Chapter One - Beginnings
Although there are no existing records of an organized fire fighting unit prior to 1920, it is known that Mr. George E. Sebring bought two hand drawn reels and 800 feet of 2 1/2 inch hose when the water lines were laid in 1913. This equipment was housed in a metal clad frame building on East Center Street where First Federal Savings now has its bank building. Mr. Aaron Withers was designated as the first Fire Chief and, in the event of a fire, everyone in the new town responded as volunteer fire fighters.
Water mains, which were considered adequate at the time, were four inch cast iron on Lakeview Drive from Walnut Street on the north to Kenilworth; on North Commerce to the Circle; around Circle alley; and on Pine from Park Street to East Center. All other water lines were 2 inch or smaller. The water supply of 90 gallons per minute was pumped directly from the two deep wells to the elevated reservoir which was 90 feet high.
Just how long Mr. Withers served as Fire Chief is not a matter of record but evidence does show that, in 1920, Mr. Walter Zackary was Chief and had organized one chemical and two hose crews, several of the members of which were high school boys but the main body were leading businessmen.
Before the days of this organization, there were several major losses (comparatively speaking) the first of which was Cason’s Hotel, just off the Circle on South Commerce in 1914. This was a large two story building of virgin heart pine lumber and it was doomed from the time the fire started.
Next, early in 1915, came the loss of McNeal’s store on Ridgewood one block north of the Circle. When the blaze was discovered at about one o’clock in the morning, it could have been easily handled with a couple good hose streams and a trained crew but, lacking those elements; the fire quickly raced through the 50’ by 150’ frame structure which contained a general line of merchandise including groceries, hardware, grain and hay, all in one large room. The opinion was voiced that the owner was not too sad about the loss. He urged the firemen to spend the water to keep the safe cool and after the fire, he hired watchmen to guard the ruins for several days until he could get someone to open the safe. However, even though the contents were in almost perfect condition (to his great surprise) there was barely enough money in it to pay the watchmen. Maybe the insurance policy was there.
Since the hose lines were of no value more than a few hundred feet from the water mains, the Council decided to buy a "chemical engine." This consisted of two 40 gallon tanks mounted on high wooden wheels with a hose basket on top and was of the soda-acid type. It was housed when delivered, in the building with the hose reels.
When the salesman called the firemen together to instruct them in handling the new equipment, he built a sizable trash fire on the lot adjacent to the station. When it was blazing fiercely, the cart was rolled out and the acid bottles dumped but, for a time, nothing happened; only a very small stream emerged and the pressure was only enough to throw about four or five feet. The salesman ran around wildly, pumped the towing handle up and down and finally worked up a fairly good pressure but by that time, the liquid had been discharged and the fire had burned itself out. The stopper in one acid bottle had failed to release and, altogether, it was a pretty poor demonstration but it was really a good piece of equipment and gave good service until it was replaced by more modern engines.
During his administration, Chief Zackary made every effort to keep the department interested and active by holding practice runs but, aside from laying hose lines on prepared trash fires, no effort was put forth to instruct men in handling real fire situations. These practices were always sources of real fun for the members. To create more interest, the department was divided into three companies and the Chief encouraged rivalry by announcing the time of each team in getting its cart to the scene, laying the line and getting water.
The boys looked forward to these practice runs which almost invariably occurred on Tuesday nights. Although it was the intention of the Chief to stage practices without any previous knowledge by the men, it was never very hard to predict the date and hour of each run.
At that period of the town’s history there was no organized sanitary department but "Old Man Posey", who owned a horse and wagon, was hired by merchants to haul away their waste boxes and packing materials and he was happy to have official permission to pile this waste at a point close in town. There were two such places; one where the First Baptist Church now stands and the other on about the present site of the Ingle home on South Lakeview.
As the piles grew higher, the firemen knew the time of practice was getting close so a Tuesday night watch was set in the Circle. Around eight o’clock, Chief Zackary would come down the stair of his home on the upper floor of a building on the Circle, carrying a one gallon kerosene can and then the men would get set for the dash.
Spencer and Brandon Jones had a truck parked around the corner from the fire station while George Whitehouse had a "go devil" which too, was just out of sight with the engine running and all set to go. When the reflection of the fire showed in the sky, the Chief’s wife would step out on the porch and fire several blasts of a shotgun which was the accepted fire alarm of the day, and the race was on!
The two wheeled carts careened wildly behind the trucks on the unpaved sandy streets and often turned over when a corner was taken too fast. Then there was a time when a wheel came off and the cart rolled end over end across the sidewalk and onto a lawn. There was some justification for thinking that this might have been caused by the opposing team because sometimes such things happened as a cart being securely tied to the frame of the fire house with strong, well knotted ropes or the wheels lashed together. These things never happened except on practice nights.
At the scene of the practice, when the hoses were laid, interest centered on the battle of the nozzle men who stationed themselves on opposite sides of the burning pile and threw their streams at each other.
This condition existed until the fall of 1920 when a more serious effort was made to strengthen the fire defenses. Great stress was laid on reducing the horseplay but it was the firemen themselves, who put an end to tampering with the equipment. It seems that someone got too enthusiastic and, as a result, the Council offered a $25.00 reward for the name of the person who cut the hose.
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In the light of subsequent events, it would be an error to leave the impression that Mr. Sebring donated the hose that he had bought in 1913. As the hose was acquired prior to the formal organization of the new town, the administration had no funds nor did it get any for some months after the election and installation of the mayor and Council (2 July 1913). But the City did assume the obligation of $1,100.00 to the Eureka Fire Hose Co., and for the following several years, the Council hassled with the hose manufacturing company about the payment of the bill.
In August of 1915 the company brought suit to collect and the Council called a special meeting to discuss the matter. The City Attorney was instructed to advise "that there are no minutes in the City’s Book giving authority to purchase said apparatus - ". The Council maintained that the hose was defective and there might have been some good foundation for the claim as it was necessary to buy 1,000 feet of new hose in August of 1917.
An item of $400.00 was set up in the budget for 1917, to be paid on this account but the suit dragged along until July 1917 when the City offered to pay $500.00 down and another $600.00 on April 1st 1918. Apparently this offer was accepted and the case closed.
A diligent search of the minutes of the City Council, has failed to reveal where the two tank, hand drawn chemical engine was purchased or paid for but it is known that it was in service in 1917 to 1920. The minutes of a meeting held on 1 January 1917 show that "Mr. Bobb was asked to look into the price of a chemical engine" but there was no record of any further action.
In the minutes of a Council meeting held May 14, 1920, there is an entry,
"On motion of W. F. Johnson seconded by Thos. Whitehouse that W. B. Zackary be appointed Fire Chief and with instructions to reorganize the City Fire Department at earliest date advisable - Carried."
And, on June 3rd 1920, another entry,
"On motion of E. G. Skiff second by W. F. Johnson that proposition of Prospect Mfg. Co. on Ford equipped Fire Engine Truck be accepted but with the terms changed as follows. 1/3 Mar. 1st 1921. 1/3 Mar. 1st 1922. 1/3 Mar. 1st 1923 at 7% interest and said truck to be equipped with Self Starter - Carried."
There is no indication of the full cost of this truck but the hand drawn chemical engine was traded in as down payment.
Acting on Council’s instructions, the Chief wrote the Underwriters Association and received a handbook detailing proper procedures for forming a volunteer fire company and, on 27 October 1920, a new Fire Department was organized with Zackary as Chief and P. G. Gearing as Secretary-Treasurer. For the next three years, P. G. kept the records of meetings and fire calls in his usual accurate manner, so there is an informative history of that period.
Although P. G. listed the statistical data on the fires, he could not set down the numerous situations that cause some hearty chuckles when recalled to the memories of the old-timers when they read the entries in the old book. For instance; to quote one entry -
"Friday, September 21st, 1923. Fire. Pentecost tent - Lot 8 Block 44 Maple Ave. 10:30 A.M. Chemicals only used. Damage $100.00."
This sounds commonplace enough but the story behind the fire is worth remembering. After the fire was extinguished and everybody had left the scene, a five year old boy ran into a house nearby and told his mother proudly, "Mommy, I done it. I set it on fire." She administered the deserved licking but later laughingly told her neighbor that she had caused it all. A revival had been in progress and, during an evening of an unusual amount of shouting, the mother had said, "I wish that tent would burn down."
Most of the accounts indicate that either the fire was out on arrival of the company or the building was a total loss. On the other side of the story, in practically every case, they also show that the adjacent buildings were saved even though the extinguishing facilities were not adequate.
A few of the entries in this book may be interesting as they show some of the problems of the young but active fire department.
"Fire call Monday June 27th 1921 at 5:25 P.M. Geo. P. Butler building in rear of Dimberline. House burned down - hit by lightning - Telephone crippled 15 minutes before alarm given. Total loss of building & contents estimated at excess of $500.00 by Geo. P. Butler."
"Fire 7 P.M. Saturday February 25th 1922. Mr. W. Walker house on Eucalyptus Ave. - New house completely destroyed cause unknown - twenty minutes before alarm reached company - All companies responded - both reels needed to reach house from main on Lakeview Drive - Building covered by insurance to amount of $4,000.00. Garage saved."
With 800 feet of hose line and a static hydrant pressure of about 40 pounds, it is easily seen that it was rather remarkable that even the garage was saved.
"Monday April 30 1923 1:30 A.M. - E. H. Waters house. Commerce Ave. S. Completely destroyed. All companies & Chemical on hand - 1 stream, hydrant at Commerce & Circle alley. Adjoining house and barn saved. Total loss reported insurance $900.00."
Here again, was a long line, low hydrant pressure with no booster pump and no possible hope of saving the building but, the fire was confined to the building of origin.
The climax was reached with last entry in the book:-
"Sunday Oct. 1923. 1:50 A.M. Fire at packing house, unusual quick response. 3 minutes from alarm to chemical on building. However fire had uncontrollable headway and resulted in complete destruction of packing house. All Co. responded but efforts futile on account of lack of pressure. Cause unknown - damage $75,000.00 covered by insurance -"
The record set by this fire still stands as the greatest fire loss from a single fire within the limits of the City of Sebring in the 50 year history of the city. Occurring, as it did, at the very beginning of the fruit shipping season, it caused a still greater damage to the economy of the community, by the loss of the jobs of those who packed and shipped the fruit from this house.
However, one great benefit resulted from this fire: the citizens and the administration awoke the needs of adequate fire protection for the rapidly growing little city. This is evidenced by an item from the minutes of the Council of 19 November 1923:-
"Came before Council W. B. Zackary with report of need of water distribution and fire protection, reviewing result of his investigations and probable cost of effecting such service as would lower the fire insurance rate from 5 to 25 percent, and presenting copies of telegrams sent and received relative to make of most satisfactory equipment.
"Moved by Mr. Greene, seconded by Mr. Capwell, that action be taken to ascertaining what rate of reduction on fire insurance could be had by putting in effect the recommendations of’ Mr. Zackary; all Councilmen voted Aye and Chair declared the motion carried."
The volunteer crew also took on more vigor:-
"Came before Council P. G. Gearing with reference to financial aid in putting on a Celebration January 1, 1924, for the purpose of raising funds for the Fire Department: by unanimous consent of Council, the matter was referred to Publicity Committee with power to act."
Mr. Zackary’s recommendations to the Council were the result of a special meeting that had been called On 16 November to discuss improvements to the fire defense situation and on the 19th, authorization was given to advertise for bids on a triple combination, 750 gallon pumper. On 21 December, Council accepted the bid
"- submitted by American LaFrance Fire Engine Company, Inc. of Elmira N.Y., in accordance with specifications, delivery to be f.o.b. Sebring, shipment from factory in 30 days at price of $12,500.00 upon acceptance, on terms of acceptance of present Sebring owned chemical tank as first payment of $1,100.00, and $1,500.00 at end of first and second years, and $2,800.00 at end of third fourth and fifth year after delivery with interest at 6% per annum on deferred payments."
On 27 February 1924, the new truck was accepted and, at the same time, Council bought an additional 1,000 feet of hose. As can be easily imagined, the new truck generated an intense interest in the volunteer ranks and they bought a one ton Ford truck with funds from their own treasury which were accumulated by the payment by the City of $2.00 per man attending each fire. This truck was used for carrying 1,200 feet of hose which was in addition to the 1,000 on the LaFrance.
The City had taken over the ownership of the utilities plant the first of 1923 but, until the end of the year, had made no extensions to the water mains. Now, began a comprehensive program of civic improvements which included new wells, low level water storage facilities, a higher and larger elevated storage tank, emergency fire pumps at the plant and at the lake, and a complete system of larger water mains, properly cross-connected to insure an adequate supply and pressure for fire fighting purposes in all sections of the city as it was then mapped.
Plans for these improvements were completed and work was well under way when the famous Florida Boom struck Sebring. In the feverish excitement of this boom, interest in the volunteer department withered and died. There were no more meetings and no care of the equipment between fires. True, if an alarm sounded, any number of citizens jumped in to help but they were untrained and usually were in each other’s way and did the wrong things. Many times, the trucks started to fires and got only as far as the gasoline in the carburetors would take them; somebody having purloined the gasoline from the tanks. But the worst blow was the fact that Chief Zackary had moved from Sebring. So low was the interest that it was several months before it was realized that the city had no Chief and really had no Fire department.
This condition was brought to the attention of the Council on 30 June 1925;-
"The Mayor presented the matter of Fire Chief advising that the Town had no Fire Chief and that it was urgent that one be appointed. The Underwriters association required it and that a man be kept at the engine house. He recommended that the Council appoint a Fire Chief who would be required to organize a Fire Department and report to the Council the requirements of such department, and that such Fire Chief serve at the will of the Council who retain power to declare the office vacant at any time.
"Moved by Mr. Blythe, seconded by Mr. Capwell, and unanimous vote of Council, that the Mayor’s recommendation be accepted and a Fire Chief be appointed accordingly, and the Chair declared the motion carried. Whereupon the Mayor recommended the appointment of Mr. A. C. Altvater as Fire Chief and he was appointed with instructions to report to the Council the organization and requirements of the Fire Department."