Jim Thompson & Knoxville's Million Dollar Fire "Smoke Eaters"

James (Jim) E. Thompson, KNS

Although he established himself as Knoxville's most prominent photographer with a rich portfolio of images of 20th century Knoxville and the Great Smoky Mountains, the latter  contributing in part to the decision to establish a national park in the region, a 16-year old James (Jim) E. Thompson cut his teeth during the city's Million Dollar Fire of 1897. Perched atop a storehouse on the west side of Gay Street, the young "Kodaker" took photographs of the fire and its aftermath.

 

 

Newspapers reported seeing "Kodakers," such as 16-year old Thompson atop storehouses on the west side of Gay Street. This photo has been attributed to Thompson

In the days after the fire, Thompson took a photograph of Knoxville's "smoke eaters" in front of the department's main headquarters located in City Hall, at the northern corner of the Market House. The department's twenty-seven year old Chief James McIntosh, who had  nearly seven years of service under his belt but who had only been recently named captain, is seated in the center, front row along with  twelve of his men stationed at City Hall, which comprised nearly half of the Knoxville Fire Department.

Interestingly, this copy of Thompson's original ran in a 1934 issue of the Knoxville News-Sentinel. The caption identifies each of the firemen; however, the Sentinel's copy-editor mistakenly butchered  McIntosh's last name, which must have been a source of embarrassment since McIntosh was still very much alive, enjoying his retirement at his home located on Chapman Highway at the Knox and Sevier County line.

City Hall, as it appeared in 1893, courtesy of Ashley Wilson (Knoxville Mercury, July 12, 2017)