
Written on accompanying insert: “This is a picture of the first paid Fire Chief of Fort Worth, John Cella, who was chief from 1894 to 1901, when he was succeeded by Jas H. Maddox . . . By the way of explanation, Chief Cella is in the Chief’s buggy and it is decorated with white paper flowers to appear in the annual flower parade. In addition to being Chief, John Cella operated a bar in the old Mansion Hotel, on the corner of 4th & Main streets, and he paid the fireman by check and had them come to the bar to have their checks cashed, buy a drink, and pay the Chief any money they owed him.