The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-13
FIRE IN A CHURCH
Interior Catholic Assumption
Damaged $4,000 Today.
Big Edifice Seemed Doomed at
1:40 This Afternoon.
FIREMEN'S EFFICIENT WORK
In Twenty Minutes They Got
the Blaze Under Control.
Furnishings and Interior Deco
ratiOns Are Ruined.
;IREMEN'S EFFICIENT WORK

Fire in the Catholic Church of the
Assumption on West Eighth avenue
between Jackson and Van Buren,
streets this afternoon resulted in dam
age which may total $4,000. A gen.
eral alarm to all fire stations in To-
peka and quick, effective work saved
destruction of the church building.
The fire had received a big start and
the entire balcony in the north end
of the structure was blazing when an
alarm was sounded.
1t is likely that the fire started from
defective electric wiring. Under a
good headway in a balcony filled with
rubbish and periShable materials, the
firemen met stubborn opposition dur
ing the half hour before the blaze
was under control.
Church heads this afternoon were
unable to place a close estimate on
probable losses 1t may run as high
as SIS, 900, it was estimated.
Loss by Smoke and Water.
Much of the loss was due to smoke.
and water.
Valuable paintings, wood carving
and decorations were damaged by
the deluge of water from twenty
streams of hose. The church pipe
organ, valued at $4,000, was damaged.
None of the valuable memorial win
dows was damaged by fire or water.
Only the church linens and a few
valuable paintings were removed from
the building after the fire started,
The entire roof was damaged be-
yond repair, the flames eating thru
from the altar at the north end of the
church to the open air, and destroying
several small rooms to the rear of and
above the altar,
Cut Thru Roof.
The firemen were compelled to cut
thru the metal roof in order to get
water on the flames Difficulty in
reaching the roof with a stream of
water was explained by Assistant Fire
Marshal Joseph WaideIich by the fact
that the seven lines of hose used were
badly kinked and tangled at first.
Pumping engines were hooked on and
the water supply was sufficient in
short time to burst two lines of hose.
Water was being used by the Edison
companys power plant Immediately to
the rear of the church, thru a six
inch line. when the alarm was given,
This drain was Immediately closed.
Father Boland in Church.
Father Patrick McInerney, head of
the Church of the Assumption, was
attending the Free Fair when the fire
was discovered. He did not reach the
priests house, adjoining the church
structure, until after the fire was
under control
Father William j. T. Boland en-
tered the church as soon as the
church doors were opened. He stayed
in the building during the entire time
and refused to leave when flood of
steel shingles showered around him.
Father Patrick Hayden left sick
bed to attend the fire. He said that
he was not sufficiently familiar with
the church equipment at this time to
make an estimate as to the loss.
The church building proper was
erected in 1SS1-'S2. 1t cost a little
more than $4,000. Walls of the
building were practically undamaged.
Most of the value of the church
property was in decorations, paintings
and furnishings. including the pipe
organ. The extent of this damage is
speculative.
Insurance Covers Loss.
1t was reported that insurance suf-
ficient to cover the entire loss was
carried by the church.
The furniture in the church was not
badly damaged. tho the altar was
badly disco!ored by smoke and water.
The communion service and the altar
linens were removed by the staff, be-
fore they were damaged.
From the veStry, the veStment5 OF
the priests were also removed.
1t was said that the attic of the
building was jammed with trash and
rubbish.
A funeral had been held in the
fContiuueh on Page SIX