The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-12
Shows a $29S,O25 Fire Loss in
Topeka.
Four Big Bad Fires Cause Diff
ference in Records.
MARVELLOUS SHOWING.
Last 20 Years an Honor to
Work of Department.
Interesting Facts From Annual
Report of Fire Marshal.

With the exception of the year 1904,
the last fiscal year 19OS-9 has been
the worst year in the history of To-
peka for disastrous fires. losses and
fatalities. According to the annual
report of the Topeka fire department
the last financial year has recorded IN
Topeka a loss of $29S,025. This IS
second only to the year 1904 when the
loss ran up to $4,000.
The annual report computed Ny
Chief Wilmarth and Assistant ChleI
Babcock of the Topeka fire depart
1nent shows some interesting points
in the last year of fire fighting. 1t
has been a most unfortunate year-a
year that has witnessed more fires and
fires accompanied with a larger loss
of human life than any year in the
history of the city.
To say that the last year has been
unfortunate is not only renewing tle
fire department of all blame put
stating the facts as they are. When
four such fires as the Copeland MOTEL
the Parkhurst-Davis, the Bromlcn
Boiler Works and the west Iehtl
strip fall upon a fire department anu
with a combination of circumstances
such as uncomfortable natural gas ana
breaks III water mains, 1T IS an IN
Justice to say that the records OF the
fire department are falling peloW the
former standards.
For many years the records or the
Topeka fire department have caused
the CITY departments all over the
country to make Investigations into
the plans used in this city by asking
for information and practical eX-
amples. .,,-,,
The reports for the last year show
that the actual loss by fire in this CITY
has been $29S,O25. This loss re-
suited from answers to 2S7 alarms
which were turned into the statioh9
over the city. The insurance lnVo!veo
in these fires amounted to $1,OS9, 80.
This is a remarkable record consloer..
ing the number of alarms ana the Vdel
amount of money safely guarded py
Topeka property owners by n.e n,su
ance. The insurance paid out cuIIns
amounted ane g to s294,s4S. This almost
covers the actual loss by hres only
falling about $4,000 below the loss
records. This is another proof OF the
value the people of Topeka place On
their property. In other Wolos uui
ing the last year the actual fire loss IN
this CITY only amounted to $4,000 On
the other hand the estimated Value oI
the property at risk during -hese nres
amounted to $1,S23.3O5. rms IS
good investment Tor Inc "a, a.
Dayers of q city to make. 70 to oo
"a nm on risk of almost $2,0OO,ooO
would satisfy any citizen
Losses Light Heretofore.
Furthermore during the last twenty
,,oars in this city the fire loss has
amounted to $1.S93,726. An lnsut
ance of s1,157,416 was PAID on LIE ana
loss. This leaves then oniS 2 Tbere is
not another city in America Win
racord of this kind. The properly
risl during these last twenty years
amounted to $16,1S2.9S2. here Is an
other set of figures that can De Plate Plate
side by side and made into psl ~
sue 1jIe record for the work of the
fire department. ,-oo,. ~,
record. This was the year OF the n NJ:
big Parkhurst-Davis IRE; me r lp3s loss loss
came when the city did not own us
water plant and the pressure was no.
,.Iiable. 1909 comes second on tIls
Icss list with $29S,O25. 1892 tni iIti
VIII s76.33O and 1889 fourth with
~ee 600 The year 1898 was the ban
ner year in the history OF the Guy liis
Toss only amounting to $1Z,OOo.
rumber of the losses nave Ialleh oelow
1he twenty thousand mark In IWeHtS
Years there were 3,2S9 alarms all tolo'
;rShis makes each alarm average loss
Of S423. The figures compiled reveal
frst one commendable record atter an
Cfher-all of these records coming
rom under the most excellent admin
u
v,ho has been Topeka's one and only
chief. 10000
~ bonfires and. burning rubbish dur.
ing the last year. The John Doe
4ires of the unknown quantity came
rext with a record of 80. Sixteen
biazes were caused by chimneys and
stacks burning out and natural gas
contributed sixteen to the record. How
ever. it was not the number of natural
eas fires that counted 1t will be re-
Snembered that the natural gas fires in
ropeka caused the loss of many lives
and thousands of dollars worth of
property during the fiscal year re
1orted. All of the big fires of the year
were a result directly or indirectly
from gas. There were fourteen incen-
diary fires and fourteen on account of
careiessness. The rest were divided
into locomotives, defective fiues, oil
lamps, gasoline. spontaneous combus-
tion, boys and matches, electric wiring,
etc.
There are almost 5000 feet of hose
Of every kind used by the fire depart
ment of this city. There are 80 miles
If telegraph lines, IA circuit repeaters,
So alarm boxes and nine electric