Taken just a year and a few weeks after the Great Toronto Fire of 1904, this dramatic shot of the fire at the Canadian Feather & Mattress Company on Melinda St. just east of Bay Street, illustrates the difficulty that the new taller buildings posed to firefighters. The relatively newly-developed elevator technology of the day allowed building to be built taller than ever before — far outstripping the fire department’s ability to propel water!

Creator: Unknown
Date: 1905
Identifier: B 4-92e
Format: Ephemera
Rights: Public domain
Courtesy: Toronto Public Library.
More information: (view details and larger image)

via Flickr http://flic.kr/p/sgQ3gQ