The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-13
LICKED UP BY FLAMES.

En HaHE - ~
aged to keep enough water on the
| building to prevent its taking fire. All
| the windows in the north side OF the
| building We're broken by heat.
| . Other firemen were detailed to work
at the ice plant, which is Just across
the alley from the Sells building. The
/ ice plant was already taking fire, and
for some time it seemed that 1t was
| certainly doomed. It was not until al
ter daylight this morning that the Ice
plant was out of danger.
| WORKED BY FTRELIGHT.
Soon after the fire started, it was nee
essary for the electric light companies
to cut out their Kansas avenue CIR
cults, because the fallen WIRES Were
dangerous. After that the hremen
worked by the blaze of the burning
buildings.
Soon after the fire started, big
stock of cartridges which was on the
top story of the Parkhurst-Davis build
ing, commenced to explode. Pieces OF
the shells We're blown out into the
street where a large crowd OF people
had collected.
After the fire had burned its way
through the Parkhurst-Davis building,
the flames rolled out through the roof
and poured down onto the roof OF the
Sells building which is one story lower
! than the ParkhurSt-DaVis building IN
| few minutes, tne oetlS Du1IolhS "eN'
also wrapped in flames. While the
| Parkhurst-Davis building burned from
the bottom to the top, the Sells bulld-
ing caught fire in the roof, and burned
down into the building.
A large quantity of oil was stored on
the first floor of the building This
blew up when the fire reached It, ana
the plate glass in the front WlndoWs
was thrown clear across Kansas avenue.
The heat from the fire was terrlhc-
| ffro71 P9TTlRd a bO foot GX-
tension ladder from Kansas avenue TO
the ice plant, they ran close TO the
Rock Island depot, but the heat was SO
intense that the paint on the laodef was
blistered on the side next to the fire.
This was about 200 feet from the fire.
1t twas thought for time that the
Parkhurst-D Davis building caught in the
third story, where the chemical depart
ment is located. Mr.. w. H Davis says
he does not think it likely that the fire
originated there. He thinks the trouble
must have started in the packing room.
At 3:18 Chief Wilmarth sent for the
fire steamer from headquarters, Wnen men
this piece of apparatus arrived, 1t was
connected with the fire cistern at Sec
Ond and Kansas avenue, and very gooo
pressure was obtained. ThlS steamer
was not brought into. service until ABOUT
3:30. and some people criticised ChleI
Wilnarth for not sending for 1t before-
The Santa Fe fire department sent
reel containing extra hose to the nre,
but it was not needed some Oh tue
Santa Fe fremen went on duty at the
fire this morning to relieve the regular
men who had not found time for break
fast.
GREAT INDIGNATION AGAINST
WATER COMPANY.
Everybody is highly incensed at the
miserable work done by the Topeka
Water company, and it would not be
slirprising If the city council should re-
fuse to conclude the deal for the pur-
chase of the Topeka waterworks
| So intense was the feeling in the
crowd which gathered around the fire
this morning that threats were made OF
personal violence against the water
company officials and employees
/ superintendent ShaWs explanation OF
the horrible condition of the water pres
sure is as follows:
I'VE had the head out of one Of our
! boilers cIeaning~it when the fire broke
out. We tried to fire up the other boiler,
but met with an accident, and could not
get up a head of steam
This explanation does not satisfy some
of the members of the city council. They
say that they will make a fight on any
| further negotiations with the water
company They will oppose the pur-
chase of the plant, and they will un-
| doubtedly make stronger case than
they have ever been able to make be-
fore.
Vincent Kaczynski. of the Topeka
Ice company, says: 1.-The city ought to
stop this waterworkS deal right now.
1t is not too late to get out of it. The
pressure which that company is giving
US is a disgrace"
E. A. Clancy, city plumbing in
spector, says: What can Topeka ex-
peet in the way of fire pressure when
the water company is trying to supply
this whole town with an 1S-inch main?
| When they have nine streams of water
on FIRE, how can anybodS expect to
have good pressure from an 1S-inch
| main?-
People who saw the fire say that
Chief Wilmarth and the firemen did
good work. but were almost powerless
| with the kind of water pressure the
| company furnished Councilman Weber
does not take this view of it. He CEN
sures the water company, but says that
Chief Wilmarth is incapable of manag-
ing big fire. Mr.. Weber said today:
| ''Wilmarth was running around down
there like crazy man. He kept
throwing water on the Rock Island
depot until I told him to do something
to save the ice plant. About half an
/ hour after the fire started I asked him
why he didn't send for the fire steamer
He said he had already sent for it. l
waited around for half an hour, and
the steamer did not come. Then I
/ asked him why the steamer had not
come, and he seemed to get hot about
| it, and we had a little dispute. Will
marth is all right so far as discipline
in his department is concerned, but
! WileH II CouteS GOWN TO fsSht1ng fires
/ Well, 1 won't say what I think about
! it,
PECULIAR COINCIDENT.
/ 1t is a remarkable coincident that
1 the two largest wholesale grocery es-
/ adjustments in Kansas should burn
| down within few weeks of each
| other. The Lee Mercantile company at
Salina burned about two months ago,
and now Parkhurst-Davis has gone up
| in smoke.
THE destruction of the Lee Mercan-
tile company and our own heavy loss
viii take at least So, 500, 600 worth of
business right out of this territory"
said w. H. Davis this morning. stIt is
] q great loss to the state. It means that