The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-28
Horrible Death Of Fireman Ed thompson
Yesterday Afternoon
WHILE IN THE PURSUIT OF HIS DUTY
jumps from n Hose Wagon Only to
Fall on the Track and BE
Instantly Killed.

or the most terrible ana deplordDle dccl-
dents that has happened In Houston for
many day. 1t was the killing Of Fire
man Edward Thompson, a ppeman OF hose
wagon No. s. while in pursuit OF his
duty in answering an alarm Of fire.
AT about Ills o'clock yesterday afternoon
an alarm was received by company No. B
in the Fifth ward that called them to
fire on Crockett street On account OF the
condition OF Houston avenue the fire de-
partment has been forced Of late to use
Hickory street, though they have consid-
cred this crossing a dangerous one on ac-
count OF the Instructions that prevent them
from seeing trains that might be moving
on this track. and which is without a
lagman. The run was being made down
Hickory street at a rapid gait and the
wagon had almost reached the top Of the
grade and on to the track before the fire.
men had any warning that the train was
upon them. The driver being unable to
check his team whipped them up and sue
| ceeded in clearing the track by only a few
inches. The three other iremen--Ed
Thompson, Fred sebert, James Fitzglb
bons-who were seated in the rear OF the
wagon, thinking It impossible to avoid
collision. jumped Just as 1t was going over
the crossing, two making good their es-
cape, but the leap proved fatal for poor
Ed Thompson, who fell backward across
the rails and was almost cut In two about
midway his body by the wheels OF four
freight cars which passed over him. The
train consisted of eleven cars and engine
56 and was backing in down the track.
Life was extinct before any one reached
the mangied man and the body was taken
to Wall & Stables undertaking establish
ment to be prepared for burial The de-,
ceased had been in service OF the fire
department as hoseman since January /.
1897 and was regarded as most efficient
and hard working man. He lived in
dwelling adjoining Are station No. 8. and
leaves a wife and seven children to mourn
his death.
An inquest was held by Justice Hill,
at which the following evidence was ad-
duced:
c. F.. Clarke. the engineer on yard
switch engine No, so OF the Houston and
Texas Central Railway company. testified
that at about us D. NJ, he was going west
with string Of cars and in crossing flick
DRY street the engine was pushing eleven
cars, the first four of which ran over toe
deceased. He did know until some one
informed him that man was run over
ard killed, He did not get out OF the eli.
CINE, but some ~ the train crew got off
He was running about Ave or six miles
an hour. The first Information or kiiowl-
edge he had OF impending danger was his
fireman calling to him TO stop then he
saw two Of the three hrakemen who We're
on top Of the cars tagging him. He stopped
within four car lengths after receiving
notice There was one brakeman about
two cars from the engine In front The
conduc or was somewhere on tho front
cars, They were not using air brakes on
the cars on account of the inconvenience
of coupling and uncoupling SO often, but
there were air brakes on the engine ana
tender and witness used them in this in
stance. The deceased and others were on
a hose cart and crossed the track on Hick-
DRY street going north, and at a very
rapid gait. The horses and wagon got over
) all right. The deceased was the only one
hurt as far as the witness knew.
A. Billy, fireman on engine o. testified
that the deceased was run over by the cars
that were being pushed. The deceased was
=. a
, railway track. The switching train was
going west and deceased was going north.
: j. NJ Ramsey, foreman OF the engine
crew. testified that he was just getting on
the top Of the car next to the engine when
the switchman on the head end aasged
I'VE stopped as soon as possible. hut It
was then too late, the man had been run
over"
Frank Taian, Jr., switchman with the
crew OF engine 56. testified that he wa:
! standing on the first car from the en-
! CINE at the brake beam When about tive
car lengths from Hickory street he saw
! some hremen ON hose wagon. II looked
as though they were going to stop, but the
driver slapped the horses with the lines
and in a Looping speed crossed the track
r The grade is very high at this crossing
I There were three men sitting in the real
end OF the wagon. All three jumped. Tn,
deceased fell backward and was run over
by the cars. Witness tagged and hallOacC
as soon as he saw the hose wagon was
going to cross the track. and when the de
ceased fell the train was stopped within
5 four car lengths.
Jim Jones, another swtchman OF IN,
train crew. testified that he was on tn
head car when the deceased was run owe
aud killed Hickory street is narrow. II
: saw the hremen coming about two ca
! lengths from the track. They were com
INK up the kIdut 10 NAN runway AdNk
. When at the top OF the grade the drive
,, hit the horses with the lines. when tn
= wagon was on the track the three men &
the rear end OF the wagon jumped out
?, The deceased was slow in getting out an,
= was caught by the cass. Witness hagge
. when he first saw ne team. After tn
: accident he got off and saw the decease
a under the cars. He soon died.
a The funeral of the deceased will tax
: place this morning ar 10 o'clock from tn
family residence on Hardy street. near NC
r engine house, and Will be under tn
. auspices Of the city Are department TIL
h lnterment will he in Glenwood cemeter
and the services will be hold hv Rev. AYES
The pail bearers are r. f. ollre, captat
OF Central Are station; J. +, Rowes cap
tain OF No. hose company; J. II. Damrth
II captain of No. chemical company Il
y Franks. captain OF No fire station Tho!
: II. Martin. captain OF No. hose company
l.. A. Anderson, captain OF No. Z engin
8 company: Herman Dissen. captain OF Nc
: Are company, and Frank Hays, capital