The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-19
Attention Is Called to the Stu
alton in Mexico.
Insurance Rates There Certain
" Require REIMBURSEMENT.
HOW THEY FIGHT FIRE
Mexican Newspaper Gives an
Interesting Account.
Things for the Trust officers
to Think About.

Attention of the Eldridge Fire Insur-
ance Rating bureau, which has hiked
up Topeka insurance rates 20 per cent
for the very trustworthy reason that
it can, is invited to the following re-
port of how the fire fighters of the City
of Mexico combat a conhagration- 1t
is taken from the Mexican Herald of
May ID, and relates to the burning of
casa Honda, which occupies the CEN
ter of the block formed by Rebeldes,
San Juan de Letran saw column of
encia and Callejon de Lopez Streets
and seems to have been a sort of COM
bination furniture store, wareroom and
apartment house
Says the Mexican Herald: ''It was
ten minutes after o'clock when the
gendarme at the corner of Rebeldes and
San Jaun de Letran saw a column of
thick smoke rising from the center of
the block, and sent word to the sixth
police station, on Callejon de Lopez
whence an officer was sent to investi-
gate the cause. When the officer arriv-
ed the multitude had already invaded
the house known as Casa Honda and
his presence served to avoid a very
serious accident. The zaguan of the
house being extremely narrow, the cur
1ouS people first were being pushed in
to the patio, which already was ablaze,
by those who came behind, and none
of them knew how to get out of the
trap. The officer promptly forced ev-
erybody out of the house. and sent
word that big fire was in progress.
Telephone messages were then sent to
the police headquarters and thence to
the hre brigade. The latter appeared
some 20 minutes or more after the
alarm was given
Oh, that Topeka had fire protection
such rs they have in the City of Mex
icOi This business of sending in a fire
NV va d. oh
system is too slow. No wonder the
Eldridge Rating bureau kicks. What
Topeka needs is up-tO-date methods,
ana 1t can not expect to get a. Eeduc-
ton in insurance rates until it appoints
a few gendarmes and things to look af-
ter the fire alarm end of the service.
From the above extract republished
from the Mexican Herald it will be OBJ
served that the gendarme was standing
at a street corner. I ina CINE his noble
posture OF reDOse as he leans heavily
against lamp post Suddenly the
brave minion of the law sees some
thing.
It is
AIasl alasl Santa Maria! Sic semper
tyannis! A column of thick smoke is
rising from the middle of the blocEl
What does it mean? Smoke means fire.
There must be a fire Certainly Thus
argues the naughty Mexican saercen-
ary- What is to be done? The brave
gendarlne rises to the occasion. Some
body mus be notified. So he calls an
A. D. t. boy and sends word to Ahe
police station.
I nave seen," runs the message. IN
most grammatical Mexicano, smoke. 1
have the honor to recommend that the
same be Investigated. 1 beg to remain
sir, your very Obedient servanH''
OF course the A. D. T. boy made a mis-
take and took the message to the Seventh
police station instead of the Sixth, but af-
ter some unavoidable DELAYS of this M
ture the communication was dllv deiiv-
III zff 7ar-af hi
among the police officers and after a con
sultation it was deemed advisable to as
certain the cause of the smoke An Of
fcer was detailed on the case
Ha-methinks the plot thckens!' hiss
rived on the scene and saw a large crowd
assembled What means this surging,
seemly behavior on the event of Saint
Gonzales PotzouarO de Tlaxaquerataro's
gay ms must not be permitted for
With these words the fearless officer
hurled himself into the midst of the
Back! Back" he shouted. Back up.
say. 1t is I, me, otherwise myself
What in thunder are you doing here al
past O'Clock p. m, when you ought to be
The surging crowd quit surging and
cringed before the brave officer. It fell
back and had to be carried from the
building or stretcher. The officer was
about to return to the police station
when little newsboy told him that the
building was one fire. The officer instant
~ placed the boy under arrest for violat-
ing the GulIeW ordnance. Dragging his
prisoner with him. he dropped in at a sa-
loon to get cigar and free lunch and
while there telephoned to police head
quarters.
1T is all true" he said into the trans
mitter Il have myself investigated. A
great crowd was surging about the build
ing and [ compelled it to stop. Please
send the patrol wagon and twelve officers
10 Fat Sherman's place at once ! have
dangerous criminal here under arrest.
The charge is violating the curfew Ordi-
nance interfering with officer and con-
tempt of court might also add that the
pudding where the surging occurred ana
.Where arrested this dangerous captive,
On receipt of the officers telephone
message meeting Of the board of police
commissioners was called to decide
whether it would be to the best interests
of the service to notify the fire depart
Inent or wheher it would be better to al
low the fre to continue On the thirteen n
ballot it was decided to notify the FIRE de-
partment. Twenty minutes later the fire
brigade appeared at Casa Honda and
commenced to squirt.
Here we take up the Mexican Herald
story again 1t says: The fremen had
a nat +l two hours fight with the fire be-
fore they arrived there was no POSSIBLE
As the fire was under full hea d1vay he
fore they arrievd, there was no POSSIBLE
~ OF SaEslhS Casa Honda, and they con-
fined their efforts to saving surrounding
property. The total loss could NOT he es-
tlmated last night, but conserva tive estf-
mates place It a about $4,000 worth of
property, exclusive of the value of tba
building destroyed and the damage 10
other buildings"
Say about $4,000 altogether. No Won
der the Mexican Herald says the building
was Quilted
The boy who was arrested for violating
the curfeW ordinance has been sentenced
to the penitentiary for a hundred years
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.
GFrom the New York Press.I
The summer girl gets a little younger