EMILE E. KAHN

 

Emile E. Kahn.  As a boy and man Emile E. Kahn has witnessed and participated in the life and affairs of the San Francisco Bay District for over half a century.  He has been a merchant, banker and for twenty years in the real estate business, and has been liberal of his time and means in supporting objects and movements for the social betterments and the cultural side of civic life.  Particularly has been a figure in the musical affairs of San Francisco.

 

     He was born in France, May 17, 1864.  His father, Maurice Kahn was also born in France, where the family had lived for generations.  Maurice Kahn was in the blooded stock business in France until the War of 1870 ruined him financially.  Leaving his wife and three children in Paris he came to California to start anew.  After one year's work he had accumulated enough money to send for his family.  As he was an exceedingly proud man he saw that they traveled first class. During his first year of toil in San Francisco he spent only 50 cents outside of bare necessities for himself.  This expenditure was made on the day of the arrival of his family, 25 cents going for a shave and a like amount for a pair of socks.  Maurice Kahn for many years was successfully identified with the grain business in San Francisco.  He died June 16, 1919, at the age of eighty-three, one of the highly esteemed pioneers of the city.  His wife was Helene Bland, also a native of France, and she now resides at San Francisco.

 

    Emile E. Kahn received his primary education in the Lecreux College at Paris, France, and was eight years of age when the family came to America.  He arrived at San Francisco, May 17, 1872, and recalls that the temporary quarters chosen by his father were at the Grand Hotel.  His first meal in the city was at the Maison Dore on Kearney Street.  He has many interesting reminiscences of the older city.  He recalls when the construction of the Palace Hotel was started, hearing many men express themselves upon the absurdity of putting up a seven-story building.  He was one of the crowd that saw the first Clay Street cable car go up the hill without horses.  He often saw and talked with the notorious agitator Dennis Kearney, who was a teamster in the employ of Maurice Kahn, and who was the leader in the movement known as Kearneyism in California. 

 

     On coming to San Francisco, Mr. Kahn resumed his studies in the public schools.  It was his ambition to become a physician, but advantages to this end were denied him.  As a youth he became an accountant at San Leandro, and in 1879 removed to Winters in Yolo County, where for a number of years he was engaged in the mercantile business, banking and farming. Mr. Kahn on returning to San Francisco in 1892 engaged in the grain business, but since 1904 has been conducting a general real estate, rental and insurance business. He has handled an immense amount of property all over the state, and many transactions that have gained publicity have gone through his offices. Mr. Kahn is a former vice president of the San Francisco Real Estate Board, and is now vice president of the California Real Estate Association.

 

     Mr. Kahn was vice president of the United States National Bank, which eventually merged with the Merchants National Bank. For a number of years he has been president of the Hebrew Home for the Aged and Disabled and has been one of its directors for twenty-five years.  He is a former director of the San Francisco Commercial Club and former president of the Cercle Francais.  A republican he has taken an active interest in politics, though never a seeker for public preferment.  He attends the Jewish church.  Mr. Kahn has one brother living, Albert, a retired stationer of San Francisco, and one sister, Miss Marie.

 

     Since youth he has made music his chief hobby and recreation, and has won a prominent place in the musical affairs of California.  He plays all band instruments and during the war with Spain he was a member of the Musical Corps of the National Guard of California at San Francisco.  He plays the clarinet and fuegel horn with the Sciots Band.  In 1895 he picked up twenty boys on the street and organized the Columbia Park Boys' Club Band, buying the instruments for them and teaching many of them how to play.  Some of these have since become leading musicians and others are responsible figures in local business. Mr. Kahn has always been a patron of musical reviews and was one of the sponsors that brought the Chicago Opera Company to San Francisco. He is a member of the Musicians Club and is affiliated with the San Francisco bodies of Scottish Rite Masonry, and Islam Temple of the Mystic Shrine.