El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-10-14
DRIVER OF HOSE NO HURT.
Lost Control of his Horses and Was
Thrown Off.

Lost control OF Ills horses anu was
Thrown Off
Yesterday evening just before six
o'clock sad accident occurred in front
of the fire department by which Will
liam F. Hempel, the driver of hose
cart No. 2, was seriously hurt.
AS is usual every evening the depart
ment turned out at $50 for exercise.
Jack O'COnnor, the driver of tae hook
and ladder truck had sS4ed to be given
q lay off from the truck so he could
run the sewer pumps for the city and
after the leave of absence had been
given it was necessary to make
change of drivers in the department.
Harry Shipley, who has been driving
the hose cart was placed 10 charge of
the truck and VIM. Hempel was given
the hose cart. This was done because
the hose team were the easiest horses
to drive. Hempel had never had any
experience as a driver and was noticed
TO be nervous while hitchlng up. He
drove out, however, and made the
usual tour, giving the horses two 1n-
Santa Fee street from Second he put
his foot On the gong and as the horses
run by the gong they started off north
on Santa Fe street. Here Hempel lost
his head and instead of putting his foot
on the brake he again put 1T on the
gong and kept the gong ringing. AS
the horses passed the city hall 1t was
noticed that Hempel had lost control
of the horses and as it was about put
ting up time the horses made a
quick turn on West Overland
street and ran the cart onto the curb
ing in front of the Phoenix hotel.
This threw Hempel from his seat and
he fell GA the double tree hitting on
his face; he then fell to the ground and
rolled over once or twice. After he
fell off the horses turned and would
have stopped in front of the fire depart
ment, but as nobody spoke to them they
kept on east on Overland street in
gallOp. Several wagons We're on the
street but the hose team turned out of
the way and at the corner of Overland
and Oregon street two young men
jumped onto the rear end of the cart
and after the cart had turned up Mesa
avenue one of the young mer, Arthur
Hull, climbed over the cart and got
hold of one line, set the brake and ran
the horses into Buchanan & Powers
fence where they stopped. Red Sui
livan then caught up with the cart and
drove the horses back to the depart
ment and they did not seem to be the
least bit excited or worried. They ran
as though gong to fire but did not
know where to go.
and carried into the department. He
had two cuts in his fore cad, one on
the bridge of his lose, and was
badly bruised around the face. His
right arm was skinned from below
the elbow to the shoulder and was
completely helpless.
DIR. White arrived early on the
scene of the accident and Hempel was
placed on a cart and carried to his home
at 124 Chihuahua street. DR.. White
devoted over an hour to stitching up
and bandaging the wounded man. 1t
was found that the shoulder bone had
been broken and his right arm was
bandaged so that his right hand lay on
his left shoulder. HIS back was also
bruised, but not badly. He passed a
very restless night and at times was
'out of his head and talked at ran
dom about his terrible fall. He was
bruised in go many places that it was
hard to tind him an easy position in
bed, but he was not hurt internally
nor was there any marks showing that
the front wheel of the cart had run
over him. He will be laid up for some |
time, and some of the wounds will |
leave marks on him for life, but if prop |
erly cared for there is no danger CT |
serious results.
The accident caused large crowds to |
congregate around the fire department |
and the matter was talked over until a |
late hour at night.
The accident clearly demonstrates |
that none but thorough riders should be |
placed on the fire apparatus. All the |
witnesses to the runaway state that
the horses could have been stopped any |
where if Hempel had not lost his |
nerve. And all state that the lines
were not broken until after the horses
made their turn on West Overland and
started east, when the right line which
was hanging down caught in the front
wheel and was broken.
Hempel is a knight Of Pythias and
was cared for by mem bers of his lodge
last night and will be taken care of
until he is able to take care of himself.
There is much dissatisfaction brewing
in the department over Chief Connors'
action in selecting Knights Of Pythias
Tor positions in the fire department and
in some cases giving them the prefer
ence over other men who are better
qualit to take the position. There
is no reason why Knight of Pythias
should not be employed in the fire de-
partnent if he is qualified TO hold the
position. but at the So me time there Is
no reason why old and experienced
hremen should be set aside and man