The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1913-08-01
Starts in Studio Over Eagle Store
and Menaces Heart Of City
Extinguished by Firemen Be-
fore Great Headway Gained
ORIGIN is MATTER
OF SPECULATION
Loss on Second Floor is Heavy and
Damage to Merchandise Below
BY Water and Smoke
is Large

A fire that threatened the heart Of
Chlckaahas business district broke out
last night about O'Clock in the caper-
ton studio, over the Eagle Mercantile
company and the fact that it was con.
fined to the rooms Of its origin alone
prevented an untold loss 10 the city
Tor had the fire fighters lost control
Of the blaze Il is quite probable that
the business section would have suf-
fered severely
The origin Of the fire remains a mys.
terry Mr.. Caperton. proprietor Of The
studio where the fire originated, states
that be Is unable to say as to the prob
able cause. unless it was from defec-
tive wiring in the ceiling Of his deyel-
oping room. while Fire Chief Gattis
says positively that the wiring in the
building was practically new and had
been Inspected and passed by the Ok
lahoma inspection bureau only short
time ago.
u lefl the studio about O'Clock and
went home. said Mr. caperton When
first learned where the fire was, /
thought it must have originated from
Spontaneous combustion among the
chemicals. As yesterday was an exceed
ingly hot day. but upon investigation
we found that the fire started IN an-
other section Of the room. ! don't
know hoN Il started There was no
one IN the studio. there had ben no
fire In the room except IN the morn
ing when / used the gasoline stove,
but that vas In another part OF the
room and the tank to that exploded
after the fire was in progress and later
Chief Cattls and myself got the sup
ply can Of gasoline out Of the build
ing
Two holes. almost exactly alike are
burned in the ceiling Of two differ
ent rooms. One in the developing room
and one IN the room where the sit
tinss Were made The rooms adioir
and the holes are burned near the door
between the rooms The door {.
q charrea mass. as is q door some
three feet TO the south. leading into g
dark room The entire interior o.
the suite Of four rooms IS scorchet
with the exception Of the reception
room on tAe extreme east Of the suite
It is evident that the origin Of th'
fire was IN the developing room. some
where. probably at the south end.
IN speaking OF the affair this morn
ing. Chief Gaitis said, Every indica
tion Is that the fire started on thl
floor near the doors leading from th
developing room into the main studi
10 the east and the dark room on tn
south. The wiring was IN good con
dition. was practically new and wa
passed BY the oklahoma inspection bI
reau. As TO spontaneous CONFUSION
that's not to be considered"
The location Of the room where III
fire originated, made Il extremely di
ficult for the fire fighters to reac
the blaze There being only one eI
trance to tho stadio and that throug
the reception room at the extreme eai
end Of the suite, it was impossible
reach the blaze from the south, thoug
two lines Of hose were brought in frol
that direction, through offices acros
the corridor, the streams from whic
only played upon the outside Of II
burning wall and served to cool
down and prevent spreading. The c
factive work wNs done by single lii
Of hose brought in over the roof fro
the north and entering the burnir
room from the window at the back
Two explosions Of chemicals occu
red about the time the hose entert
the building and the smoke from Il
acids was so heavy that it was e
tremely difficult for the men to stl
in the burning room
The damage to the studio Is co-
plete, with the exception Of the &c
tents Of the reception room. The 10
was covered to the amount Of $1,000