The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-22
Mr.. Kahn is Amply Protected by In
surance, However, as Me Car
ries $I25,0O0 ON stock.
BLAZE ALSO AT THE WHEN
SIGNIFICANT COINCIDENCE, AT
LEAST, IN THE TWO FIRES.
Between the Two the Fire Depart
ment Had N Lively Tfme-Haerle's
stock Also Damaged.

Two of the biggest clothing stores in the
city were on fire at the same time this
morning and for half an hour the depart
ment worked desperately. apprehensive OF
disastrous results. At 3:l5 an alarm from
Box As. at Meridian and Washington streets.
sent tie firemen on the doublequick to the
Kahn Tailoring Company's big building
at the northwest corner OF Meridian and
Washington streets. Flames were shoot
ing from the basement and great clouds OF
smoke were rolling from every outlet.
Five minutes later a still alarm was
turned in and the When store, on Penn
sylvania street. was discovered to be on
fire. Practically the full strength of the
department was called to deal with the
fires and it took thirty minutes to remove
all possibility of danger
Both fires were of decidedly suspicious ma
ture and firemen and policemen expressed
the opinion that an incendiary might n
been at work The fires broke out at al
the same time and the circumstances
each were very similar. Thanks to effec(
tive work on the part of the fire lads botnV
building were saved with small damage.
althorsh the stock in each. particularly in
the Kahn store. was badly damaged.
BIG CROWD COLLECTED.
Although at an hour of the morning when
few people are about the news that two OF
the big stores of the city menaced by
fire brought out large crowds who anxious
ly watched the firemen at their work. At
both places the men were nearly blinded by
the center of the fire and get the hose
placed to advantage. The fire at the Kahn
store was in the basement and at the When
it was on the second and third floors.
Although II is impossible to state even
approximately the loss at either place, IL
is known that the smoke and water caused
much damage.
Henry Kahn. of the Kahn Tailoring Com
pany, said this morning that his stock Of
900 to $4,000 including clothing. woolens,
bales of goods and other incidentals. He
said the damage would undoubtedly be
very heavy and might reach $4,000 or soo.-
0oO Every room In the building was filled
with dense smoke. which must have
saturated completely the stock
less. The rooms on the lower floor. oc-
cupied by the When Clothing Company.
were little damaged and II is not believed
that the stock suffered to any extent. The
Office rooms on the second and third floors
were badly damaged. A rough estimate of
the loss at the When building is 5000.
The fire department was praised highly
by Mr.. Kahn for it's quick. effective work
at his store. Good service was performed
also at the When building under difficult
conditions.
IN THE KAHN STORE
The fire in the Kahn tailoring establish-
ment was discovered at 3:25 o'clock by
Patrolmen Sandman and Pope. OF district
No. 5. who saw smoke pouring from the
basement windows and from some OF the
windows on the upper floors OF the build
ing. They pulled Box IS and the entire de-
partment responded promptly.
The fire had originated in the basement
and as result of the effective work OF
the department it was confined To that
portion of the building. The flames did not
get through the first floor. but great clouds
of heavy smoke penetrated every part of
the building and the damage 10 the stock
will be almost entirely due TO smoke. The
greater part of the stock carried IN the
building was of woolens. stun that il
especially susceptible to damage from
smoke. The basement Is given over to rhe
storing Of trimmings. boxes. etc. the first
floor is the salesroom where the greater
part of the stock was displayed: the second
floor is devoted TO the Offices and the de-
livery department: the third 20 the shipping
department and the fourth 20 the cutters.
Mr.. Henry Kahn the president OF the
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