the awful wreckage which the
angry flames lett In their path. The
large Chase block built only little ov-
or year ago and the frame buildings
adjoining it on the south together with
all the contents, were devoured. The
Higgins block on the north was saved
but it was badly damaged. The entire
damage is not less than $50 900. Mr..
Chase valued his stock at $40, 900 and
the buildings destroyed and damaged
were probably worth $4,000. He car
ried only $4,000 insurance. Mrs. Hig
gins carried no insurance on her build
ing at all. Her loss is probably about
$500.
For fully an hour after the fire start
ed the entire block on either side of the
street seemed doomed. To add to the
discontinue OF the people who had
gathered to check the flames, it was
impossible to get water pressure tor
more than an hour after the fire start
cd and nothing could be done until wa
ter could be secured. The heat was so
intense that windows on the opposite
side of the street broke. The only cir
Cumstance that saved the Grand hotel,
the Higgins, Fair and Woodward build
ings, and others on the opposite side Of
the street was the fact that heavy
rain had fallen previously and every.
thing was thoroughly wet. Pieces of de-
bris were scattered as far as two blocks
from the scene Of the fire and the furious
flames extended high into the air. The
force OF the flames was augmented by
reason of oil and explosives in the store,
and the booms that beloved forth
sent the news for many miles around
OF the impending catastrophe. How
the loss, great as 1t is, was restricted as
much as 1t was, with the facilities at
hand, is almost marvellous.
The origin of the fire, as usual in
such cases, Is largely a matter ofspecu
latiOn. It was suggested by some that
lightning struck the telephone lines
and carried the current into the build
ing. This theory Mr.. Chase does not
accept at all, although he IS inclined
to believe q direct bolt of lightning
struck the building at some point. On
Saturday Mr.. Chase went TO Wichita
to take lniatory steps in regard to 9
new switchboard. He talked with the
superintendent Of construction OF the
long distance telephone there, also the
superintendent at Wellington and tht
superintendent of Western Union con
struction work at the last named place
All agree that the bolt OF lightning
could not have been carried through
the telephone wires, as these come il
through lead cable. All the wires ir
this are copper, so that the wires anG
the lead cable would melt before light
ming could possibly be carried into 9
building. Mr. Chase also states tina,
every wire passed through a fuse or
the large pole in front of the store
In addition to this, all wires coming
in on the large pole at the postoflce
pass Through fuses. There are about
one hundred Of these fuses at the
corner. IT lightning had struck the
wires on being carried IN there anJ
distance at all, every fuse at the post
Office would have burned out. whereas