The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-27
SAVED BY THE OATS.
What Prevented a Tragedy at
Parkhurst- Davis Fire.

a few thousands cases of rolled oats
were what perhaps averted a serious
tragedy at the Parkhurst-Davis fire.
Had 1t not been for these rolled oats, it
is possible that the thirteen tons of
cartridges would have exploded stimuli
taneously and caused much loss of life
and possible destruction Of surrounding
buildings.
Fire Chief wilmarth has Just COM
pleted an official report to Chief
Musham of Chicago on the experience of
the department with the ammunition
stored on the third floor. southeast cor
ner of the Parkhurst-Davis building. In
this report Chief Wilmarth sets forth
new and original theory
He says that the 375 cases of ammuni-
ton were stacked up in the extreme
southeast corner, while massed in great
tiers at the north and west sides Of the
ammunition cases were, hundreds upon
hundreds of cases of rolled oats. The
windows at the south and east sides of
the ammunition quickly broke out from
heat, causing a strong inward draft
over the ammunition, while at the same
time the rolled oats prevented the fire
from reaching the ammunition for a
long time. Before the fire had burned
through the rolled oats. the floors above
fell in on top of the ammunition, and
in this way the cartridges exploded
gradually, and were almost completely
smothered by the debris which sur
rounded them. This was why the ex-
PAO04446 Id lA1QEcS Q1Q uOt CAUSE IuOIG
havoc in the crowd outside the building.
1t is not certain whether great guam
titles of fixed ammunition stored in
buildings would explode simultaneously
or not in case of fire. This is one of
the points which Chief Mushan is try
| ing to determine for the protection of
| his f1remen. The wholesalers and am
munition men believe that a simultane-
Gus explosion would not occur, AS would
| be the case with gunpowder. Chief
| MT1ShoT71 g Oh
he finds that the explosion of fixed am
| munition is a source of danger, he will
undoubtedly prohibit the wholesale
houses from storing such immense
quantities of this commodity in their
buildings.
Chief Wilmarth thinks that a stimuli
taneous explosion would not be likely
to occur. He says:
1.-The explosion of cartridges from ex-
cessive heat is not like the explosion
in the barrel of a gun. There the shot
or bullets are all directed at a particu-
lar spot; when cartridges explode while
lying in cases. it would be more like a
puff of unconfined gunpowder; the shot
or bullets would not go in any particu-
lar direction, and would not attain
great velocity. expect to receive re-
port from Chief Musham which will tell
of some of the findings of the Chicago
| department.
Chief Wilmarth's report TO Chief Mu-
sham is in part as follows:
81. The exploding shells had no effect
upon our men, but 1 will explain that
the fire was so far advanced when the
first companies arrived that we could
not place men within the building. No
person was injured by the explosion.
| No effect was noticeable from gases
arising from the burning ammunition.
| So There was no apparent velocity
given to the shells or bullets, excepting
| that empty shells were thrown out to
some extent into the street after they
had exploded. The explosion was not
simultaneous, but in the form of dis
| tant musketry firing; in other words.
| a smothered defamation. The cause of
this, was in my judgment, that the
upper floors and the stock with which
| they were loaded, went down upon the
cases of ammunition when they were
carried down to the second floor. The
weight of this ammunition alone was
between 13 and Ii tons. The floors went
down very soon after our arrival.
49, The fire was so intense upon all
the floors that it was impossible to say
Just how much of the surface of the
they were carried down, but the large
quantity of rolled oats, in cases, that
were stacked against the inner side and
rear end of the ammunition undoubted-
| " kept the flames back; and the other
side and end of the ammunition cases,
being near windows, the glass In which
went out quickly from the heat, the
draft was outward and in a measure
carried the flames above and away
from the exposed side and end CHAT
were not protected by the rolled oats)
while the ammunition remained upon
the third floor