The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-09
HAD HEAVY INSURANCE
Cause Believed to Be lightning
Bolt.
GAINED GREAT HEAOWAY
Before Alarm Was Turned In
TO Department.

The three story brick and stone build
ing of the Wichita Paint and Color COM
pany at 1S4 and 135 st. Francis avenue
caught fire at one O'Clock this morning.
supposedly from lightning. and the en-
tire building with the contents was con-
sumed
The fire caught in the east end of the
building and burned for a considerable
time before the alarm was turned in. c.
w. Richards. who lives directly across
the street turned in the alarm from his
residence. Mr.. Richards stated TO the
Eagle that earlier during the evening
lightning struck a telephone pole in the
rear of his residence and he started to
turn in an alarm before he learned what
was afire. For a considerable time ne
fore he turned in the alarm he smelled
pine wood burning. but thought that il
was another telephone pole that was
struck by lightning as a bolt struck near
his place a short time before. His wife
looked out the east window and discover
ed almost the entire interior Of the build
ing in flames.
The fire was such that no department
could control under such Roadway. The
building was filed with turpentine. oils
and chemicals which burned 1iercely and
water had little or no effect on them.
The roof was ablaze before the depart
meIt reached the ground.
When the firemen saw that they could
not save the building they turned their
attention 10 saving the Butts Bros lum-
Der yard. just north Of the burning build
ing. the Toler Auditorium. the great roof
of which was covered with burning en-
bers and the residences and buildings
near by. Great chunks of burning wood
fioated away from the fire in the strong
breeze and were carried considerable
distance. often siighting on other build
ings and setting the roofs aflre. Several
alarms were turned in from houses near
the fire but the quick work OF neighbors
and the wet roofs saved this city from
most disastrous conhagrati0n. The rain
of a few hours previous prevented the
sparks ana embers from catching on the
thoroughly soaked roofs OF nearby res
licences.
The building was owned. by George
Merideth, one OF the principle stock
holders Of the paint ard color company.
The loss on the building win amount II
fifteen thousand dollars and ten Thousand
dollars viii not cover the stock which
the company carried. The building and
stock were insured for nearly their fur
value 1t could not be learned just the
amount of the loss or OF the Insurance
on the building and stock but the figures
given are conservative.
This was the biggest fire in Wichita
since the DoId Packing house burned
over two years ago. The four companies
of the department were out and did all
that humans and water could do to save
the building and adjoining property. The
explosion of the chemicals and the fall
ing walls made fighting the FIRE at close
range very hazardous. The water pres
sure was fair and as many streams as
could be worked were turned into the fire
or or adjoining property. The walls Of
the building except the rear one fell in
early during the fire shaking the ground
for hundred feet around. The walls fen
to the second floor