The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06
BANK BURNS.
Other Kansas City Firms Sustain
Heavy Losses by Fire.

Kansas City, Jan. 6.-The three-story
brick building, 918-92O-922 Walnut street,
including an addition to the Bank of
Commerce, was entirely destroyed by
fire early last night. So swiftly did
the flames gain headway that it was
an absolute impossibility to save any
OF the contents, and the losSs except
in the bank portion, is total
The building was occupied as follows:
No. 918, Hettinger Bros. Manufacturing
company, dental supplies; No 920, Kim
ball Piano company; No. 922, Columbus
Buggy company. The two upper floors
of the bank addition were occupied by
physicians and other professional men,
none OF whom saved any of his effects.
The building was owned by the Bank
of Commerce and was insured. It was
an old structure, recently remodeled
with a thin case of brick over a frame
work and there were no fire walls sepa-
rating the different stores.
Cashier w. A. Rule of the National
Bank of Commerce, entered the bank
building adjoining the burning structure
at 10:30 and succeeded in saving his
desk, containing many valuable papers,
which was carried across the street to
the Kansas City, Missouri, Gas COM
pany's office At that time the ele-
vator shaft in the bank building was
ablaze and later it spread to the base
ment and the upper stories. The safes
containing the books, money and yalu-
ables are on the Tenth street side and
were not in danger.
John H. Taft, general manager of the
Columbus Buggy company, said the
company carried stock valued at $780,
600 with Insurance between $4,000 and
$4,000. The safe in the building con-
tained $4,000 in cash. 1t is understood
the bank carried $50, 600 insurance on its
fixtures. The banks loss is not severe.
Damage Half a Million.
A revised estimate of the losses places
the total damage at slightly over half a
million dollars and the insurance at
tWo-thirdS that amount. The property
damaged and destroyed occupied two
third of the block on the south side of
Walnut street, between Ninth and
Tenth streets. The fire was placed un-
der control at 2:30 this morning. The
losses ara distributed as followss
National Bank of Commerce, once
building and bank fixtures, Tenth and
Walnut street, loss 100000; fully in
sursd.
Woods building, 918-920-922 Walnut
street, owned by DR.. w. S. WoOass pres
ident of the National Bank of Com
merce, loss $15O,000; insurance 100000
Columbus Buggy company, stock;
loss, $100, GOO; insurance, $4,000
W. w. Kimbau Piano company, stock;
| loss, $35, 600: insurance, $50. 900.
Hettinger Brothers, manufacturing
company, surgical instruments and ply
sicians' supplies, stock; loss, $4,000; in
surance, $50 900.
hIQBe O1llC6 DQLQ4ASs AOSS PAJsouV-
Occupants of office in Bank of Com
merce building and adjoining property,
S25 OO0
The damage to the Bank of Commerce
building. a six-story structure, was only
partial and was caused principally by
water.
The rooms Of the National Bank of
Commerce were partially damaged and
rendered temporarily uninha bitable.
The vaults, containing 200 and
the banks records were not damaged.
The bank which is the largest financial
institution in the city, opened for busi-
ness today in temporary quarters.