Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-01-21
FAMOUS TOPEKA HOTEL COM
PLETELY DESTROYED
BY FIRE.
ONE KILLED AND "A INJURED
Body Of ExDlstrIet Attorney Lambert
Found In RulnS--None Of
Injured In Dangerous
Condition.

hotel Thursday night, the rallying
point Of the Republican party Of Kan
sas, for years, is mere hulk Of Q
building.
The body Of /. q. Lambert, United
States district attorney for Kansas,
was found in the ruins Thursday night
with the head and arms and legs
burned of. The body was found In
the northeast corner Of the building.
Lambert's room was on the fourth
floor directly above. Fourteen Of THE
guests we're more or less seriously
hurt.
The dead:
Isaac q. Lambert, Emporia-
The injured:
A. w. Smith, Mcpherson, broken
ankle, broken arm and cuts.
MRS. W. Y. Morgan, Hutchinson,
broken ankle.
Tom A. Hubbard, Rome. cuts on the
arm.
w. A. Rowland, Mcpherson, three
ribs broken, arms cut.
Robert @. M. Murray, Kansas City.
Kan, ankle fractured
8. 9. Westcott. Galena, foot
sptained. Y n
Chief @. o. Wilmarth, head cut.
Colonel T. B Murdoch, right leg In,
jured, knee twisted, ankle sprained.
]. W. Davis, Greensburg, overcome
by5 smoke.
Mrs. B. L. Thompson, Harrington,
back hurt.
Paul Rich, Coolidge, back. side and
wrist sprained.
W. A. Elstin, Moline, sprains and
bruises.
H. @. Bowman, Newton, ankle and
back spralned.
g. H. Lamb, Yates Center, back in.
jured.
The fire was discovered by r. A. |
Schoenleber, veterinarian Of the Kan.
sas State Agricultural college, who
notified the Office by telephone.
The fire department had been
called at 3:40 o'clock. Two full COM
panies had only two blocks to go, but
when they arrived the flames were
pouring out Of every window on the
south and east sides Of the third and
fourth floors OF the hotel. The FIRE
spread like q prairie blaze before q
strong wind. In ten minutes after
the first flames were discovered the
two upper floors were mass Of fire,
In i've minutes more the third floor
had fallen In, sending the flames into
the first floor and a few minutes later
into the basement. i
The fire apparently started on the
south SIDE Of the second floor, probably
In the hall along the east wing Of thel
building. The flames first broke
through in the hall leading to tie
alley fire escape at the east end Of the
building The fire evidently had been
burning for some time. The building
did not have a piece Of steel in It.
except the elvator machinery, engines
and kitchen outfit. 1t was a four.story
brick building, trimmed with stone
but the floors and partitions were all
wood, and there was not even FIRE /
wall through the building. The timber
was old and burned like finder, and !
all the water that could be pumped
through the Topeka water system
could not have checked the flames. Il
Men and women in their night (
clothing and In bare feet ran through
the snow-covered streets to the Y. NIL,
G, A, building, diagonally across the I
street from the hotel: and two mem /
and three women ran barefoot through {
four inches Of snow and Ice down.
Kansas avenue two blocks to the Mali
tionaI hotel. Il
That SO many Of the guests escaped (
Is regarded as remarkable. III
Ex-Gov Click, OF Atchison had 81 1
room on the third floor OF the hotel
Some Of his friends rushed to hisIt
room and carried him down ladder |
to the Y. NJ. G. A. building. These
friends lost all Of their clothing ane
valuables in aiding the ex-governor
as they were unable to return to theIi| !
rooms Gov. Click is 50 years old. II
There were many other narrow es I
capes and many acts Of heroism OF i
the part Of guests and firemen. Ii
The hotel is complete loss, esti
mated at $4,000. Insurance wal
carried to the amount Of $4,000. AL,
cursoTy view Of the building reveait
little Of the excitement that reignet
there during the early hours Of Thurs
day morning The porticos are intacl !
and the fIpnt Of the building was no ,
burned out. But inside is complete !
ruin. all four Of the floors havinl
cared In. An attempt was mads
Thursday night to wreck the WALL
with q stream Of water but It proYet
frlliGess II
None Of the injured are considers
a q dangerous condition. A. W
Smith Of Mcpherson, Who was tn
most seriously injured, is Thursda,
night considered out Of immedat,
danger. d. Keith, coruner, slyu AL
rooovefy Il probable, unless he re
ceired some Injuries not now khoun
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