Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-01-12
KAHN FIRE LOSS
RAISED TOS3QO,OD)
Water and Smoke Damage in
Adjoining Buildings In
crease Estimates.

Revised estimates of the spectacu
lar and disastrous fire which swept
the fve-story warehouse Of S. Kann
Sons Company at the north
east corner of Eighth and D streets
Saturday night were placed at $780,
600 today by the fire marshal. it was
announced by George S. watson, fire
chief.
The original estimate of s225, 900,
Mr.. Watson said, included only the
value of the warehouse and its con-
tents. which were completely de-
stroyed. This figure was swelled by
$4,000, however, the result of
damage done to adjoining buildings
by smoke and water and the flood in
the basement of the department store
opposite the warehouse.
Fire apparatus was called to the
smoldering remains of the warehouse
at $50 o'clock this morning to ex-
tinguish a small blaze that broke out
in the water-soaked debris on the
fifth floor.
The remains of the warehouse
coated with ice presented a wierd
picture today. A seething volcano of
fire Saturday night. the building now
In complete ruins, only the four
brick walls and the iron columns
still standing. A twisted mass OF
pipes and scared boards rests across
the remaining heavy wooden beams,
while the ashes and debris of what
was SITS, 600 worth of merchandise
is piled high on the ground floor.
Plainly discernible from the street,
two American flags. untouched by the
furnace of fire, lie in the twisted pipe
and timbers on the third floor of the
building. How these flags, one of
which is unfurled. escaped the ravages
~ hA Ava fc tnr n
Praise for Firemen.
Fire Chief Watson was literally
showered today with words of praise
from business E.en and other. citiz Ems
for the effective work OF theNfir emea
in keeping the confagration from
spreading to adjoining buildings. The
chief has asked the Commissioners to
issue a special commentator to every
irefghter who took part in what he
described as the most dangerous Are
in my experience" TT was the most
wonderful demonstration of fire fight
ing ever seen in Washington" de-
clared Chief Watson.
Checking up on the apparatus at the
fire, Chief Watson learned that 81
pieces were on the scene, including Sc
engines, IS trucks, fuel wagons, the
rescue wagon, the water towers and
the CHEERS machine, leaving only d
truck companies to protect rest Of the
city.
The general alarm, which brought out
virtually every piece Of firenghting ap-
paratus in the city, was the first since
1897, when fire wiped out the old Capt.
tai Traction Car Co. barn on the site
where now stands the District Building
Chief Watson did not strike the gen.
eral alarm through the box, he said. but
called headquarters on the telephone
and ordered out all remaining appara-
tus except the three truck companies
Effective use of a water curtain,
according to the fire chief, prevented
the flames from jumping across the
street, preventing the blaze from
igniting the department store. The
water curtain" he said; kept the
walls of the building cool 1t was
provided by streams from 20 lines.
Just as long as the walls remained
intact, he explained, the flames could
be kept within the building.
Water, knee deep, which had come
into the basement of the department
store through a conduit connecting
in with the warehouse, was pumped
out yesterday afternoon by the Are
men after much difficulty. The de-
partment store opened today with
out any interruption to business, ex-
cept in the book department in the
basement.