The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-11-16
IMMENSE FIRE
THIS AFTERNOON
One of McIyer & Mackay.s Ware
houses Destroyed and All Neigh
boring buildings in Danger

soon the f1remen reached the blaze
and the hose was laid. Chief Chambers
sent the wagons back to the station
I for all of the remaining hose and
| connections were made from both
openings in the TWO nearest hydrants
and had four streams besides the
! chemical and several small streams
from private sources were soon play
ing on the flames.
/ The fire originated in the big two
story. frame iron covered roof and
side warehouse. which is next to and
only about thirty feet from their brick
| warehouse. This building was pack
ed on both floors with infamma BILE
| furniture that was all abla7e in a few
minutes and was a veritable inferno
of heat. The warehouse behind this
one soon caught fire. It was also two
stories and packed with inf1ammable
goods. 1t took only a glance TO see
! that these two houses would soon be
entirely consumed, and there was not
! time TO save or even attempt to save
any of their contents: in fact. the fire
meH could never get inside of them
| The entire attention Of the depart
ment was turned towards keeping the
walls Of the adjoining buildin gs-on
| the south the huge three-story cor
rugated iron building occupied by Mr..
| +. g Smith and others: on the east.
the big two-story brick building of
McIver * NacKay's, filled with goods,
! and on the west. the big wooden sheds
| of McIver & MacKay Each of these
| buildings was on fire at some time
and ii was only by the most strenuous
efforts that they could be kept from
! bursting into flames.
The roof and wood work of the
brick building caught and smouldered
many times and little spurts of flame
| burst out. The wooden portion of the
sky1ight three stories high, was all
! in flames at one time. Finally a num-
Der Of men got TO this roof with great
difficulty, a rope was thrown to them
and a section of hose drawn up.
| \ cottage. diagonally across the
! street from the fire. required constant
attention TO keep it from ign ting.
The stiff breeze from the northeast
fortunately blew the flames away from
the brick warehouse and enabled the
firemen to make better fight. but so
/ intense was the heat that one could
| easily see that building would not have
withstood a half minute of wind
from the other direction.
Every one knew that, if the brick
warehouse or the big three-story iron
ones should burn, the entire block.
| one of the most valuable in the city,
would go up in a few minutes and
| there was no assurance that the fire
could be checked and half the bust
ness portion of the city was in dan
ger
! Paid firemen, many of the old vol
! unteers, scores and scores of citizens
! worked themselves to the verge of eX-
! haustion to save their own and other
peoples property and but for the aid
of the citizens the small paid depart
ment, although they worked until they
| were ready to drop. half drowned and
bIa ckened by too close contact with
smoke and flame, could never have
handled the situation and saved the
other property. Their numbers were
too small and equipment too meagre.
Chief Hamp Chambers was most ably
assisted by former volunteer Chief Ed
Carmichael. who jumped in as in days
| of old and rendered valuable assist
ance and advice
! The water pressure was weak. but
seemed to grow stronger as the fire
i progressed. The pumps at the water
works were set in motion as soon as
the fire broke out and the tank kept
filled, which helped the pressure out.
There was a lack of hose and the de-
partment could have used 500 feet in
addition to what they had with great
| advantage. They needed more he'll
NETS. as there were not enough for
the volunteers, who were working so
close to the fire. One man was seen
with a water bucket over his head and
there will be dozens of red and Bills
tered faces and noses tonight. The
department needed new extension
ladder badly.
Many electric light and telephone
wires were burned in two and the
current was cut off in that section by
Supt. Caldwell to remove the danger
from live wires
The situation was certainly handled
we'll by Chief Chambers. his men and
their able lieutenants. the volunteer
citizens. Many a good suk Of clothes
was ruined with never a thought from
the owner. There was not time to ask
or think what caused the fire The
loss will be very severe, though COW
cred by insurance. It is purely guess
work on the reporters part. but the
fire must have caused a loss in build
ing and contents Of at least $4,000.
Several people were slightly injur-
ed while lighting the fire and Mr.. San
Pyles. Jr. was severely hurt, being
unconscious for a short time. \ ply
stefan was summoned from the crowd
and he was given immediate attention
Mr.. PyIes was badly bruised by ar
ugly fall and overcome with the heat
It is not thought that he will be Iona
in recovering entirely.
The property owners in the block
, that was endangered. and especially
Messrs. McIver & NacKay. are deeply
grateful TO the citi-ens Of Ocala fol
. their valiant work at the FIRE. which
if it did no more. saved that entire
block from destruction.
The entire population Of The city. il
seemed. was gathered around the fire
and the greatest excitement prevailed