The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-23
BY A FIRE BUG.
Chief Wilmarth Says Sundays
Blaze Was IncendaTy.
Believes That Coal Oil aud Paper
We're gseds
An DOOR.
Fireman SmsIlsd Oil in Two
Different Locations.
". Jensen En Whose Place It.
Started Disputes 1t.


An meendiary is now believed TO be-
responsible for the Sunday morning
fire at 629 Kansas avenue, adjacent TO
the National hotel
Coal oil and paper seem to be the
Instruments together with lighted
match for starting the blaze which
threatened to involve the Curry and
the National hotel buildings buE which
through the we'll directed efforts of
the FIRE department were confined to
the rear OF the two story building at
629 Kansas avenue.
indications seem to point very
strongly to a case OF incendiarism,
safd Chief EFilnnarth this afternoon Il
have made three trips Of investigation
and am going to make one more be-
fore I finally make up mind Every
thing seems to show that it was a
studied fire. however, and 1 can not
see where electric wiring could have
played part in the proceedings.
THE fire originated in the southwest
corner OF the building. in a little pri-
waite hallway which leads into the rear
smaller rooms. At that place there
are no evidences of electric wiring
whatever, as far as I can discover
II am not accusing anyone Whatever
OF casting suspicion upon any person,
but I do say that the fire shows every
evidence Of having been a set IRE.
when the boys broke into the big
room of the Jeuss0n Photograph SalIefy
they smelled the Odor OF coal oil plain
w and then over in the one corner OF
which I speak there was coflsidefd3ie
rubbish and the odor of coal oil seemed
30 again prevail.
we come to Judge through long
experience the indications of set IRE
and it Is i'm accordance with that eX-
uerience tht I arrived at this cOnclu-
sion. The fire had a good headWay-
Then minutes more and the IRE would
have been / nthe buildings on either
side OF it. The windows ON either SIDE
Of the two adjacent buildings opened
right upon the tow story Elliott bulid-
ing and 1t would have been only mat
ter Of a few minutes before the nre
would have been in the National hotel.
Then it would have been trlghttuI
I'VE did not use any more water
than we positively had to, it took
great deal of water to drown out the
fire, for it was raging upwards like
volcano having the dFaught Of the
skylights of the building to aid it. The
water which creDt into the Felix store
must have leaked in through The walls
for we did not throw one drop or water
on the Walker building 1T is not Inn
probable that the water leaked through
where the jOists penetrate the side
walls. I am gratihed at the way the
department worked.
II can't see where Chief Wilmarth
gets his theory of q set fire said v
Jensson. owner of the photograph gal
Iery fla which the fire originated. There
was not a bit o. coal oil in the rooms
and the only coal oil we have had about
here in this little can here on the rear
porch I didn't know anything Of the
fire until it was telephoned me at about
10 O'clock Sunday morning.
had bnpu ont al the cifV and did
not return until about 9 o'clock Sun
day morning. I have no idea where the
fire started or what could nave caused
it. The chemicals which e. nave here
would not have set anything on fire and
they could not have exploded. AS re-
cards that rubbish I don't believe
there was any rubbish here except some
scraps from mOuntings My loss is not
covered by insurance. The negatives
alone are worth the insurance of 81. $50 -
The total loss IS estimated by Chief
Wilmarth at $1,000
Tt is divided thus: $1,000 on the
building, fully covered by insurance;
$3.50 on the photograph gallery. and
the remainder divided between the C.
NJ Chase shoe store on the first floor
and possibly DR.. Beams Office on the
second floor.
G. NJ. Chase is not through making
an estimate of his loss. but does not
place it i'm excess of a few hundred
dollars; the stock was not injured by
IRE. but shoe boxes We're destroyed
by water
The Felix Clothing company, who
occupy the Walker building next
door. say that they have sustained
considerable damage by reason of wa
ter leaking through the walls. The
insurance adjusters will be here to-
morrow to estimate. It is fully COW
cred by insurance.
The National hotel sustained nc