Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1911 — FATAL FIRE IN WICHITA [ARTICLE]

FATAL FIRE IN WICHITA

Fireman and Former Policeman —ose Lives in $500,000 Blaze. Wichita, Kan., Sept. 29. William McFall, a fireman, and R. Johnson, an ex-policeman, are known to be dead, at least two other are believed to be buried under failing walls, and numerous persons are more or less seriously injured as the result of fire of unknown origin which broke out in the north end of the F. G. Smythe building on Mead avenue, causing a property loss to the wholesale warehouse section of Wichita variously estimated from $250,000 to $500,000. - After three hours’ hard work the firemen reported the flames under control, although still raging fiercely. Among the things destroyed by the fire were a warehouse full of broom corn, three carloads of lineoleum, several large quantities of meats and groceries, tons of potatoes, apples and other supplies in ecld storage and a number of threshing machines.