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TIME TRAVEL The early days of Sarasota were plagued by fire. Stables, a rooming house and a hardware store were all consumed in the first decade of the 1900s. Insurance companies threatened to discontinue fire policies in the city unless steps were taken. Hence, the smiles as the truck arrived. NEW EXHIBIT IN CITY COMMISSION CHAMBERS OFFERS A LOOK AT HISTORY Story and Photos By Stan Zimmerman City Editor Visitors to the Sarasota City Commission Chambers have something new to look at be- sides civil servants and their elected masters. On Monday and Tuesday, 31 still photographs were put on four of the five walls in the cham- bers. Chris Cinelli with Integrated Art Services of Sarasota printed, matted, framed and installed the old photos. The pictures – and two arti- facts – range from 1885 to the 1950s and focus on downtown and Sarasota Bay. Some of the photos are dramatic, including a picture of the 1905 downtown fire. Others are more prosaic — fishing smacks on the bay, early aerials and even a pack of Cub Scouts marching down Main Street. The exhibit is a joint effort of City Planner Clif- ford Smith, the Historic Preservation Board, the Downtown Improvement District and the City Commission. The installation is meant as a permanent addition to the chambers.