The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-07

! | ventable.
up, showing beyond question just
where the explosion force was CEN
| tered.
Damage by Fire.
Estimates made early this after
noon indicate that the total loss will
! be slightly more than $4,000. This
/ will cover damage to the building at
| sos Kansas avenue, owned by Mrs. e.
C. Shepherd of Plymouth. N H, and
| Miss Alice Davies of Los Angeles; sos
! Kansas avenue, owned by the G. w.
| Jewell estate; the building at 6o7
Kansas avenue, owned by Baker uni
Versity, and the stock and fixtures of
the Greenbaum company, the Flad
drug store, the Courtney millinery
! store and small losses to the offices of
a dentist and chiropractOr above the
F'lad store and the Newark Shoe COM
pany's branch store at sos Kansas
avenue.
Greenbaum's Loss.
The heaviest loss YVES suffered by
the GreenbAum Cloak ard Suit COM
pany, that concern having less than
SO pei. cent of it's stock Insured The
value of the stock and fixtures which
are practically an entire loss was
given as $4,000. Insurance was
carried Of but $4,000 The building
$7,OOU, according to Stephenson &
Webb, agents for the Jewell estate.
Rebuild Building.
The building will be rebuilt imme-
diately it was stated this afternoon
Meanwhile the Greenbaum company
will secure temporary quarters sto
Tile heaviest loss to the Fla1 Drug
store resulted mainly from water and
falling plaster. Little damage resulted
from fire. The loss to the store viii
reach nearly $4,000, it was stated 1t
is covered by insurance.
The Courtney Millinery company's
loss as a result of the fire will amount
to $4,000, according to an estimate
made this afternoon. Less than two
thirds of this amount is covered by
insuI 2nce.
Estimated damage to the building at
sos Kansas avenue is $1,000. Dam
age to the building at 6O7 Kansas
avenue is placed at the same figure.
Both losses are covered by insurance.
A sign and plate glass belonging 10
the Newark Shoe company was brol<-
en- and interior decorations were
ruined.
Dental Parlors Wrecked.
The dental parlors of DR.. L. L.
Goodwin, were wrecked. There was
also fire and water damage in a store
room back of the dental parlors. The
Courtney Millinery company sustained
a heavy loss both from fire and water
on the third floor of the building just
north of the Greenbaum building.
Indications are that gas had found
it's way there m the same manner as
in the Flad store and ignited from the
fire in the Greenbaum store.
The fire loss in the F'lad store was
practically nothing. The only blaze
the firemen found there was in
broken bottle of alcohol The water
damage there was also slight. The
principal damage resulted in the
shock of the explosion end crash of
the ceiling down onto the fixtures:
Both the Flad brothers said it would
be impossible to form an estimate of
their loss without making a more
thorough examination.
Gas Throughout Buildings.
The escaping gas which resulted in
the two explosions. apparently had
permeated through the rafters and be-
tween the ceilings and floors of prac-
tically half the buildings in the block,
and the wonder is that damage was
as limited
The odor of gas was detected Thurs
day I. E. Sheard, who conducts a
barber shop in the basement of the
Savings Bank building, southwest cor
ner of Sixth and Kansas avenue, says
the smell of gas was strong whenever
the wind blew from the north From
this Chief Hanlon concludes that the
leak was IN the gas mains outside of
the buildings
said the chief, lis that it will follow
the outside of a service pipe in and
through a building"
Other persons report smelling gas
for several days but Chief Hanlon
says that the matter was not reported
to him.
Maurice Schlegei Hurt.
Morris Schlegal, chief clerk w. A L.
Thompson Hardware company, re-
ceived q cut on the left hand, sever
al bruises on the head, and his trous-
ers and the back of his coat were rid
died with flying glass Schlegal was
passing shortly after the explosion in
the Greenbaum store. Robert Morton
and colored porter, employed at the
Fladd store. had just entered and
Schlegal was standing in front of the
door looking in when the explosion
there occurred.
When Schlegel saw the flash he
stopped and put his hands over his
face to protect his eyes. He at the
same time turned his back. 1t was
quick work, and done fast enough to
protect his face Flying pieces of glass
struck the back of his head, and tore
holes in his clothes, and also cut one
hand. He had a very narrow escape
A large piece of glass cut a large rent
in his trousers above the knee but
missed his body.
In the store at the time were Bob
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