The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-15
MISTAKE OF A WATCHMAN
CHARGES WILL BE PREFERRED BY
CHIEF AGAINST n. M. SLEIGHT.
He Failed to Send Ladder Truck No.
to the Haas Fire-Statement
of Chief COots.

The Board Of Public Safety will receive
charges to-day against r. NJ. Sleight, a
member of truck company No. 4, stationed
on East Washington street, of neglect of
duty. The charges will be preferred by the
captain of the company and reported to the
board after investigation by Chief Coots.
The charges are the outcome of the in
vestigation by Chief Coots to why lad
at the Haas fire, in which Nathan Morris
and Frank Haas lost their lives. early SUM-
day morning. This truck should have APP
peared at the scene four minutes after the
alarm according to Chief Coots. 1t was
not there when the chief looked for 1t and
he sent call for the truck stationed on
Maryland street. which responded prompt
ly. At the Haas fire it was understood that
the No. truck had broken down on Mich
igan street. Ladders were the first instru-
ments needed in the work of rescuing the
imprisoned family. and their absence
jeopardiZed the success OF the rescue at
tempted by George Newland, who climbed
a porch pillar and battered in a front win
dow. He rescued Mrs. Haas and her
daughter Isabel.
Investigation by Chief Coots revealed the
fact that Sleight. the fireman charged with
neglect, was Waterman at the truck house
the house gong from the alarm desk and
reported to the truck company Box SO in
stead of Box s. The result is that the
w snd To- 5he
two miles from the Haas fire. Box is
at New Jersey and North streets. one block
from the fire.
Had the truck company received the
proper information from Sleight or had
the house gong been connected it would
have been promptly at the Haas fire.
MAY HAVE HAD NO EFFECT.
Chief Coots says he does not believe the
error which Sleight told him he could not
explain, affected the result at the fire. He
believed Mr.. Morris and Frank Haas were
beyond aid when the first fire apparatus
reached the fire. The ladders were needed
for the rescue of those found by Newland,
and the fact that Newland succeeded in
his heroism did not lessen the gravity of
Sleight's mistake, he says.
In each fire station there Is a man at
watch at night whose duty Is to read the
tape record that is made unerringly by the
when needed. The house gong should al
WAYS be connected, as Ii rings only on
alarms intended for the particular COM
pany.
The tragedy at the Haas fire has called
attention to the fact that the Indianapolis
firemen are deficient In training for emer-
gencies such as were presented there.
Chief Coots agrees with the suggestion
that the companies be trained in emergency
work and the use of the Pompier ladders.
These ladders are merely poles with hooks
at one end and transverse rungs for hand
and foot. The hook may be plunged through
a window and fastened TO the sill and the
ladder then mounted. 1t requires training
however, to bring about skill in this work.
The chief says a new truck will be put in
service In a few weeks, and he believes
the supply of small ladders will then be
ample. However. he says he would not dis
courage the addition of small ladders such
as the companies outside the business dis
trict have, which may be joined and made
serviceable in reaching third-story windows
some times.