The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-11
TAILOR BURNED OUT
A. j. TREAT SUFFERS HEAVY DAM
AGE BY FIRE AND WATER.
Point to Incendiarism-
Grocery and Residence Burned
in West indianapolis.

An attempt was made last night, about
9:30 o'clock, to burn the When Block, v.lic.i
resulted in almost the complete destruction
of the stock of A. J. Treat, merchant tailor,
and, but for the efficient work of the fire
department., the entire block would have
gone up in flames. As it was, the fire vas
entirely confined to the room occupied by
A. ]. Treat. He carried a stock of 100000,
with $4,000 insurance and what escaped
the flames was ruined either by smoke or
water. The building was being repaired ard
the Offices above were all unoccupied,
thereby saving a greater loss. Smoke filed
the entire block. pouring out at the top,
as though the flames We're throughout the
building.
There is no doubt but that the fire vas
o incendiary origin. The first fireman who
started into the rear of the burning build
ing, found the rear basement door broken
open and the basement full of fire and
smoke. About the same time, fire was dis
covered on the first floor, and some tine
la.ef, flames suddenly appeared on he
fourth or top floor, and the firemen who
went up lnere assert that when they first
reached that part of the building there
we-e two snail fires. about ten feet :.part,
burning in the middle Of the floor. There
We're, consequently, fires in the basement,
nrst and fourth floors, while there were no
flames on the second and third floors until
the tire had burned into them from the
other floors. The firemen also claim that
Ine odor of coal oil was present when they
flrst entered the building.
The fire had considerable start before it
was discovered. The first intimation of
names was when the engineer in the engine
room of the When clothing store was
aroused by the thick smoke which came
from the basement of the adjoining room.
he Immediately gave the alarm, and soon
after the arrival of the department a second
alarm was sent In. Smoke was issuing from
the basement windows in the rear in great
With it, eoi Ann atta ana w sas m poom b wa5 f fi1ed
and rear, one company breaking the g.ass
in the front door and going through the
then in the rear of the room, but was only
smoldering, and it was with some diff
pany pulled up the iron gratings in the rear
of the building. The rear windows We're
broken open and two lines were quickly
taken in that way. The smoke was so dense
that 1t was an impossibility for the firemen
to remain within for any length of time.
While the fire in the basement was raging
some one in the rear of the building saw a
tongue of flame shoot from a window away
up on the fourth floor. Ladders were at
once procured and a number of firemen
went up with a chemical line and found
that floor eb.aze.
BY that time the fire had burned into tie
second floor, and It was soon a mass of
flames. For a time 1t looked As thot4.;h it
would be impossible to save the flock. Lad
ders were quickly placed at ne rear second
story windows and several streams were
directed into the building from that rlarter.
The flames went uD the south wall along
The firemen fought inside she building and
from the roofs of the adjoining killings,
For the most part, the flames were con-
fined TO the rear of the building. except in
the basement where the fire seemed IL have
The stock on the north side of the room
and toward the front was unframed, except
by the smoke. That part in the rear, how
nNyaT TlC hlIrnn6 q nj W. aEad and &c
entirely ruined. p
Street-car traffic to the northeast portion
of the city was tied up for an hour or SO.
An immense crowd gathered at the scene
shortly after the alarm, but the police, I'M
~, and ropes were stretched, keeping the
crowd on the opposite side OF the street
from the fire.
The loss to A. J.. Treats stock will reach
fully so per cent. of its value. Except for a
small portion, that which escaped the flames
was thoroughly soaked with black, dirty
water from the floor above. The insurance
will probably cover the loss. The stock in
the When store is damaged somewhat by
room was filled with smoke. and later, when
water was thrown on the fire in the upper
floors. it began to drip through and satur-
ated a great deal of the stock in the chill
dren's department on the south side of the
room. The balance of the stock was dam
aged only by smoke. 1t was impossible TO
estimate the loss last night.
Grocery and Residence burned.
Increased gas pressure after midnight
was responsible for another disastrous fire
in West Indianapolis last night. About 12:30
the fire department of that town was called
to the corner of Lynn avenue and York
street. The two-story residence Of J. w.
Snowdon was on fire. 1t was a very lively
blaze, for the fire evidently had been burn
ing for some time when discovered, and
had a good Roadway when the department
arrived. 1t looked from the courthouse tow
er as if it were a big fire, so several COM
panies from this city were sent across the
river. From the residence the fire spread
to the grocery store of William l.. Brown,
on Lynn avenue. Both buildings were near
ly completely destroyed. Mr.. Snowden was
able to save but a portion Of his household
effects. A part of the grocery stock was
carried by ~neighbors to a place of safety.
Fortunately, the departments prevented the
blaze from spreading to either buildings. 1t
was impossible last night to get an accu-
rate estimate of the loss, which was rough
ly estimated at $1,000, partially insured.