The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-10
Heroic Work of Firemen Keen
Flames in Check.
FURNITURE is BURNED
Had Been Stored Where the Fire
Originated.
Bicycle Stock Is Also Consider.
ably Damaged.

| ment of the Keith block at SIG Kan
| sas avenue, about 9 o'clock this morn
ing for time threatened the entire
business block of this section Of Kan
sas avenue. The dense clouds of
smoke. which poured out on Kansas
avenue. looked decidedly dangerous
| for some time.
The prompt and efficient work of
! the fire department, however, saved
the day. The fire alarm was sounded
soon after the fire had started, and
+, although the smoke filled the entire
business block, the blaze did not get
under headway and the building was
! saved with but a small loss compared
| with what it might have been had the
fire department been but few mo-
ments later in getting to the scene.
Just how the fire started is not
known. There were no gas pipes or
gas lights of any sort in the basement
plausible conclusion would seem to be
the electric wiring. The building, which
! is one of the Oldest on this portion of
Kansas avenue, was built a number of
years ago, and the electric wiring in
the building has not been looked after
for years. according to the statements
OF those who claim to know. The wir-
ing was done along old-fashioned lines,
| and 1t is likely that the fire started
from this cause. 1t is supposed that in
some way the wires got crossed and
started sparks which soon spread to
the contents of the building.
! The entire basement of the building,
which was % feet in width and ex-
tended back to the alley a distance of
$50 feet. was filled with furniture be-
longing to c. A. HARLAN. furniture
dealer who runs the former E. W.
Hughes furniture store a short distance
south. The entire stock was furniture
which had not been unpacked and set
up. 1t was covered with burlap and
excelsior. 1t is supposed that the
sparks due to the defective wiring
caught in the excelsior which burns
readily and that in this way it had
gained some headway.
] The damage to the building is slight.
The building occupies three lots and
belongs to A. A. Hurd, special solicitor
for the Santa Fe. The building is man
aged by w. C. Stephenson. On the first
floor D. b. Simpson, the newly elected
councilman from the Fifth ward, op-
crates the Central Cycle company. and
was one Of the principal losers. The fire
did not reach above the basement, but
the damage by the water on Mr.. Simp-
sons stock is heavy. The two upper
floors of the building are rented as
rooms and although for a time filled
with smoke, there is but little damage
probably none to this part Of the
building.
The furniture in the basement of the
building suffered the greatest from the
T.
ture which has been highly polished is
very infammable. A good portion of
the furniture in the front end of the
building was burned. or at least the
tions of the building the furniture was
greatly damaged by the water. Veneer
in some instances peeled right off the
goods. Probably none of the furniture
is damaged so that it is rendered unfit
for use again, but most of it will suffer
from the polish being taken off either
by the fire or water.
The fire department lost no time in
getting the flames under control. Two
lines of hose were directed on the fire
from the front and two more from the
rear. The fire plugs at Eighth and
Kansas avenue and also one at Eighth
and Quincy were connected with hose.
The new steamer was connected at
Eighth and the avenue and with four
lines of hose throwing high pressure
on the fire, it took the firemen but lit
tie time to control the fire and keep
1T from spreading and but little more
time to check the fire entirely.
The furniture in the basement was
valued at $4,000 and was covered by
| $4,000 insurance which will undoubt-
edly fully cover the loss. AS soon as
he locked the door Of his store and
sent all of his help to carry the goods
from the basement of the building. As
the fire was all in the front end, the
men carried the furniture out of the
back end, and by the time the fire was
i out, about half the furniture had been
1 removed.
A foot of water lay in the basement
and the men in order to get the fur
tniture out were compelled to wade in
the water.
i Mr.. Simpsons loss will amount to
4 $4,000. He had over $4,000 worth of
new wheels and motor cycles in the
building, all of which are damaged to
some extent by the water. There were
a number of other wheels in the shop
for repairs which belonged to outsid-
ers and these are damaged to the
same extent. Mr. Simpson carried an
insurance of $500 on his goods which
will hardly cover the loss.
Mr.. Stephenson this morning placed
the loss on the building at $1,000.
This was mainly caused by the water
soaking and the damage done by the
firemen's axes in the necessary fight
ing of the fire. The plate glass window
i in the door was smashed by the fire.
linen early in the game. The loss to
1.-THE building is entirely covered as the
building carried an insurance of $685.
oOO this amount being distributed
among several companies.
The Bell Brothers Piano company
which occupied the room just north
Simpson store, was not damaged in
the least The smoke filed the build
ing for time but not enough so to
cause any damage. to the stock of pi-
amos.
i filed with clouds Of smoke SO dense
that an object in the building yard
II away could not be SEEN After the fire
had been effectively checked, the doors
u on the Smoke in front and rear were
opened and the building was soon
cleared of smoke, without any percepti-
BILE loss to the contents Of the room