The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-17
SWEPT IT CLEAN.
Topeka Box Factory Totally De-
stroyed by Fire.
Loss Is About $4,000; Insur-
ance 81, 500.
VIADUCT ON FIRE.
City's Loss Small, and Covered
by Insurance.
Supposed to Have Been Caused
by Electric Wires.
Company Is in the Hands of
w. f. Sterne as Receiver.

The Topeka Barrel and Box Manu-
featuring company plant located on
East Sixth avenue between the Mis-
souri, Pacific and Santa Fe railway
tracks and occupying about one-half
of a block with its buildings and
yards, was burned to the ground at
10 o'clock this morning. The insur-
ance carried on the plant amounted
to $500 and the plant itself was va
riously estimated to represent an in
vestment of from $25,000 to $4,000.
The insurance company representa-
tiveS make an estimate of the former
figure while E. e. Feurt, manager of
the plant, gave the latter. Originally
the cost of the establishment was
$2S.000 and w. E. Sterne. receiver,
estimates the loss at 100000. 1t is
probable that the last named figure
is the correct one as it follows an in
ventory just completed. The fire is
supposed to have originated in the
electric wiring, or in the meter box.
The buildings were all of frame
construction, some of them exceed
ingly light, while the yards and stor-
age sheds were filled with material
ready to be put into boxes and bar
rels. The whole represented a highly
iniammable field and simply invited a
fire.
VIM. Twilley, an employe, was the
first to notice the origin of the fire.
He said: 81 went in the east part of
the permanent building in which the
office is located and saw flames shoot
ing up about six feet right around the
electric meter which furnishes the
current for our 40 hours power mot
or. Just about the same time one OF
the men out in the yards yelled out
there was a fire. He had seen the
smoke rising out from the top of the
building. We got a couple of buck
cts of water and tried TO put 1t out
but it was no use. We then ran to the
fire alarm boxes and turned in the
alarm"
Blames Department for Delay.
E. e. Feurt, manager of the plant,
blames the fire department for a de-
lay of several minutes. He said, I'VE
had an alarm turned in from two
boxes and then not getting a response
/ telephoned in. 1t was then several
minutes before the wagons began to
show up"
However, the board shows at the
headquarters of the department that
the alarm was received in at 9:49 and
least were out and on the way inside
of three minutes, so that the claim of
delay is doubtless one of error.
Flames One Hundred Feet High.
The flames spread so rapidly that at
the time the department received the
lney were SIOOlIilS Wtll uphdIQ
and within five minutes later they
were towering 100 feet in the air with
a heavy pail of smoke that enveloped
all the surrounding buildings and the
East Sixth avenue viaduct which pass
es right above the grounds of the COM
pany. The flames shot so high sky
ward that they could be plainly seen
from the office buildings on Kansas
avenue. though the factory buildings
are located on a site which is consid-
arahlV lower than the streets
ward. Following the arrival of the
companies from No. 2 and No. fire
stations general alarm was turned
in bringing companies from No. l and
No. stations, and the steamer.
The lines of hose were laid quickly
and the fight began. At first the
streams of water which simply repre-
sented thin lines against the mass of
fire and smoke seemed entirely futile
to reduce the flames. The heat was
so intense that it was impossible for a
bystander to get within four hundred
feet of the buildings. But the firemen
against the heat and we'll on TO the
flames and within the incredible time
of fifteen minutes the fire was under
control and confined within the yards
of the factory.
Viaduct Caught on Fire.
The viaduct started to catch fire and
was burning in a thin line when a
stream of water was turned on and
this combined with the work done by
chemical company effectually
Quelched the flames. The brick
stables of the Wells-Fargo Express
company backed right up against the
north line Of the factory buildings and
though the slate roof formed good
protection, the fire finally caught
through stall windows and started TO
burn the wainscoating along the south
wall but a line of hose flooded the in
terror and the danger was past. A box
car standing on the siding, filled with
baled hay and belonging to the Wells
Fargo company. was standing backed
up at the rear of the stables. The in
tense heat started fire on the interior
and the one-half of the car was well
on fire on the inside when effort were
directed that way to extinguish the
flames. Bales of hay were unloaded
and water poured in and in u few min
utes this scare was over. The fire had
not communicated to any appreciable
extent to any OF the many buildings
though II looked surely for a while
that the buildings were doomed. En-
ployes OF the Wells-Fargo removed
harness and all other movable proner-
" 10 place or safety as did likewise
the railroad employees from the ex-
press sheds
Passenger cars were switched 70
side tracks at a safe distance and an
oil tank car was hastily moved away
just in time.
Viaduct Well Insured.
All OF the loss outside of the mann
1acturing plant is we'll covered by in
surance. the viaduct being insured for
So'Vov' tne premium having been paid
by the manufacturing COMPANY inst
TINS spring after insistence on the Oart
OF the city council while the Wells
Fargo company will be amply protect