Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1920-09-23
$50. 900 LOSS BY FIRE

SIve hre losses IN the history OF Ifego
county occurred last Tuesday night
when the buildings and stock of the
Hardman Lumber Company and the
storage room and large stock of
-four and mill belonging to the Wheat
land Elevator Company were destroy
ed by fire. Three box cars and one
coal car which was standing on the
Union Pacific siding at the lumber
yard, were also destroyed. The total
loss is estimated to amount to at least
$50, 900 which is partly covered by in
surance.
A very high wind was blowing from
the south and the citizens of Wa
Keeney are considering it very for
tunate for the city that the loss was
not much greater. The lumber yard
being situated the south side of the
railroad track and at the south end of
the business district the heavy wind
carried the flying enbers to the north
endangering the entire business dis
trict. It was only by the hardest work
and the closest attention that the
buildings were saved. The east side of
Franklin street which is row of
frame buildings was in the greatest
danger from the shower of flying
sparks and fire brands. It was espec-
tally difficult to fight the fire in that
district on account of the smoke, the
heat, and the flying cinders which
were binding to the eyes, depressing
to the breathing and a torture to the
flesh. However, all realized that that
part Of the city should not be allowed
to catch fire and in order to save it
determined fight was made, and the
fight was so successfully conducted
that no fired gained any holt on any
of the roofs.
The Hardnan Lumber yard was
completely destroyed including part
of the Office fixtures and some of the
business records. The company books
were in the safe and were not damag-
ed to any extent although they got
pretty hot The origin of the fire is
unknown but indications point to it's
being if1cindary. Guy DeBoer who was
running the engine at the ice plant
was the first to see the flames and to
give the alarm. When first seen the
flames had burst through the roof
over the barn where the company
team is kept He phoned to central
and he and another party ran to the
barn and got out the team While
they were taking them to safety the
flames seemed to have spread by
magic and. almost in less time than it
takes to tell it the big shed on the
south side of the yard was enveloped
in flames. The heat was so intense
and the wind SO strong that it was
readily seen that nothing could be
done to save the yard or any of it's
contents and that the only thing TO do
was to conf1ne the fire to a limited
district The estimate of the loss by
the Hardman Lumber Co. is placed at
S45,0O0, about ten thousand dollars
worth of this stock had been placed in
the yard during the last week or ten
days. The loss is partly covered by
| insurance. The property destroyed
consists of the stock of building ma
teriaI,s including lumber lime, plaster
ing, cement, shingles. posts, wire, coal
and the buildings. The concrete eIeva-
tor which was built in 1915 and which
contained several thousand bushels of
wheat, was not damaged to any great
! extent although a door in the north
| caught fire from a burning box car
| However, it was So hot on the inside
from heat sucked in that the solder
was melted from the escape pipe from
the cleaner We are informed that the
company will rebuild the yard as soor
as possible and that the walls of ths
buildings will be much more substau
tiaf than the old ones were.
The loss sustained by the Wheat
land Elevator Company was between
four and five thousand dollars and i
is likely it is covered with insurance
The loss consists of. the large storag,
building, some bran and shorts and
car load of flour which had just bee1
unloaded- The elevator is of concret
!, and contained several thousand bus
hels of wheat but it was not damaget
owing TO protection which the citizen
! furnished at the right time We hav,
not been able to get into communica
ton with the company but it is prob
able they viii replace the building
The Union Pacific railroad compan,
has loss of three box cars and on.
coal car besides the damage to the
side track to make good One of these
cars was loaded with faced bricl