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VINTAGRAPH • WPA • WWII • YOU MEAN A WOMAN CAN OPEN IT?

Warehouse Fire: 1925

        A spectacular fire that spread with a rapidity that stunned firemen virtually destroyed the five-story warehouse of S. Kann & Sons, at Eighth and D streets northwest, shortly after 7 o'clock last night. Merchandise valued at $175,000 was destroyed by the fire, which raced through the building as though fanned by a giant bellows.
        It is believed that a cigarette was accidentally thrown into a basket of excelsior and that the basket was moved into the packing room from the street. -- Washington Post
January 10, 1925. Washington, D.C. "Fire at S. Kanns warehouse, Eighth and D streets N.W." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

        A spectacular fire that spread with a rapidity that stunned firemen virtually destroyed the five-story warehouse of S. Kann & Sons, at Eighth and D streets northwest, shortly after 7 o'clock last night. Merchandise valued at $175,000 was destroyed by the fire, which raced through the building as though fanned by a giant bellows.
        It is believed that a cigarette was accidentally thrown into a basket of excelsior and that the basket was moved into the packing room from the street.
-- Washington Post

January 10, 1925. Washington, D.C. "Fire at S. Kanns warehouse, Eighth and D streets N.W." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

 

On Shorpy:
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It Survived, And Flourishes!

The building evidently survived as this July 2014 Streetview screenshot seems to show.

The dreaded cigarette-excelsior combination

Replaced by such modern contrivances as scented candles and highly flammable pajamas.

[Let's not forget that other combustible classic, oily rags. - Dave]

The Drama

I happened to be listening to Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 when I opened Shorpy today, I highly recommend it for anyone else viewing this picture.

Excelsior

I had to look that up. I guess it's: "Wood wool, commonly known as excelsior, a wood sliver material used for packaging, for the pads in evaporative coolers, and for other applications."

Not quite destroyed

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