The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-05

Accident Narrowly Averted in a Col
Iision netHTeen Appnratus.

An alarm Of fire from Box No. 81, at
Bull and Congress streets, at o'clock
yesterday afternoon, called out the north
ern section Of the fire department. Smoke
had been seen issuing from the basement
of Christ Church, and some one told Mr..
NJ. Ed. Wilson that the church was again
on fire. II proved to be a false alarm.
The damper H. the furnace had been
turned down before the fire had reached
the proper state OF combustion, and as a
consequence, a dense volume Of smoke
poured out into the basement and thence,
through the crevices in the door, into the
street So unucky has the church been
irAAhe matter Of fires, that 1t needed but
a Eight effort Of Imagination on the part
Of some Of the by-standers 70 furnish
forth the basis of a terrific coniiagratlon,
and half dozen Of them ran Yelling up
the street They encountered Dir. wilson
and be turned IN the alarm.
An accident sprang from the collision OF
two pieces Of the apparatus from the head
quarters Of the department, which came
very near resulting N the death or serious
Injury of the men and horses Of comblna-
ton truck, No. /, That it did no. 50 re-
suit IS due doubtless to the cool judgment
and prompt action OF those In charge OF
the apparatus. The accident occurred on
the corner OF Congress and Whitaker
streets.
Ii appears that when the combination
turned into Congress from West Broad
the driver found Congress street blocked
on both sides by vehicles. lie put on his
brakes and endeavored to pull up his
horses, but the speed at which he was
going made this impossible, and he en-
deavored 10 pass between a beer wagon
and a cart which the driver had left
standing on the south side of the street,
while he went into the corner barroom.
The distance between the wagon and the
cart would not admit Of the passage OF
the combination and a collision occurred,
in which the card was turned over and
the pole of the combination was badly
cracked
After a minute or two delay, the pole
was dashed and the apparatus proceeded
toward the box. Going down Congress
street at a lively rate and when almost
at the corner of Whitaker street, the hook
and ladder truck from headquarters shot
across Congress. Foreman Campos, who
was on the seat with Driver Williams,
was quick to see the danger and promptly
directed The driver to turn into Whitaker
street with the truck The street being
so narrow and the truck taking up half
of It. the turn could not be made as soon
as desired, and as a result the two ma,
chimes collided.
Inc tlleT emu OF lIe lEuCh WAS hIANeH
up against a telegraph pole, while the
pole of the combination broke in half,
throwing the rght-hand horse under the
truck, from which close quarters he was
released with some difficulty. This horse
is somewhat bruised and cut but not Sc
riously
The rare good judgment of Foreman
Campos in directing the turn prevented
what would doubtless have been a very
serious acc dent, and the excellent man.
ner in which Williams handled his team
proves his ability as a driver. At O'Clock
p. m. repairs had been completed and the
apparatus were again in service.