The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-04
LOSE ALL IN FIRE
Gilman Brothers, Former To-
pekans, Hit Hard by Blaze.
Casino, Worth s75O,OOO, De-
strOyed Tuesday Night.

seW. H. CALDWELL: Pier avenue and
ocean front burned to ground; every
body saved. Earl and Forrest burned
but not seriously. Don't worry, send
mother and Jessie's folks word VIII
write and send papers.-H. G. Gilman.
That was the telegram received this
morning by w. H. Caldwell assistant
state printer, whose scn-in-law has lost
Cured last night near Los Angeles.
Mr. Gilman, with his brothers, Earl.
Grant and Forrest, own one of the
most popular hotels on the Pacific
coast, The Casino, situated at Ocean
Park It was entirely destroyed by
blaze that, famed by a stiff salt breeze.
swept everything before it. Hotels.
paviIions. and swimming pools were
burned to the ground
The Gilman boys formerly lived a
couple of miles north of town Their
mother is still there, and Mrs Grant
Gilman, with her three children. is
the guest of the Caldwells.
The boys left for california several
years ago and have built up a sue
cessful business; $75O,OO0 is the esti-
mated value of their loss.
The fire started from a defective f1ue
on the Casino pier at o'clock Tuesday
evening; it was feared that the twin
summer resorts, Ocean Park and
Venice, 1S miles from Los Angeles,
would be absolutely devastated. E. w
Leach, chief chef of the Casino, was
caught on wharf, and obliged to jump
to save himself from burning. Being
unable to swim, he was drowned.
The local fire departments, with five
companies from Los Angeles, were un-
able to die the fire until the wind
died down.
The fire swept the beach and reach
ed the Decatur hotel. which was also
burned. Many heroic rescues we're
made. An incubator containing nine
babies was rescued from a pier by the
Frederick House; one of the infants
was 2 tiny Jap weighing exactly Il
ounces.
The Casino. the Gilman hotel COM
pIetely wrecked, was a beautiful house.
with cupolas, verandas, and bav win
dows, it fronted a garden of palms an,5
had the Pacific at its feet. Mr.. CaId-
well is in hopes that the place was
partially covered by insurance.
Twelve Persons Missing.
Ocean Park, Cal. Sept. 4-Twelva
persons, including one woman and tbe
six children of S. j. Zarde a wealthy
summer resident, have beeQ missing
since the outbreak of the flames which |
devastated an area of six blocks along
the Strand last night and wiped out the
entire amusement section of the resort. |
Soldiers and police gusrding the |
ruins were unable to find Any of the /
missing up to an early hour today. and !
expressed the belief that All or most |
of them had met the ja.e that over |
took H. F. Locke, the restaurant |
cashier, who lost his life when he leap |
ed off the blazing Frazier pier.
Two companies of militia are on
guard today and the town is still under /
martial law. Bayonet studded lines of /
citizen soldierv and police stretched |
along the landward side of Ike Strand, |
protecting the immense piles of per-
sonal property hastily thrown out of
burning buildings last night. A fo-ce
OF approximately 1000 men are at
work clearing railroad rights of way
and streets.
Mr. Zarde became fran &c today
when the police and soldiers reported
that his children and the woman VINO
was acting as their nurse could not oe
found. He said that the children and
the nurse were about the pier about