WPBFD History

sponded to assist the neighboring community. Flagler's Breakers Hotel, a four-story wood frame building, was burning out of control and Palm Beach called desperate for help. Constructed of Dade County pine lumber rich in tar, the hotel had no chance once the fire entered the free burning stage. No toll was collected this time as the apparatus roared over the bridge. It ap- peared the entire island was burning. Flying brands soon ignited the Palm Beach Hotel which was located on the lake front where the Biltmore is today. The Palm Beach railroad station, the Florida East Coast Hotel stables, various buildings that housed Royal Poinciana Hotel employees, and a large frame commis- sary were set afire in the same manner. Even the Break- ers lawn burst into flames as nearby golfers calmly fin- ished their round. Smoke could be seen from twenty miles away. "That day was like a riot," said Cecil R. Hull, a West Palm fireman who responded. Thousands of specta- tors converged to watch, moving constantly to avoid the heat and flying embers. Mules that had been set free when the stables ignited were running wildly through the streets. Boats jammed the lakefront helping ferry trunks and people to safety. The West Palm Beach Municipal Band, standing a safe distance from the fire, played a rousing rendition of "There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old

meticulous records for the department over the next three decades. 1924 Firemen in these early years had not yet learned the art of cooking at the firehouse. The men at Central Sta- tion were lucky to have Wilson's Diner across the street. "They never went hungry," according to fireman Charles Caesar. The records for the period from April 30, 1922, to March 18, 1925, reflect that the department was fairly active. There were numerous responses to dwelling and commercial structure fires, but these were relatively mi- nor with no single loss exceeding $10,000. There were no major fires that spread to nearby buildings, as had oc- curred in prior years. Fire losses for the fiscal year 1923- 24 were calculated at $41,140.70. 1925 March 18, 1925, the Kettler Theatre in West Palm Beach was featuring the movie Inferno . At 4:20 p.m., less than an hour into the first showing of the film, a real inferno erupted only a short distance away in Palm Beach, and the West Palm Beach Fire Department again re-

Men of the department, 1925. A. P. Sadler (center with white hat and long tie), J. R. Larrabee (standing to Sadler’s left). Others include Luke Kelly, W. H. Lingenfelter, Capt. Bill Hayden, O. R. Schwall, Ed Southerland, ---- Kramer, E. R. Powers, ---- Weisenburger, C. R. Hull, ---- Osterhouse, J. H. Witherspoon, J. C. Cook, Dave Polk, and G. Glenn. 7