The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-02-18
MUCH DAMAGE WAS DONE
BY THE FIRE THIS MORNING
George MacKay and Company Have the Greatest
Loss; Other firms Also Suffered Heavily


A black, gray and red mass Of
smouIdering ruins marks today where
one of the finest stores in Florida
stood, on North Magnolia street yes
terday, and -fre-scarred and smoke
daubed buildings around it are proof
of how desperate a fight was waged
to check confagration that for an
hour or two threatened to burn the
business heart out of Ocala-
About Ais this morning an alarm
called the fire department to the
stores and warehouses of George
MacKay & Company on North Mag
nolia street. When it arrived, the
interior of the furniture department
was a raging furnace. Chief Ray
mond saw at once that he and his
helpers could not save the store, and
Immediately bent every effort to pre-
vent the fire spreading, in which,
after a long, fierce battle they sue
ceeded, but not until MacKay's main
building and one warehouse were en-
tirely destroyed, and the adjoining
buildings were greatly damaged.
The loss amounts to nearly $780,
. 900, the main brunt of which falls on
MacKay & Company, whose loss is
at least a quarter of a million. Their
big double store for furniture and
hardware, stock and all, is clean
swept, as is also their undertaking
establishment and chapel, Georgs
MacKay's architects Office and the
warehouse adjoining
To the north, the auto tire and re.
pair shop of J. G. Long is also burned
out. To the south, Mrs. ]. E. Chace's
building and the drygoods store Of
Parker & Guynn, which was in it, tho
saved, was badly damaged. The mex
building, belonging to Mrs. c. E
Powell, is damaged some, more b!
the water that saved it than the fir
that threatened it. Theus Bros, fur
niture, Franks, drygoods, and Will
iams' newsstand, to the south, AM
Fishel Bros, drygoods, Georg'
Greene, druggist, and T. A. Blake
photographer, have lost good dea
by hasty removal of their stocks. /
is estimated that at least half tn
damage, maybe more, is covered b,
insurance.
The fire is believed to have beel
caused by fouled electric light wir'
and started in MacKay's furnitur
department. 1t must have shoulder
ed for several hours and when it di
break out it was almost like an eX
plosion. 1t was impossible to keeI
-- the fire from the warehouse right i
the rear of the store, and when tn
: blaze once entered this building
went right thru it to the chapel fac
ing on Washington street.
Policeman Morgan and a colore
taxi driver were talking at the Mas
tiers corner about 4:10 when the
smelled smoke. They started in OF
posite directions to hunt the caus'
The colored man located the fire an
at once sent in the alarm, which tn
department responded to in lightnin
time.
The fire fighters saw at once ths
they would need more help and ser
to the station for the bell to be run
for the fifth ward and had cars RI
all over town shouting fire. Centr
also helped by ringing phone aft'
phone and asking the men to con
and help.
and help. Calls for help were al
sent to Gainesville and Leesburg.
= In few minutes hundreds and so'
thousands of people were on Il
scene, the more able-bodied men figh
ing the fire; others, with women al
even children, helping to carry goo'
and furniture out of the threaten,
business establishments. So zealou
ly did they work at this that in
comparatively short time nearly &
the stores were emptied of their CO
tents, which were piled on the cour
house and postoffice squares.
There was certainly noble wo
done; not only in labor but in ris
However, the only accident was t
fall of Mr. Arch Shealy. He was
on one of the second story platforr
cutting away some wood work tn
would spread the fire when his pls
form was burned from under him.
fell into some tangled timbers, I