The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-24
= Guests at Central Cafe SmOth-
cred by Smoke.
Rooms Of Three Had No Outside
Connection.
DEATH OF BROTHERS
Ben Sippey, X. U. Student, Here
on a Visit.
Had Gone With TOpeka Relative
to Fatal Hotel.
CLAY CENTER MAN DIES
Was in Topeka Attending Chris
tian EndeavOr Convention.
j. w. Erickson, Prominent Vis-
itOr, Among Victims.
j. w. Erickson, Prominent Wis.,
itOr, Among Victims.
FIRE SPREAD RAPIDLY
Guests Were Awakened But
Waited Too Long.
Fire Department Does Heroic
&c
1' Work After Delay.
The Dead.

lnG Dedu
JOHN w. ERICKSON, Clay Center.
BENJAMIN SIPPEY, X. U. student,
Belle Blaine, Kansas.
WALTER SIPPEY. chemist, en-
ployed at Santa Fe shops.
L. E. STRATTON. dishwasher in
hotel; home, Polk county, Mo
The Injured.
c. w. Brown. travelling salesman,
Kansas City, injured jumping from
window.
Miss Vina Rost, Topeka. both hands
burned, overcome by smoke.
George Goodrich. lieutenant fire
company, hands burned.
F. L. Campbell. hotel proprietor
overcome by smoke.
One of the most disastrous fires
which Topeka has ever experienced. in
point of the loss of human life, broke
out at O'Clock this morning in the
Central cafe hotel at 526-52S Kansas
avenue, and resulted in the death of
three guests and one employe of the
hotel. in addition to the injuries re-
ceived by four others. The fire was
caused by the ignition of natural gas
probably being started from defective
wiring.
Those who lost their lives in the fire
" ere JpIll W. iChSOn VI Nldy N6I-
ter, Kansas; Walter Sippey, a chemist
employed in the Santa Fe shops;
Benjamin Sippey of Belle Plaine. KAN
sas a student at Kansas university.
and L. E. Stratton, a dishwasher en-
ployed in the hotel
The injured are: F. L. Campbell.
proprietor of the hotel. who suffered
from partial suffocation; Miss Vina
Rost, both hands burned and hair
singed: Lieutenant George Goodrich
of the Topeka fire department, hands
both badly burned; and c. w. Brown,
Kansas City, Mo, travelling salesman,
ankle severely sprained by jumping
from window.
How the Fire Started.
The fire started in the east end of
the dining room. The dining room
consists practically of two floors the
regular floor being a little lower than
the street level. and consisting of a
restaurant lunch counter in addition
to the dining room service. while a
balcony was built around three sides
of the room. which was also used as a
dining room. The fire was first de-
tected in the balcony on the east end
of the room. below which is located
>. the kitchen. The switchboard which
controls the electric lights for the en-
tire hotel is in this part of the build
ing. and this gives rise to the theory
that the fire was started by defective
wiring. The flames spread to the
kitchen just below where the gas nine
was either leaking or had been broken
by the heat, and in an instant the
whole building was in flames. The
flames were famed by the breeze
which was blowing through the dining
room. The flames also spread upward
and We're soon being whipped through
the Railways upstairs The alarm
was spread and every one had a
chance to escape although those
whose lives were lost were early cnt
off by the intense heat of the flames
which were breaking through the hall
way.
Three Rooms Were F'iretraps.
Three of the rooms which claimed
victims were known as BLIND rooms
These three were located on the south
side of the building next to the W. w
Webb building on the south of the
hotel structure. In front of the rooms
was narrow stairway, not over foul
feet in width. which was the onl,
opening in these rooms. There were
no windows nor even "A skyIight il
these three rooms. The chance fo1
escape was small from the start. anC
was totally gone by the time the rap
id spreading flames had reached the
second floor. The construction O.
these three rooms was fire tran I,
say the least, and after investigator.
the arrangement of this portion o.
Athe hotel. there is little wonder tha-
three lives were lost. Some of tn,
city and county officials who investi
gated the arrangement of the hote
after the fire stated that it could b,
only criminal negligence that allowed
the hotel to use these three rooms il
connection with the hotel At an,
demned.
Other Rooms Comparatively Safe.
The remainder of the rooms wer.
comparatively safe from fire Thor.
~-ara exitS in all Of the rooms and -.