Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-03-11
TWO FIRES.
Geo. Ridgeway Loses House
and COnteuts.
BUSINESS PART OF TOWN
THREATENED.
Mrs. GiIbert's House and Con.
tents Consumed.
\
Judge Higgins House Destroyed

Wednesday, Glitsle before noon. the
hte.btlI sounded the alarm, and soon
everybody was in the street, 10 liking for
the fire It was soon discovered on
Fourth avenue, east, and the crowd lost
no time 10 gettinsfto the fire. 1t Was
George Ridseway's hohe.
The wind was slowing q gale from
the south. and there Was no chance to
save the house, Tie FIRE company teach
ed the scene. but all they could do was
to keep the FIRE from spreading
Nobody was A. home except Mr.
Ridgeway. He had been planting pota
toes in the garden. and had gone to the
house to ok the fire to cook his dinner.
He thinks the FIRE was caused by de-
fective fue. g.
;, Nothing was saved-all of the contents
Of the house were destroyed. We under
stand that there was $500 insurance on
the house and furniture. We are glad
to learn this. as otherwise the loss
would fall heavily upon Mr.. Ridgeway.
During the fire, it took hard work to
save Foster Murdock's barn from burn
ing. The horses rud wagon were taken
ont. Sparks were driven into the barn
but men were there to put out the FIRE.
il it should start: Considering the fur
ious wind that was blowlngrit was al
most a miracle that the fire did not
spread.
Wednss day night. during a furious
wind storm, about 1890 o'clock, the
are.bcll, tor the second time on Wednes.
day, rang out an'alarm. ltwas found
to be- one Of Mrs! 'Gilbert's houses, on
Sixth avenue. west of Crum's lumber
yard. Mrs, Gilbert conducts a boarding
house, and has two houses, side by side,
the west one being used solely as a
roomins house. This wac theoue which
1as burnings and the. space between
them not being, to exceed ten feet. it was
thouAht as matter OF course that the
other one world 90, ALSO, and, it being
built within q Few feet ofCrun,s lumber
sheds. it was EXPECTED to. see the entire
corner laid in ruias dy the flames. How
ever, by the timely efforts of tbs fremen.
the other house'was kept from catching
The house wsied bv Judge Higgins. and
occupied BY Wilson Carrier and wife.
Just west bf:the Gilbert houses. was also
ainost totaliy.destroyed. The contents
Ut the Gilbert house were I'll lost, but
Wilson Curriers' household effects were
practically all saved. nothing being
burnt except the contents of one up.
stairs BEDROOM Everything was re
moved from, the other Gilbert house in
a more or less broken condition.
With the wind blowing as it did. in
almost gale, from the south, it is little
short OF miraculous that the largest por-
ton of the business section of town was
not DESTROYED, and the firemen alone
are to be commended for preventing this
BY their hard work.
It is not known how the fire origin
ated, is there the slightest clue to
point to It's cause Mrs. Gilbert's house
AID contents were we'll insured, and the
HiSfias loss was covered by insurance,
but Wilson Curriers' goods were not in
sured, so that he SUSTAINED loss OF
some 500. :
N. Paxton and wife and Geo. Put.
uan and wife presented the members OF
the Are company with . BASKET of apples
aud q basket of Oranges to show their
apprsciation of'the good work done BY
the Ore laddieS. 49,