The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-02-12

Mr.. TreIeaVen Explains.
Manager l. G. Treleaven of the To-
cal gas company. said after the fire
that the reason the request of Mr.. Da-
Wis was not granted, was that he asked
for all the gas in the city to be shut
off during the fire. This would have
been dangerous to the public safety.
Mr.. Treleaven asserted, coming as it
would without the slightest warning.
AS soon as the real nature of the trou-
BILE was known, Manager Treleaven
ordered Munson and Jones to shut off
the valve where the city main led into
the building.
The falling of the walls was attended
by great crashes. The east end of the
south wall was the first to fall. The
brick and debris buried Munson. A lit
tie later the south end of the walls on
the Kansas avenue side of the building
fell to the ground. About fifteen min
utes later the extreme west end of the
south walls fell. This was attended by
the greatest report and the ground
shook for several blocks around.
The falling of the walls and the in
tense heat was responsible for many of
the electric wires in the vicinity being
torn to the ground. All danger from
this source however was removed by
the Edison company and the city cleo
trio light plant who shut off all the
current from this end of town.
That the Sells building on the north
of the Parkhurst-DaviS building was
fire department. As soon as the danger
became threatening at this point. Chief
Wilmarth ordered the aerial truck up
to the roof and several of the firemen
carried a hose up the ladder to the
roof, which was directed on the flames
with telling effect. One of the big
''Siamese' streams attached to the
steamer reached far above this build
the air and allowed to fall on the blaze.
DESTROYED Five Years Ago.
It is a remarkable coincidence that
the same firm should suffer total de-
within one day of five years apart. The
fire on the early morn of February 13,
1904, was quite similar to the big con-
fagration of last night.
The former fire started at 1926 a. m,
the alarm being turned in by Patrol
man Frank Asher. then a member of
the police force. The fire was well
started, presumably by the explosion
of chemicals, and was well under head
way before the department was noti-
fed. The total loss was $4,000 At
that time, the Parkhurst-Davis stock
was totally destroyed, the Mccormick
Harvester company suffered material
ly. The William Schick branch house
was badly scorched, the Rock Island
passenger station received damages,
the Parkhurst-Davis building was a to-
tai ruin and the Topeka Ice company
lost heavily.
The main trouble in fighting the fire
at that time was found in the water
pressure which at one time during the
fire reached the low mark of five
pounds. With these conditions, Chief
Wilmarth and his men were unable to
cope with the fire.
The temperature on that night was
but a few degrees above zero. The wa
ter froze to the firemen, and falling
upon the ground the water froze, MAX
ing a slippery fighting ground for the
fire department.
Despite the cold weather, and the
early morning hour, several thousand
people were awakened and left their
homes to watch the big building and its
contents devoured by the fire.
John Munson Died in Line of Duty.
Thinking that he was doing a duty
to the fruitleSS work of the fighting
firemen, thinking that he was acting
in accordance with the order of his
company, and thinking of nothing but
his duty. John Munson, night watch |
naan in the employ of the Consumers
Light, Heat & Power company lost his
life last night at three minutes of
twelve, his body being mangled be- |
which at one time constituted the |
third and fourth floors of the south |
side of the burning building.
John MunSon and the foreman of |
the gas plant, H. P. Jones, approached |
the south side of the building a few
minutes before midnight to cut off the |
gas lead which was Waived just under |
the platform. A big flame twenty feet |
high and spouting like a volcano was
issuing from this point where the big |
main into the building had broken. If |