Daily Republican., 1890-06-17
The Death Of Ben.

The sad accident on Sunday evening
which resulted In the dea.h Of Ben. o1e
Of the Delaware Truck Company .
,ary Of Congress n.idersbls ta'k, and
talt in . atop being
put to the reckless driving on the part
Of drivers Of fire engines In proceeding to
6res. Each company 10 ambitious to bs
the drst at the fire, but when this. as 10
now the case, jeopardizes life and limb Il
10 timo something WAS done BY the
authorities TO check II.
Tho members OF the Delaware Com
pany do not censure Evans for the acci.
dent, and % he was authorized by the
officers OF the company to do 80, be makes
the following statement:
II ask for Justice and mot to be CEN
sured for reckless driving when all the
department are driving at the same
spccd. Should DO censured for rsck.
less driving and said to terribly the others
OF the Fire Department? AZ for me
ever saying that I would run into any
other apparatus and kill the driver, !
never did. Furthermore. I want It
understood that though l have never
made any threats, have been threat
ened BY the Washy man, who said was
crazy and that he would either kill me
or my horses. The members of the
Washington Fire Company have already
told the members Of the Delaware that
such would be the cssc. Now they hav Q
accomplished their object.
II have never hit any appar atus either
purpossly or accidentally but once and
that was when accidentally struck the
Reliance carriage. When sny man comes
10 my face and says that ran into him
either purposelY or accidentally then
am willing to acknowledge that am
driving recklessly and not until then.
AZ for this fast driving, am not driv.
Ing any faster than any other company
In the department. have always pass
ed any one when could. have alwsyi
been ordered to 90 to nre as quickly u
possible with safety and have always
done so. When leave the house an
under the command oi the director aud
drive whore am told. l am not driv,
ing TO suit myself, but to suit the Della,
wsro Fire Company.
"When we came out Of the house OF
Sunday evening the Washington wal
not In sight. When l got between
Fourth aud Fifth the hose carriage cam
out Of the engine house. Our truck wai
! VI Fourth street when the engine CANT
out. We kept on down French until W,
got 10 second. Below Second Greer
took the left OF the street and the right
l having the right OF way supposed h,
would either turn with me or hold up o.
Front street, but he pulled out as hart
as he could 10 the right of the track OF
Front street. Idd not have room t.
tu,n, so l pulled to one side and jus
graxed the rear OF the engine, and wa
compelled by the force Of the truck I,
20 down French street. The Eate-tende
at tho railroad saw ! could not stop an,
| hoisted the gates. Once on the rAilroa,
| was ordered by the director to 70 dow
the railroad to Market street. w
turned into Market street about ten y
fifteen feet behind the Washington
| steamer.
1--WE crossed the bridge and at the en-
/ called to Green 10 pull out OF the way
They pulled to the right and / went
the lett passed their steamer horse
and had room to turn IL the line, but ID
steamer sheerod in so cloie to us that tn
hind part Of the truck, over which hs
no control, could not he turned. Whe
| had done all could snok hold Of IL,
lsft lime and pulled 70 the lott 40 hard 4
l could to make the turn. The hors
struck the building because tho iron
part OF the truck could not he turned.
have only eighteen iuches to turn befor
the wheels lock, and there 10 but iiftse
inches In the back.
II do not censure my company. l d
not censure anybody. II there ia any
thing to settls the company will settl
1t. and do not want 20 be censured 70
what some one else has done. l onl
| Obeyed the wishes ot the Director