The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-01-09

The fire started in the large hardware
and implement warehouse of Rumage,
Malone & Cooper.
Shortly after the fire was we'll under
way and beyond all hope of being ex-
tinguished, an explosion of some 22.000
cartridge shells broke the monotony OF
the roaring and cracking flames, fol-
lowed a few moments later by the explo-
sion OF four kegs of gunpowder, blow
ing out the front Of the building.
The explosion of the powder knocked
down several pieces of heavy hardware,
which struck case containing 10
pounds of dynamite, causing an explo-
sion which seemed TO rend the earth,
hurting more or less destruction to al
most every part of the city, shattering
thousands of dollars worth of window
glass and mutilating the nearby build
ings.
The exploding dynamite was the coup
detat OF the fire king. People Were
knocked to their knees or swept aside
as If straws; pieces OF heavy iron were
thrown hundreds of feet into the air;
burning embers were hurled with ire
sistible force in every direction; the
heavens were ablaze with fiery missiles.
outrivaling the vivid productions of Last
Days of Pompeii or the Battle Of Ma
Mia, palins them into insignificance.
From distance the moment of the
explosion was both beautiful and awe
inspiring in the extreme. First came
a yellow-tinted, high reaching cloud. en-
circled by a color Of greenish blue of
nearly carnation hue-then came the eX-
.plosion.
And such a report, such sight, Up
into the air shot hundreds of pieces of
blazing sticks and timber. zig-zagging
here and there, resting for a moment
as If held by an unseen hand. and then
sent whizzng back TO earth.
Immediately after the explosion. the
building collapsed, falling inward, thus
possibly saving II. T. Bush e Co. 8
wholesale establishment, Brooks hotel
and other adjoining buildings.
The explosion was heard at Mangum,
twenty-six miles away; Mountain Park,
thrtyitwo miles; Cordell. eighteen miles
Harrison. thirteen miles, and many other
points 1t was thought to have been an
earthquake shock.
\ strange feature about the fire was
the stopping Of clocks when the explo-
sion took place. At Jeweler Neff's eish-
teen ont of thirty-seven clocks on the
shelves at that place stopped at 2:14,
2:l5 and 2:16. AT f. d. Taylor C Co s,
just four blocks away, seven small
clocks stopped at 2:15 and 2:21 respec-
lively. The Republican clock
stopped at 2:i$. and several others re-
port a similar occurrence.
The thieves were there. Rumage. Ma
lone & Cooper are reported TO have lost
barrels OF apples. and several other ar
ticles; a wagon loaded with twenty-five
brooms. seven sacks of potatoes and
other commission house ware from Mr.
Busch's were found opposite Swank' 5
grocery store. which had evidently been
stolen, but the thieves were frightened
away
Those IN the vicinity of the fire report
that every person within a block Of the
fire was knocked to his knees at the
second exploslon-some who had not
kneeled before in years
The following telegram was sent 10
the secretary of the interior by Mayor
A. c. Holland:
Hon. Secretary Of the Interior: Had
s25.co0 fire Sunday morning. We are abb
solutely without fire protection. City
council has ordered bond election to com
plete waterworks according to original
plans Kindly advise us as TO your ap-
prevail"