Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-12-31
Horrible Accident at a B. & o.
Railroad Crossing.
FIRE APPARATUS HIT BY TRAIN
The Water Witch Hose Wagon
Demolished.
William Doueherty Fatally Hurt and James
Nedry, George II. Maxwell, stephen Neis-
ter, james Stewart and Jacob Maxwell
severely Out and Bruised.

ultul, anu LILO tdbb Was tuO IlObt dibub-
trous of the three. as one man was
killed and five were injured. one horse
was injured and an almost new hose
4 wagon was wrecked.
While responding to an alarm of fire
vent in from box No. 3d. at Second
aud Hawley streets, about 6 O'Clock
Thursday night, the Water Witch
hose wagon was struck by Baltimore
g. Ohio railroad engine at the Union
street crossing. Stephen Neister OF
\ No. 1902 Lincoln street was driving,
and beside him on the seat was James
Stewart of No. 1725 Scott street. james
Nedry Of No. 1702 Union street, Jacob
Maxwell of Gilpin avenue and Union
street. and William 7. Dougherty
aged 90, Of No. 108 Adams
street, were on the rear step
and George II. Maxwell OF No.
1908 Rodney street, was in the wagon
near the drivers seat.
Tho locomotive struck the wagon Oh
the left side at the rear Wheel The
(. axle was broken and the wheel torn off
and the vehicle thrown some distance
on its side on the left side of the track.
The engine also struck the rear step
at the point whore Dougherty was
standing. All six of the men were
hurled some distance, as the train,
which was bound south, had attained
considerable speed after leaving Della
ware avenue station. Three of the men
were thrown on the left side and three
on the right side OF the track.
The train was brought to a stop as
soon as possible, and the B. & o. men
and crew of the Water Witch engine,
which was short distance back of the
iaI tf, tho lott ,f H.
unfortunate men. 1t was found that
Dougherty was injured more seriously
than the rest, and be was taken to the
Delaware Hospital as soon as practica.
BILE. The Rev. ID. j. Flynn was sum
moned and administered the last
rites of the Catholic Church, and III
about three hours the unfortunate man
died.
The others who had been thrown
from the wagon were assisted to their
homes and physicians were summoned
Neister and Nedry were hurt worse
than the others. Neister's head was
badly cut in several places and several
teeth we're knocked out. His wounds
were sewed up by DIR. John Palmer,
who also attended Nedry, who was
suffering from deep cut ON the side
of the head and was injured in.
ternally.
Messrs. Stewart and George and
Jacob Maxwell escaped with injul les
less serious, although they were badly
hurt. Stewart was injured about the
legs. George Maxwell had his right
leg and right side of his head hurt.
the latter injury being inflicted by
contact with the broken wheel after
it had been torn off by the engine.
Jacob Maxweli's injuries are thought
to be slight.
Immediately after tine crash Neistai
was taken to a nearby house and Nedry
to the Matchbox, but when it as found
( that they were not seriously injured
they were assisted to their homes.
The collision broke the tongue, and
the frightened horses dashed dowr
Union street with the harness and 1
portion of the tongue. They were
caught at Sixth and Union streets anC
returned to the engine house. One o.
the horses, Joseph H., fine animal
had one of the front and one of thu
hind shoes torn off in some name,
which nobody is able to explain. Il
was also otherwise injured. while it,
mate, Kate, escaped apparently unhurt
The injured horse is unable to do fir
n duty for the present aud has beef
thrown out of service.
The wagon, for which the compau,
recently paid $3.50, is useless Tn,
running gear is bent and broken al
out of shape, and the body is wrccke,
almost as badly. 1t was removed t,
the yard in the rear of the engin
house.
People living in the vicinity state,
that the gates were up, and the fire
FASTENED TO get across. The watchma
appeared with lantern. but if th
signal was noticed it must have bee
misunderstood or was not seen until to
late, The tiremen evidently though
they had nothing to fear when th
gates we're up.
The train was an accommodation, an
1t is believed the men did not see
until IT wins upon them. Both wer
going in the same direction and tn
locomotive was back of the wagon.
The iiremen were more eager to got I
the fire than when they first started
as the second alarm hal been turne
in, and they expected they would nav
big blaze to fight.
The death OF young Dougherty wa
, particularly sad, as he was in big
glee when the accident happened. II
had been on a visit to his mother, Mrs
Daniel Dougherry, who lives ON Lin
coin street, near Lowering avenue
He had taken her d Christmas presen
and was on his way home when the fir
alarm rang. Although Reliance mar
he jumped on the Water Witch cal
riage, with the expectation of meetn
his company at the fire. He was
moulder and worked for the Lobde
Car Wheel Co. In the collision hi
skull was fractured and he was il
ternally injured. He leaves a wife an
child. Deceased was an exemplar
young man.
The funeral took place Monday frol
the residence of his mother, No. l9(
Lincoln street. High mass was said
st. Aune's Church and interment va
made at st. Joseph's cemetery
Twenty seven members Of the Watt
Witch Fire Co. attended in uniform
and there we're delegations from som
OF the other companies.
Some years ago Dougherty's farht
had the sight of both eyes destroyed
an explosion at the du Pont powde
mills. He worked in the press room
the upper yard.
The fire To which the fated WACO
was proceeding was at the residence
William ii. Conneil, near Lancast,
avenue and Union street. The blal
was small ana WAS extineuished with
few buckets of water. just why
oaonpd ularn Eroa fprnal IN hon nf