Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-09-12
fHE FIRE DEPARTMENT INvEsri-
CATION.
The Upsetting Of Ne. Q Engine-The Death
Of the TIuck H0RSe.

Ihk kAhk DEPARTMENT. lNvbSAh-
The Upsettins Of Ne. . Ensine-The Death
Of the Truck Horse.
Last evening, Messrs. Gorbut, Thompson,
and johnson, the Committee OF the Board OF
Fire Commissioners charged with investigating
the manner Of upsetting the engine OF NO.
company, ON the 10Th of August, and as to the
| death OF the horse John, attached to the truck
of the Hook and Ladder, on the 2lst of August
met IN the room Of the commissioners TO per-
| form that duty. Justice Z L. Coroin was pres.
| emf, and recorded the evidence.
UPsErTIN6 THE ESGINR.
The engine case was first taken MP, and Mr..
| John e. Clary was sworn.-Witness was on
| the engine when she was upset, at the corner
of 9TH street and Pennsylvania avenue; was on
the rear end, with MT. Cronln, and when about
stn street, the Hook and Ladder truck turned
into the avenue from 1th street. About this
time Mr.. X. L. johnson, the driver, held up
his horses for the purpose of, and did turn
from the track, and witness thought that he
was entirely on. As the truck passed, the
horses gave jump or shy to the left-the north
side OF the avenue-making the engine Jump,
thought the engine was of the track. The ac-
cldent did not occur until the corner of 9TH
street was reached. When he was turning up
7th street, witness noticed that he was on the
Track; tue horses Were not going very fast, be-
cause the driver held them up when he first left
the track the horses were not running.
Noticed, after the accident, one of the traces
loose of the of. side horse. Previous to the up.
setting the engine gave one or two slides; knew
the engine was being turned too short, and wit.
ness was little excited. Thinks that the driver
was not aware that his engine was on the track;
in his opinion 1t was the abrupt turn made
when the engine was on the track; If IL had not
been on the track witness thinks the accident
would net have occurred. The alarm was box
D, ith street and New York avenue. Did not
see any but members in the house previous to
the alarm being given. The engine turned over
on the right side, towards the Bank of Wash
ington. Thinks that the affair was purely Acct.
dental, and had he been driving he would have
done as the driver, because he supposed that
the engine was of the track. Don't know that
any screws or nuts had been loosened; if had
driver would not turn abr pity from the track.
II was near about the intersection of the tracks.
Inc drivers life was In peril at the time, as
well as his own. Thinks that the horses have
been changed from the ordinary manner of
running them, but does not think they were
changed at the time; don't know that the reins
had been changed; thinks that they were prop
erly hooked up. Did not hear any one say that
the of horse was in the place of the nigh horse.
Alter the accident, finding that Mr.. johnson
was not badly hurt, witness being hurt himself,
went back TO the engine house. Witness has
nothing to do with the horses
Mr.. X. 7. johnson, (driver Of No. % sworn
Witness hooked up for an alarm from box 25;
started out and did not put horses in gallop
until he got into the track; galloped them to
near Eighth street; broke down ON them
there and turned off the track. taking the fore
wheels on. The Hook and Ladder came in be-
tween the track and the pavement and witness
thought that he was fairly of the track until
ne reached Seventh street, when he felt the
engine slide and broke the horses down and
turned when the engine capsized; the horses
being almost still at the time. This was the
first time he had ever driven an engine round
that corner. Nearly the whole company as
constituted before his confirmation were about
the engine house the previous afternoon. The
manner OF running the horses had not been
changed then. The reins had not been tam.
pered with as he knew of. After he got up the
traces were undone, and in rehitching there
was some confusion and the horses were put
IN reverse places. Witness retained his seat
when the engine went over; received a scratch
on his arm and bruise on his hip. Witness
does not consider himself a skillful driver.
Nm. ID; EHloood (Chief Engineer) sworn
Witness knows Mr.. johnson to be skillful
driver, but is modest. When the engine was
rgited, one OF the wheels appeared to work
loosely; don't think that the nut had been
loosened deslgnedly; thinks the wheels bad
beer loosened by wear; thinks that the accI-
dent was caused by a trace breaking.
KILLING OF THE HORSE JOHN.
George ". Nicholson (acting tIllerman of the
truck sworn Witness was alderman when
the horse was killed. On that night witness
brother was in the foreman's place; witness
was to take an alarm should one come; heard
the alarm s. some one sung out %; truck was
hltched up; driver saw a light and drove for IL:
heard the gong before he went below; could
not count the gong down stairs never had any
instructions as to the cord; thinks that Wal
dren took the number ST. and seeing the light
tat the pottery: drove for il; went up street to
ctn street, ana turned down, could not see the
driver; II was very dark when he struck:
thought he was in a gutter, and shouted out.
$50 ahead;'' kept the tiller steady: driver called
him; got down and went to him; he took one
horse and the driver the other; did not know il
was lumber pile that had been struck until
Ne put his hand on it; about the time they were
leaving the house Tom Sorrell came in; wit
ness thinks Waldren is good driver, and can't
be beat; he (Waldren) was danger, and got
hurt about the face and one shoulder; as they
passed the pottery could see the driver, but
nj a % in ka hi
dental; there were three extramen in the house
when the alarm struck; don't think that 1t was
an outsider who said 1t was box 55.
Thomas A. SorTef (colored) Wines is acting
driver OF the truck heard the alarm went
round the house as the driver was getting on
his seat; told him 1t was box 5, eth street west
and Pa avenue; driver said il was % or ~: and
witness told him to take his own course; heard
the gong and big bell; latter struck double
once. When the truck went out witness sung
out, go east" During the day the tillerman
takes the alarm and gives II TO the driver Wit
ness lives on H street, between 4th and 5th,
Immediately in the rear Of the truck house.
derstood the alarm before he left. Witness
never went round to tell the truck members
under the old department Of an alarm; does
not know the capabilities Of Mr.. Waldren the
Chief Engineer EUcood:-Witness don't think
the accident could have been avoided if the fire
had been in that vicinry, for the street was
numbered up; but the driver should have been
posted. He had not instructed the driver of
the location of the lumber pile. Never knew
Mr. Waldren until he was appointed; had
heard that he was an excellent driver
uJohn WdidreH.-Witnessw was appointed host.
Ter, and took charge on Wednesday evening:
the accident occurred on Friday morning
When The alarm struck SO, hitched MP, and
Nicholson said il was box 5. and some said SIS:
heard Sorrel say il was 5; was afraid that il
was the wrong alarm, having got q wrong
alarm the night before; went for the light; saw
he was wrong when he got TO TIN street; thought
he would go down Sth street and strike the
Avenue; when the horse struck he had his face
and leg skinned, and would perhaps have
broken his neck If his leg had not been tangled
IN the ladder; was used 10 horses since his boy-
hood
Mr.. Thompson here explained the location of
the lumber pile, showing that il extended six
feet i've inches beyond the middle OF the street
Mr.. Gorbutt said he had testimonials as to the
capacity of Mr.. Waldren a driver, and they
Were put in as evidence, and the testimony
closed The Committee will make up their
report and submit II AT the next meeting
There appeared 10 be some misunderstanding
in regard TO this investigation, for the room of
the Commissioners was found 70 be closed aud
the Secretary was absent, and the Commission
ers, with the Justice, after holding q meeting
on the granite steps, were about TO ad iourn
when the Chief Engineer appeared with key
TO the room, and the crowd gaining an admit.
lance, by passing through the Council chamber
where the Irving Lyceum were about TO meet
by the light gwen from matches and a few
pipes, worked their way down stairs and into