Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-05-25
Soldiers Turned Tide That
Was Carrying ConfJagratlop

Georgia field hospital established emer-
Ceucv hospital stations on Ponce de
Leon avenue at both Durant place and
Kcuuesaw avenue. and At dusk Joined
the other troops in patrolling the burn
ed district
Under the command OF Colonel Charles
Moves. senior officer or the Seventeenth
regiment. and. Major w. II. Leahy. COM
mander Of the Lakewood battalion Of the
Fifth Georgia. the soldiers were organ
lied into bucket squads. were posted as
pickets. and assigned TO aid the ire
men IN dragging hose 10 threatened To-
Cslities and i'm dNnamiting buildings
that stood in the path Of the flames.
SOLDIERS SHOW METHOD.
Immediately on the arrival of sol
diers the fight against the IRE PECAN
10 show greater method and logged
ness Assisted by city and county po-
lice. the pickets stationed with gun and
b5yonet Al every corner. kept back the
curious crowds and directed vehicles
from the fire zone
The flames. driven by the wind. were
jumping blocks al 4 time. suddenly
sprinEiuE up In new areas before fire.
men had yimc 10 bring water Ia bear on
the bufuing roofs
Immediately the bucket squads. COM
posed CHIEFLY of men from the officers
reserve camp. met this situation. They
scattered with buckets through adJoin-
iu- streets. groups s4igned 10 each
house that seemed in danger. and at the
first shoulder from a vagrant sparb
went scurryinE over the tops of houses
10 douse the fire.
Near Ponce de Leon avenue, soldiers
were stationed on the roof. These aerial
squads were prepared to deal with any
spark that threatened danger in their
direction.
Wherever iremen went, there went
yhe khaki-ciad boys. Juggling the heavy
hose straight into the blistering fire.
On Ponce dc Leon avenue above Jack
son street there was danger from dyns-
mite. For awhile no one seemed TO
know lust where the deadly stuff had
been placed. But to withdraw was to
leave the fire unchecked. so the men of
the reserve camp stuck TO their posts.
ALL DID THEIR DUTY.
They weren't certain that the ground
wouldn't heave up beneath their feet
at any moment. But they stayed.
There isn't soldier of them all
national guard. regulars and training
camp men-whO didn't do his tull uutH
and something besides.
marched the whole distance to town,
marched ont to the fire district. pushed
into the heart OF the danger and were
stiil on dUty late al night.
Through them and the national
.-uardsmen. property piled in the streets
: was safeguarded. empty homes were
protected. and Atlanta was made safe IN
Snite of the catastrophe.
Assisting the work of the soldiers
were Red Cross supply depots a. the
Big Bethel church. the auditorium-arm-
ory and the negro odd Fellows hall
From these points coffee and sandwiches
were sent TO the men I'm the fire zone
This work was under a large committee
Of citizens headed by Judge f. {. hontl
and Harry Goodhart.
Under the direction of Lieutenant
Johnson 5000 people were fed Monday
night from the kitchens of the Fifth
regiment al the armory.
Aiding the soldiers i'm the struggle tc
check the fire were students from The
c. NJ a under the command of Lieuten-
ant o. O. Ellis. L. $. 4.