Speedway Saga, Pt 5: The Garage Fire of 1911

New update, and this story is a juicy one. I’ll admit, I have many strong opinions about the garage fire of 1911, and those opinions are laid out plainly for all to read and consider. Expect some subjectivity.

I’ve spent nearly 3 years researching all available facts about Asa Candler, Jr., and I’ve made every effort to remain objective. Because he was a man of big personality and big actions, he attracted criticism like he wore a target on his head. So I was open to the possibility that some of his negative press may have been influenced by outside factors.

I went into this project knowing the tone of the enduring myths and wanting the facts to prove out whether the tone was justified. I didn’t want to adopt the wry, overly-forgiving bias of family historians, and I didn’t want to adopt the drama-seeking, schadenfreude of Emory student lore and community gossip. When I reached out to one of Buddie’s great-grandsons, he expressed concern that I was looking for controversy, as so many others had. My promise to him was that I would not invent drama where none existed. And I’ve stayed true to that. I continue to make efforts to dismantle untrue stories and replace them with the less exciting ones, even if it disappoints people who enjoy the legends.

But some of Buddie’s stories are legitimately exciting. The garage fire of 1911, for example, is legitimately exciting. And the facts surrounding the incident bring me to conclusions that have the potential to create more controversy than any of the existing legends.

So I’ve grappled with my conclusions, reviewed the research and continued to seek out new primary sources to corroborate the facts. Ultimately I have to stand by my conclusions because when all of the information is laid out on the table, I’m drawn to those conclusions again and again.

So please enjoy reading The Garage Fire of 1911. Whatever opinion you’ve formed about Asa Candler, Jr., up to this point may take a turn. And every moment past this point may be colored by this incident. Especially since there are much bigger incidents yet to come.