The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-18
EXPLOSION AND FIRE
ON MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE.
Loss to Building and Stocks of
Goods the First Floor
VIII Reach $4,000.
D. I. KIDD THE HEAVY LOSER
HE OWNS THE INDIANA WALL
PAPER COMPANY.
An Unknown Man Seen to Leave
the Building-Inmates of the
Flat Frightened.

An oversupply of gas in the cellar of the
Alameda flats, Nos. 442, 444 and 446 Massa-
chusetts avenue, caused fire last night at
10 o'clock and a loss to the building and
stock in the three stores on the first floor
amounting to $4,000. The fire was mainly
under the rooms Of the Indiana Wall Pa
per Company, owned by d. ]. Kidd The
loss to this place was total and is esti-
mated at $1,000. In the sewing machine
store owned by ]. Thompson, at No. IA,
the damage was mainly by water and
smoke, although the fire burned away part
of the wooden partitions in the cellar. In
the hat store of Isaac Pulaski. at No. 446,
the damage was by smoke and will proba-
bly, reach $1,000.
The fire was caused by accumulation
of gas in the cellar, which ignited from
gas jet in an upper room A terrific explo-
sion followed, which tore out the entire
front of the Indiana Wall Paper Companys
store. The interior of the store was also
wrecked. The force of the explosion was
so great that 1t was heard for many blocks
and buildings in the same square were
shaken. Small bits of glass were thrown
all over the street, as were pieces OF wall
paper, and the frames on which samples
were exposed in the show window The
large window sash holding the big plate
glass window was thrown across the street.
Fortunately no one was hurt.
What caused the gas leakage has not
been fully accounted for. II. G. Sharpless,
proprietor of livery stable on Michigan
street, near New Jersey, was assisting in
washing a buggy when the rear door of his
barn was thrown open by the force Of the
explosion. The door was thrown back
against the wall with great force. Sharpless
ran to the opening and saw medium-sized
man partially dressed come staggering
through the small court from the rear Of
the wall paper store. Sharpless stepped
back from the door and the stranger, ap-
parently ignorant that Sharpless was near,
fell through the door. Sharpless ran to his
assistance, but the stranger arose quickly
without aid. Sharpless asked the stranger
several times for his name and what caused
the explosion, but he would not answer.
Suddenly he turned on Sharpless, uttered
an oath and walked from the stable out on
Michigan street, where he went west.
TURNED IN AN ALARM.
Sharpless thought nothing more of the in
cident until he saw flames shooting from
the rear of the wall paper store. He tele-
phoned to the fire department. AS Captain
Hunt, of headquarters, was answering the
STILL an alarm from Box s, corner of
New Jersey street and Massachusetts ave-
nue., had been pulled. When the chemical
from headquarters arrived at the place the
whole street in front of the building was
covered with broken glass and huge flames
were shooting from the cellar openings.
The firemen had great difficulty in fight
ing the fire. In the cellar under the wall
paper store were stored three carloads of
wall paper, and when this became ignited
it caused so much smoke that the firemen
building. Chief Coots ordered several lines
of hose through the livery stable in the
rear, and also sent several through the
front opening. In this way he flooded the
cellar and quenched the flames.
Above the store rooms were living apart
ments. But one family was at home at the
time of the fire, and the members had just
retired. They were aroused by the noise
of the explosion and the rocking OF the
building. They hurried from their rooms,
and after getting a few clothes together
found that the halls were densely filled
with smoke. In cropping through the halls
they were met by several firemen, who
assisted them TO the ground.
Mr.. Thompson, proprietor of the sewing
fire was discovered. When Mr.. Sharpless
described the strange man to him he was
unable to understand who he was. 1t was
at first thought that a burglar had at
tempted to blow the safe in the office of the
wall paper store, but after the smoke had
cleared away the safe was found intact.
Mr.. Kidd could not be located last night.
and liz is not known who the stranger is
that in his place at the time of the
explosion. Mr.. Sharpless is of opinion that
the man was evidently badly injured when
he fell through the door.
The Alameda flats are owned by Henry
NJ Talbot. The building is insured. The
loss TO the building is estimated at $500.
three stores.