The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-31
That Is Number in Topeka for
Year 1912.
Property Loss Was Only $685.
439, Says Chief.
REMARKABLE RECORD
Prompt and Efficient Work
Kept Loss Down.
Causes of Fires and Summary
of Work for Year.

Although we have had ten more fires
than we had last year, damages have
been $4,000 less. Not life has been
lost-either in the service or out of it.
With the cooperation of the property
owners I am hoping 1918 may be as
satisfactory as the year that is closing
today.
There have been 256 fires in 1912,
and the chief has attended every one
of them-night and day
Great values have been at stake"
the chief continued. "Often the loss
might have exceeded 100000 If the
service had not been quick and eff
cient this would have been a bad
year.
Interesting statistics were unearthed
by State Journal reporter who ex-
amfned the company's books with the
aid of an adding machine. 1t is plain
that 1912 has been, as Mr.. Wilmarth
declared year of menacing fires
cleverly handled.
Much said the chief, depends
upon the property owners. They
should cooperate with the service in
every possible way. Owners should
keep down the fire risks in their own
buildings. They should e@srcise the
most exquisite care. A building should
quickly rung in-the department will
do the rest to the best of its ability.
"Our losses" the chief continued,
''are smaller than in most cities the
size Oh 1Opekd oFoQlI Is Que the ell
tire force. We have one of the best
bodies of men in the country. No
where is there more efficient service,
more thorough service, more punctil-
ious discharge of duty than here
Although there are $4,000 more in
the treasury of the fire service than
last year, several important purchases
have been made.
We have our new motor apparatus -
explained Mr.. Wilmarth, ''and the
n 90 7 hnrn or
year. The quicker a fire is reached
the greater the loss is lessened."
Statistics for the two years compare
as follows:
1s11-totaI losses, $72,11S.25; total
insurance, $5O7,625; insurance paid,
$6o,SO0; total valuation, $1,158,71O.
1912-total losses, SIS, 439; total in
surance, $4S3,829; insurance paid,
5 4S.233.05; total valuation, $3.50, 900.
The loss, therefore, is actually $72,-
1925 less than it was last year-an
enormous profit for the fire depart
ment. OF the loss, $31, 232.00 results
from destruction of the buildings
themselves. and $27,2O7 from con
tents. The insurance on buildings
was $314,15 and that on contents
$169,679. Despite the decided lessen
ing of loss, there have been ten more
fires in the last twelve months than
there We're in the year preceding
246 in 1911, 256 in 1912. These fig I
ures are approximate, several losses |
have not been adjusted, and reports |
are made only until December 2S.
The causes this year are much the |
same as last Old Man Incendiary |
who creeps about alleys after dusk, a |
lighted torch in his hand, is near the |
head of the list. Several fires entered |
as unknown" might doubtless be at |
tributed to him. Bonfires have been |
responsible for many a merry blaze. |
Y Youngsters scratch matches on their |
corduroys, drop the sizzling sulphur /
into a rubbish heap, and a cottage, a |
barn, or a playhouse, ultimately dis |
appear in smoke.
The chief has added a new item to !
his list of "Bewares!' Beware of cleo
trio irons! Housewives wont to leave |
irons on boards, must readjust their /
IDEAS of domestic science. An ordins
iron grows cold If you leave it, the |
electric grows hot. They're one of the |
ten important causes for fires in 1912. |
Spontaneous combustion, electric |
wiring, gas leaks, and sparks on shin |
gle roofs are enrolled as responsible |
for a large amount of damage from |
fire. Gas stoves have caused more |
osses than anything else. Watch the
not stoves in the cold weather!
There are few chemical fires in To-
Oeka, few blazes from automobiles,
md exceedingly few from defective
'lues.
The fire at which most persons were
injured this year was the one occur
II
natural gas exploded in a rooming
house occupied by Mrs. NJ. E. Rupp-
light, and owned by Postmaster
Rodgers. Although the loss was
burned. The fire resulted in a law
uit, filed this month in the first di-
-ision of the district court.
The most costly fire of 1912 took
ience of 4. B. Quinton, 1243 Topeka
venue. The loss was estimated at
10, 35S.7S. Choice furniture, clothing
md JeWelry were sacrificed to the god
tove, and was well under way before
t was discovered
The second large fire of the year
vas the one occurring February 26
t the Marshall Brothers drug store,
is Kansas avenue. An alcohol lamp !
arelessly filled, resulted in the loss of
2, 63S.65.
On July 81 Clement & Crawford's
Try goods house, 419-421 Kansas ave-
Tue, lost about six thousand dollars
rom an incendiary fire. The H. B.
Toward store, resulting in one of the
argest fire sales of the year, burned
rom an unknown cause on August 80.
The loss was estimated at $2,526.50.
The middle of October Mrs E r.
sweeney fled in her night gown from
Ter burning store. A grocery shop
nan and occupied by Mrs. Sweeney, 4
eceived damages amounting to Z
1925.
October Is, by the way. was the
ides the Keitzman property, the
forage house owned by Skinner &,
sayhart was burned on that day. The
laze was one of the most spectacular
djusted, but damage received on the
uilding itself amounted to more than
hree thousand dollars.
1