The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-18
FIRE AT NOVELTY
Origin of Early Morning Blaze
Is Not Known.
Much Stage Property and Ac-
tors Clothing Burned.
LOSS ESTIMATED AT $4,000
Auditor Schober Says Cigaret
Might Be the Cause.
Vaudeville Acts VIII Be Trans
ferred to Grand Theater.

Fire, of which the origin has not
been definitely established. destroyed
the scenery, stage properties, and
much actors clothing and parapher-
MALTA in the Novelty theater at Eighth
avenue and Quincy street at o'clock
this morning.
Mr.. and Mrs. F. w. Mills were res
cued from their apartment over the
front ofsthe theater. by firemen with
ladders, when they were almost over
come by smoke. The flames did not
reach their apartment, but the heavy
smoke prevented them from escaping
when Mrs. Mills woke and discovered
that the place was on fire. The only
damage in their apartment was caused
by smoke. Neither Mr.. or Mrs. Mills
viii suffer as result of the smoke.
Damage Estimated at $4,000.
T damage can be estimated only
roughly, but is placed at at least S1O.-
600. 1t includes all the drop cur
tains, scenery and equipment on the
stage, and all the stage property and
clothing of the five acts of vaudeville
playing their last days engagement
at the Novelty today. The only dam
age to the building itself was the
burning of the stage floor, which will
have to be entirely replaced
The basement under the stage was
filled with water to a depth of three
1eet, running the clothing in the dress
ing rooms there. All property left by
the actors in their dressing rooms un-
DER the stage was practically de-
stroyed, and none of it was insured.
To Show Pictures at Novelty.
It was announced this afternoon by
A. ]. Schober, auditor for the Craw-
ford theater interests here, that COM
menc1ng Thursday of the coming
week the regular vaudeville bill that
was to have been given at the Novelty
theater will represented at the Grand
theater will be presented at the Grand
Rough Diamond" featuring Tom Mix
in an entirely different role than he
mas ever been attempted by the star,
VIII be shown at the Novelty theater.
This change is made by reason of
the fact that this mornings fire was
confined entirely to stage and dressing
room portion of the theater. The
auditorium was untouched by the fire
and unharmed by either smoke or
water. Until the stage and dressing
rooms can be repaired and until the
scenery lofts can be repaired and new
scenery obtained, this new arrange
ment will be continued. according to
Mr.. Schober's announcement.
Owned by Amusement Co.
The building is owned by the Peo-
pies Amusement company of Leaven-
worth, of which w. w. Hooper is
president. When notified this morn
ing by phone of the fire, It was stated
that man would be sent to Topeka
from the Leavenworth office Sunday.
There is carried on the building
$4,000 insurance with the Shawnee
Investment company, of Topeka, and
$4,000 on the contents.
Adjustment on the loss will be Sc
cured early next week, Freeman Bell
of the Shawnee Investment company
stated this afternoon. I'VE will have
to wait till w. W. Hooper, of Leaven-
worth, arrives in Topeka" Bell said
The building was leased by the
Amusement Syndicate company, of To-
peka, L. NJ. and Roy Crawford. None
of the seats or anything in the main
auditorium of the theater was dam
aged, except by smoke, altho there
was no asbestos curtain in the pro-
scenium
H. w. Wright Discovers Fire.
The fire was discovered at 4:45
o'clock this morning, when H. w.
Wright, living in Quincy street
apartment separated from the theater
only by an alley. heard the booms
supporting the drop curtains over the
stage falling as the ropes burned thru.
Wright turned in an alarm, which was
Immediately followed by an alarm
from the Mills apartment, where Mr..
and Mrs. Mills were caught in smoke
trap.
The last man to leave the theater
Friday night, A. J. Schober, auditor,
said, was the property man, Charles
Brown, who was repairing trunks in
the basement in which the fire started,
locking up and leaving the building,
on his own statment, at 1885 o'clock.
Everything was in good shape when
Brown left the building, he declared
this morning.
Schober believes that a cigaret or
cigar. left burning on a shelf in one
of the dressing rooms. started the fire.
May Have Been Cigaret.
In spite of mo smoking signs dis
played on the stage, in the basement,
and in the dressing rooms. it would
have been quite possible for an actor
to smoke without detection and to
leave a cigaret burning in his or her
dressing room, Scober said
THE actors have their own keys to
their dressings rooms. and we do not
go into them" Schober said. The
fire broke thru the floor of the stage
Immediately above dressing room No.
4, at the rear center of the stage.
There were sixteen actors on the
bill at the Novelty the last half of