Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-01-27
KANSAS FIRE LOSSES GROW
Marshal Hussey's Report for Last
Year Shows a Heavy Increase
in the State.

Fire losses in Kansas during 1916
totaled $3,S45,6S2, a gain of $1,099,879
over 1915, according to a report by
L. T. Hussey, state fire marshal. Total
fires in the state last year were $500,
against 2,445 in 1915, gain of S73.
Returns completed in the state fire
marshals' office show 355 fires in De-
cember, with a total loss of $3.50 ,52S.
The month ranked second for the year
in losses and third in number of fires.
In March 393 fires occasioned a total
loss of 1905, O99, while $50 fires in Au-
gust resulted in losses of s607,176.
The Hussey review of December
fires shows the heaviest loss in Sedg-
wick county. The Sedgwick loss for
December alone was sos, 900 in excess
of the Shawnee county loss for the en-
tire year. Burning of the Masonic
Orphans Home at Wichita added to
the heavy December losses in Sedg-
wick county. which totaled s21O,704.
OF the 355 fires last month, 1877 were
in dwellings, where loss of 1886, 296
resulted. Fifty barns and stables
burned during the month, with loss
of $5O,639. Fires in four elevators
were responsible for losses aggregat-
ing SSl ,OUU- seventeen stores DuTneu
with total loss of $41,913-
Stoves, furnaces and pipes caused
thirty-two fires and loss of $210,04S.
Spontaneous combustion caused twelve
fires and losses of $32,27O, according
to the report
To Test Cows at Independence.-An
association for testing cows was
u,
a large membership. Twenty-six days
of work, embracing a considerable
portion of the county, were planned.
Scientific stock raising is gaining
much favor in this county through the
county farm bureau.
*
Wathena Papers ConsoIidate.-The
high price of print paper has brought
about the consolidation of the Wa
thena Times and the Wathena Repub-
lican, the latter having been bought
by C. w. Ryan, owner and editor Of
the Times.
Fire Damages Bank.-A fire which
started in a grocery came near de-
stroying the Security State Bank
block, located on one of the principal
corners of Wellington. The fire was
finally subdued and the structure
saved, but not until the bank interior
was considerably damaged.
x X
Tablet to HERDS Memory.-Instead
of being buried in a pauper's grave,
Richard Moore, railroad 1aborer and
wayfarer, so years old, will have a
marble monument with this inscrip-
ton: Richard Moore, hero, who sac
rificed his life January 10, 1917, to pre-
vent the wrecking of a train Flu
neral services for Moore were held in
Savonburg, with the Presbyterian and
Methodist ministers officiating. Trav-
cling men who had read of his heroic
death started a fund for private lot
and marker
Injuries Six ChlIdren.-Six children
of ]. w. Poison were injured when
their motor car turned over with them
at a railroad crossing at Kiowa.
Wright, Is years old, is in hospital
seriously injured. The others injuries
are slight
To Store Cement in Bins.-The lola
Portland Cement Company has COM
pleted the construction of six mann
moth cement storage bins with a COM
bined capacity of 100000 barrels. The
bins are made of cement and are sew
enty feet high They are the first
| of the kind west of New York
X = X
.-svic" Murdoch Home soon--Victor
Murdoch, formerly representative
from Kansas. who has been visiting
| In China with his wife and daughter.
Catherine. cabled that he win be back
| IN Kansas soon