The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-09
Blaze Started from Spontaneous Com
bustiOn I'm Trash Box and Spread
with Startling Rapidfty.
OCCUPANTS OF ROOMS ESCAPE
WOMEN ON VERGE OF HYSTERIA
AND MEN EQUALLY FRIGHTENED.
Estimate Of Damage Varies from $2O,.
900 to $4O,OOO-Amusing Incl
dents While Firemen Worked.

From spontaneous combustion in a trash
box a fire started in the drapery and carpet
store of Adolf Schleicher & Co., at IS to %
North Meridian street, at IL o'clock last
night, that resulted in an almost complete
loss. estimated by persons connected with
the firm at $4,000 covered by insurance
The entire store had just been restocked
and the interior papered and improved Mr..
Schleicher went to Chicago last Saturday
to buy a new line Of goods, but was notified
last night by telegraph and will return
home to-day.
The fire originated from q box In the wall
paper department containing a quantity of
waste material, and a peculiar thing about
the fire was that 1t was not seen until the
entire interior of the building was af1ame.
Two explosions, which were heard by the
people living in the apartments above the
storeroom, gave the first warning. Mr..
Johnson, one of the occupants Of the rooms
over the store, said that he heard two dis
tinct reports like the noise made by a muf-
fed cannon, and looked out of the window
just in time to see one Of the panes of
plate glass in the show windows fall in a
shattered mass on the sidewalk After the
window broke volumes of smoke rolled out
of the opening and Johnson rushed to the
nearest box and turned in the alarm.
MASS OF FLAMES.
The fire department made a remarkably
quick run. but the draperies that were hung
on the walls and ceiling of the store lay
in charred masses on the floor, and the
stock on the shelves had been ruined be-
fore the firemen arrived on the scene. They
soon had the fire under control, but the
of he cfn hot
by fire was ruined by water. The doors of
the building were knocked open and the
firemen with their hose went into what
seemed viritible bakeoven. In fifteen
minutes after the first water was thrown
the fire in the building was practically out,
but the entire contents were destroyed
On account of Mr.. Schleicher being in
Chicago. an exact estimate of the loss was
impossible. but insurance men place the
loss in the neighborhood Of $4,000. The
insurance is carried by the local agencies.
$4,000 in the Joseph w. Selvage agency, of
which $1,000 is in the Sun Insurance of Lon
don; $4,000 in the Providence, Washington,
and $1,000 in the American Central. The
F. X. Sawyer agency carries 5000, 81, 500
each in the American of Newark and the
Security of New Haven; s., 900 In the Greg
ory & Appel agency. 81 600 each In the New
Hampshire Fire and the Citizens of ST.
Louis 1t is also understood that the Spann
agency carries some of the risk.
ESCAPE FROM UPPER FLOORS.
The occupants Of the rooms above the
storeroom made their escape in neglige at
tire One woman came rushing down the
stairs In her bare feet carrying a huge
parrot cage in one hand and her hat In the
other. The parrot. seemingly unaware OF
the cause of the excitement, cried Polly
wants a cracker until a spray of water
from one OF the water mains struck him.
when he became exceedingly quiet An
other woman in her excitement grabbed a
loaf OF bread and succeeded in saving IL
from the flames. All the female occupants
of the building were crying and the men
for time seemed equally excited. No
damage was done to the second story OF
the building and outside of a slight in
convenience from the smoke the roomers
were as well OF as before the fire.
The loss TO the building. which Is owned
by Sharp & Boice. il estimated at 5000.
and is covered by insurance. The dre last