The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-16
Curtis Drug Store at 732 Kan
sas Avenue Badly Damaged.
Flames Had Gained Big Headway
Before Discovered.
RESCUED BY FIREMEN.
Mr.. and Mrs. Curtis Taken From
Rooms Unconscious.
Fire Probably Caused by Leak
ing Gas Jet.

ABOUT two O'CLOCK this morning nrt
was discovered in a little store room
Just off from the F. NJ. Curtis drug
store at 723 Kansas avenue and before
the firemen could reach the scene the
building had been damaged to an ex-
tent of about $500 and the stock and
fixtures amounting to another $500 were
ruined.
The fire was first discovered by Mrs
Curtis in the room above the drug
store. Mr.. and Mrs. Curtis have rooms
above the store and the bedrooms are
in the rear northeast corner of the
building. About two o'clock this morn
ing Mrs. Curtis awoke with a feeling OF
weakness and suffocation and gasping
for breath she found the room full of
smoke and flames were shooting out
from under the bed. She arose at once
and going to her husbands bed she
found him fast asleep under the in
f1uence of the choking smoke She
aroused him and when he could regain
his consciousness he threw on a few
clothes and grabbing his wife in his
arms he attempted to take her from the
burning building. To his surprise and
horror he found all means of escape cut
off the hallway being in f1ames-there
being no other entrance in the building.
Almost SuffOcated.
Mr. Curtis took his wife to the win
dow, placing her head outside he turn
ed in a telephone fire alarm to the fire
department Headquarters and then go
ing to the window he took his wife and
the two of them leaned out into the
cold night air. waiting for the arrival
of the fire companies-and the flames
were gradually eating their way to
their position. Mrs. Curtis was over
come by the smoke and heat and Mr..
Curtis was growing weaker and weaker
as the seconds dragged on.
The chemical, hose and truck COM
panies arrived from headquarters at
the ''22' call and they made for both
the front and the rear entrances of the
building, which is a two story brick.
They were attracted by the cries of Mr..
Curtis and running a ladder up the
rear to the window from which was
pouring thick smoke they rescued the
couple who were overcome by the
the hands of the firemen- 1t was
close escape from death either from
suffocation or burning.
The f1remen were fighting the flames
from both ends of the building by this
time and in a few minutes had it un-
der control. Their quick and efficient
work was commendable in every way.
The flames were burning fierce1y and
the building was apparently doomed.
Heat Did Damage.
The heat of the fire was terrific
The whole inside of the store was
scorched by the flames and mirrors.
bottles and show cases were broken.
The fire started in a little abandoned
building. This passage way was
divided from the store by wood
partition and nothing but the floor
divided 1t from the rooms above. The
partition was burned out and the
floor above was burned through. Show
cases in the vicinity of the fire were
smoked and broken and the goods
within were ruined. Along the wall
were shelves containing bottles of the
regular drug store preparations and
these were broken and the contents
spilled The store was decorated with
a clay like castle effect carving and
this was ruined by smoke and heat.
A huge mirror in the rear was broken
into thousand pieces and a music
box which stood open near the front
of the stove was utterly destroyed by
the heat Luckily the big soda foun-
tain was unharmed.
In the rear of the store the
prescription case was badly scorched
and many preparations were spilled
Different rubber materials and box
stuff piled on the shelves near the
closet were burned beyond repair
The walls and ceiling all over the
store were ruined and the electric
light wires lost all of their insulation
through the intense heat.
The cause of the fire is not known.
Some say electric wiring and others
say gas The latter proposition looks
more like the real cause than the
wiring The day before the fire a new
gas jet had been installed in this lit
TIC ClOSSL ana In6 WOTknen left 1t
with q small leak. This morning it
was leaking badly when found. The
cause was undoubtedly from escap-
ing gas. An auxiliary of the gas cause
might be summed up against the cleo
trio light wires. For a long time the
wiring in this corner has been de-
fective-when the light would sway
from side to side it would go out un-
til placed in certain position. 1t
was of the drop cord variety and the
wiring probably became worn and de-
fective.
Good Work by Ffremen.
Mr.. Curtis is loud in his praise of
the fire companies this morning He
said that when they entered the
building it was a mass of flame and
smoke and was apparently doomed.
He had no idea that they would be
able TO save a thing. AS it was the
firemen confined the fire to the cor
ner of the building and not a dollars
worth of goods or fixtures were de-
stroyed by water. 1t was clean cut
piece of fire fighting and prevented a
bad fire in this center of the business
district.
The store and contents were owned
by F. NJ. Curtis who has been in
possession since last fall. 1t was a
heavy loss to his business and the in
surance was small. The building was
owned by D. NJ. Davies and was COW
cred with insurance.
The building will be repaired, the
stock replaced, the fixtures rebuilt
and business continued as soon as pos
sible.