The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-10
FRIGHTFUL COLLISION.
hose REEL PLUNGES HEADL0NG
INTO HOOK AND LADDER TRUCK.
LadderEnan MauIsby and Hoseman
Peterson. Badly Hurt-Other Ffremen
Injured Accident Due TO
fence Of Chief Schnibben's Orders.
Detailed Account of the Unfortunate
Affair.".

fence OF Chief Schn1Dben's orders.
Detailed Account of the Unfortunate
Affair.
Yesterday afternoon, nearly 5
o'clock, there was a frightful collision
at the intersection of Third and Mar
ket streets, between the truck of Hook
and Ladder Company No. l, and the
reserve reel, which stays at the house
of Chemical Engine Company No. 1,
and which was ordered in service yes
terday, as the reel of Engine Company
No. l, was out Of repairs and be-
ing fixed.
Two men, Hosemen Peterson and
King, were sent up from Engine Com
pany No. 1 to take charge of the reel.
These orders were issued by Chief
S~chnibben, who, al the time, notified
the reel driver, Calvin Bell, colored,
that the reel should not b. driven rap
idly.
AS a result of the accident two fire.
men, Ladderman Maulsby, of Hook
and Ladder Company N. l, and Hose
man Peterson, of Engine Company No.
/, are lying in the hospital badly hurt,
while Ladderman Wannamaker and
Driver Bell are painfully injured.
DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE AC-
CIDENT.
1t was about 4:45 o'clock when the
alarm was sounded. Each Of the fire
and Ladder Company sprang to
their post. There was a rat
ling Of chains, heavy tread of iron
shCd horses hOOfs, a few sharp COM
mands, and then the truck with ali
hands aboard, was Whisked out of the
house and headed down Dock street,
full tilt. AT the corner the two stall
Wart horses, in obedience to the direc-
ton of their driver, turned into Third
street. About the same time the re-
serve reel, with Hoseman Herbert Pc
tersOn and Driver Calvin Bell, colored,
on the drivers seat, turned rapidly
from Fourth street down Market. Both
vehicles were going down hill, and at
a very fast rate.
Just before the intersection of Third
and Market street was reached those
aboard the reel truck saw each other
for the first time, n then, too late,
they realized that an accident was in
evitable. There was time for little
thought before the collision came. It
was impossible for Driver Bell to stop
the %headlong rush of his horse; the
reel was without brakes and it's weight
coming down hill against the horse,
was increasing the already rapid gait
of the animal at every pace. Driver
Hewett acted very cool under the try
ing circumstances. He knew that any
attempt on his part to suddenly wheel
his gallOpping horses around the cor
ner into Market street, would only add
more destruction to the unavoidable
accident. He urged on his horses, in
hopes of getting the animals and the
men BOARD beyond the terrible force
Of the collision that was to follow.
Ladderman lid and Hancammon
were standing on the sid platform, on
what, to be thoroughly understood,
can be termed the outside. They both
jumped in the nick of time, and while
the great momentum Of the truck sent
them headlong to the ground, they es-
capped safely from the collision, though
badly shaken up. Laddermen Mauls-
by and Wannamaker were standing on
the other side platform, directly in a
to receive the headlOng plunge
Of the reel and it's frightened horse.
They were unable to get out Of harms
way, INC a few seconds later, when
the horse and reel crashed with vio-
lent force into the side Of the truck,
one of the shafts damned Maultsby's
right leg with frightful force, break
ing the leg and literally tearing his
pants in tatters. With one hand grasp
ing the hand rod Wannamaker, badly
bruised about the body, grabbed hold
of his cOmrade just as he was about
to fall under the hOOfS of the o
maddened horse. The truck dragged
the reel and horse for several yards.
Hoseman Peterson n Driver Bell
were hurled through the air, the form
er striking with a u thud on the
paved crossing, while the latter also
landed heavily on the ground, Inc reel
horse, after rolling over and over on
the ground, completely broke out Of
the harness and ran madly off.
With Driver Hewett saving away
on the reins the horses kept dragging
the truck onward, but Wannamaker
clung like grim death to his injured
comrade. Near the intersection of the
next street, Driver Hewett, who act
ed cody throughout, managed to slow
his horses down, and Captain r. G. Or
rell and a Messenger representative
ran to Wannamaker's assistance, and
tenderly removed Maulsby to Captain
Orrelrs stables, near by, where a couch
was soon improvised for the injured
fireman. Meanwhile, faithful to the
call of duty, the truck continued or its
way to the fire, with all the firemen,
except Maulsby, on board.
In the meantime, quite a scene was
being enacted where the accident hap
pened. Driver Bell, with a big cash
in his left leg, managed to regain his
feet and limp painfully off. Hoseman
Peterson staggered to his feet, and
CROPPED blindly in the direction of the
sidewalk. He only ~traversed about
five yards before his suffering proved
too much for his strength, and he fell
headlong to the ground. Mr. Archie
Handy about this time ran up, and
with rare presence of mind, dispatch
ed one of the bystanders after a ply
stefan. He then went and obtained
water from a nearby residence, and,
with the assistance of Mr.. II. Hauser,
the sufferers brow and hands were
bathed. DR.. J.. c. Shepard Dol ar
rived and administered r~estoratives,
80 &Io- orIorol Tho injured Sroroo.