The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03
FIRE AT BISHOPS
Millspaugh Home Is Wrecked
This Morning.
House Filled With Guests for
Daughters Wedding.
PRESENTS ARE SAVED.
Bridal Gifts Carried to Safety
by Friends.
Personal Effects Including En-
gagement Ring Lost.
Defective Wiring in Bishops
Room the Cause.

Fire, caused by defective electric
wiring. at $3.50 this morning did $4.-
900 damage to the contents and the
structure of the Bishops House, 91S
Polk street. This large home is oc-
cupied by Bishop Frank r. Mills
paugh of the Episcopal diocese of
Kansas, and the furnishings and val
uables therein are among the most
luxurious in the city.
The fire came at most unfortun-
ate time-the house being filled with
guests, who had centered in Topeka
for the celebration of the wedding Of
the bishops daughter, Miss Nellie
MilIspaugh, who will be married to
Mr.. Harold Copeland tomorrow even
ing. The brides trousseau, the elab-
crate wedding presents and many
other valuables were in the house at
the time of the fire. Most of these
were saved.
The wedding was 10 have been held
in Grace Cathedral and a reeep-
tion afterwards at the home On this
account the house was being prepared
for the big event and the fire came at
a most inopportune time. All of the
rooms in the big mansion were filled
with guests and the loss to clothes.
trinkets and personal belongings will
swell the damage.
The fire started in the bedroom oc-
cupied by Bishop Millspaugh and Mrs.
Millspaugh The electric switchboard
is situated just above this room and
the fire had spread to the attic thence
into the many gables of the house
and down into the ceilings before the
alarm was turned in. When the first
fire companies arrived the roof was
in flames and it looked as though the
house would be total loss.
The visitors and the relatives to
the bishop and the girls and help
from Bethany college, which is situat-
ed on the same grounds, came to the
home at once and with the help of
the firemen carried the expensive we'd
tiisIGss presents. and ali the Vsluab ables
from the burning house
Diamond Engagement Ring Missing.
However, it was impossible to save
anything from the room in which the
fire had started and after the flames
had been checked and the roof had
fallen in upon the furniture and con-
tents of the room, the firemen were
able to recover four valuable diamond
rings from the top of the dresser
where they had been placed the night
before. Late this afternoon the en-
gagement ring. a beautiful diamond,
belonging to Miss Millspaugh was
still missing. On account of the fact
that the floor of the room was not
burned and only the debris from the
the diamond will be recovered.
The fire burned out the greater por-
tion of the attic, but did not come
down the partitions into the upstairs
rooms. 1t was through the excellent
and efficient work of the firemen that
the fire was confined as it was to the
roof. However, all of the furniture
and valuable books on the second
floor were water soaked and in some
cases ruined. One -oom especially.
that occupied by Miss Millspaugh, was
soaked and dripping.
Bishops Library Damaged.
The private library of the bishor
which is situated in the south wing on
the first floor was damaged to some
extent but not nearly SO seriously as
feared. Chief Wilmarth of the fire de-
Iartment directed one detachment OF
his men in the fighting of the fire and
the other men took every available rug
and covering and threw them over the
books, the furniture and the other valu-
ables on the lower floors. By this wise
action on the part of the fire chief the
damage was greatly lessened.
The bishops house is an old struc-
ture and has received many additions
since the. original house was built. Or
this account it was a house of gable:
and many rooms and especially invit,
ing to the fire. The house runs ahou
so feet back from the front and through
This dry areaway the fire had attained
great headway before it broke out int
the open. AS soon as the air got int,
the attic the fire broke out in a dozel
places.
Bishop Millspaugh was unable t,
state this afternoon Just what the los
would amount to- The main loss is OIL
the contents of the house. Accordin,
to Chief Wilmarth the damage to tn
structure of the house will not amour
TO over $500. The main body wa
saved and is as good as ever but tn
roof will have to be renewed 1t Wi
take some time to clean the house O
the debris and water and then de
termine the extent of the damage.
ExceDt to those who lost a numbe
of priceless personal articles, the los
will be covered with insurance Al
though the fire was unfortunate it wa
fortunate in the fact that It occurre
in the day time when everyone wa
up and when a large amount of tn
valuablss could be saved. If it ha
happened at night. the house woui
have been crowded with guests and
loss of life might have followed
Defective Wiring the Cause.
There seems to be no doubt but tn
fire was caused by defective wirjn.
Sunday night the occupants of th
l,ouse lad had trouble with the f,1se
and the electric lights. A man wa
called to the house at once and +
stated that there was no danger. r,
the fire started near the switchboar
In the bishops room and in the orig
nal weak spot of the wiring system
the house.
H. b. Howard. an electrician. state
this afternoon that the electric wirin
IN the Bethany college buildings and
ali the buildings on the grounds Wa
In need of repair.
The work is done by a janitor an
he knows nothing about the principI,
of wiring whatever said Mr. Hovar