The Topeka state journal., 1909-01-15


pillows had before filled with clothes
and with one under each arm, jumped
/ from the window onto the mattress be-
! low. The tin roof gave away under
] the crash, but the mattress saved me
| from receiving any severe cuts and
from there I jumped to low shed on
! the alley Reaching the ground, 1
1 looked up towards the windows and as
| yet no smoke or fire could be seen is
suing from them. The fire department
| had not yet arrived 1 went to the
| brick house on the alley across from
| the hotel and dressed with what few
clothes l had taken with me in the
| pillows"
Wilmarth Says Escapes Were Adequate
G. o. Wilmarth, head of the Topeka
fire department, thinks the number of
fire escapes was adequate. Chief Will
marth made the following statement:
Il think that the building was well
supplied with escapes. This is demon
strated by the fact that only one life
was lost, many of the hundred or more
persons saved being rescued by way
of the fire escapes. About half the eS-
capes were rendered useless by the fact
that the fire started in such manner
as to cut off the fire escapes in the rear
of the building from the main portion
of the hotel The two diagonal plat
form escapes on the front of the struc
ture, however, did good service. scores
of people leaving the house by this
to see that every hotel in the city was
equipped with proper fire escapes and
made no exception in the case of the
Copeland The arrangements for leav-
ing the building in case of fire were UP
to the standard required by the Topeka
fire department"
Shot at Marauder.
Workmen started to clear away the
ruins as soon as the fire had ceased.
Three policemen are in charge of the
work. On account of the number of
Jewels, money and other valuables
which were left there, the work of
guarded and done entirely under the
direction of the police. Last night a
merauder was chased away from the
ruins by three officers who fired sew
eral shots without effect
Hotel May Be Rebuilt.
The Copeland hotel will probably be |
rebuilt in the course of year In
speaking of the matter to a State |
Journal reporter this afternoon Colonel |
Gordon said:
Il have not made any definite plans |
and do not have anything to give out |
concerning the erection of a new hotel |
on the old site but / will admit that |
am thinking mighty seriously of the
matter"
1t is reported through some of the |
closest friends of Colonel Gordon that |
he is making plans for the rebuilding
of the hotel and intends to let the con-
arranged. The site is probably the best I
in the city for profitable hosiery and |
the veteran hotel man recognizes the |
fact. The new hotel will, according to |
the statements made by the friends or
Mr. Gordon be of the most modern |
architecture and will be fire proof IN |
every respect. This is as lar as the
matter has gone.
Little Incidents of the Fire.
Wilson B. Smith, of Larned and |
Charles w. Steiger of White Water, oc-
cupying a room on the second floor of
the Copeland hotel the night it burned,
were among the first to hear the cry OF
fire. They made their way to the Of
flee floor by means of the stairway and
returned and assisted a number of be-
wildered guests to escape After the fire
had gained such headway that 1t was
impossible to return to the upper floors
of the house Smith and Steiger assist
ed in transferring the women and injur-
ed to the Y NJ. c.. A. building.
Jerre Shaw, of Dodge City, an old time
Santa Fe engineer, and at present en-
gineer at the Soldiers Home near Dodge
City, attended the meeting of the state
agricultural society and the banquet
following. He left the banquet late in
the night with A. w. Smith, who urged
him to go to the Copeland hotel for the
night. Speaking of the incident Mr..
Shaw said: THAT is once more that
trouble for If / had gone
to the Copeland for the night I would
probably been given room on the top +
floor and there is no telling what might
have happened to me. But ] have been
lucky all my lie. TdllIOdu0u LOI 10
years, most of the time pulling a train
and never had an accident worthy of l.
] pulled the Peacock special
which made the 202 miles of my division
between La Junta and Dodge City in 1913
minutes and a record for that day"
George w. Kanavel, chairman of the
board of railroad commissioners, got out
by the stairway. He stopped to dress
and had plenty of time.
Earle Evans, of Wichita. lost all of
his belongings that he had with him the
night the Copeland hotel burned on ac-
count of his attempt to assist woman
to save her boa. Il would have had
plenty of time to get my effects out"
said Mr.. Evans. but q woman in the
hall was screaming at the top of her
voice and imploring some one to save
her boa. 1 misunderstood her and rush
ed to her room and instead of assisting
in saving her boy We saved feather
boa, worth perhaps 81 and lost
hundred dollars worth of wearing ap-
parel. If a thing of this kind ever oc-
ours again I will ask the woman wheth-
er it is a boy a boa she is asking
me to rescue" At least this is the story
told by E. F. Abel of Wichita.
incidentally good story is told on
Mr.. Abeu He left his room when he
was awakened by the cry of fire but
long enough to dress. He start
ed to leave the building and remember
ed that he had a bottle of life pre-
returned and rescued it but failed to re-
that he had left a $65 watch
under his pillow and this was lost.
Miss L. B. Rudolph, of Abilene, who
is employed by Crane & Co, escaped
from the top floor of the Copeland hotel
clad only in her night clothes. Late in
the afternoon she called up Crane &
Co. over the telephone and said: If
any one calls for me tell that l am at
the Mills dresSmaking parlors waiting
h<ar tod nd