The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-09-09
TWO'>HORSES
BELONGING TO CANTON
FIRE DEPARTMENT
KILLED BY ASTREET CAR
Firenen Had Narrow
Escape. ss

-0SCStISs
While making a run to a fire Mon
day morning at o'clock two of the
most valuable horses belonging to the
Canton Fire department were struck
by one of the large cars on the Stark
Electric lines at the intersection of
Gibbs street and the railway and in
stantly killed. The department had
been called by telephone to the cor
ner of Gibbs and Lake street and were
making the run when they were
struck by the car Although the fire.
men on the cart had hair breadth es-
capes none of them were seriously in
jured. Driver Wareham was bruised
and complained of slight internal in.
juries but aside from that all escaped
without injury.
Driver Wareham who had charge of
the team is considered one of the
best drivers in the department. On
the seat beside him was Frank Erck,
a substitute who has been doing duty
for Driver Charles Pentz and Lieuten-
ant Weber and Captain Riegler stood
on the rear step.
Driver Wareham said that before
reaching the railroad he checked his
team somewhat and kept repeatedly
sounding his gong. AT this point the
electric line runs parellel with the
railroad and are obstructed from view
by the houses which are built close
ly together.
The car was not seen until the hose
cart was within 25 feet of the cross
ing. Before the horses could be STOP
ped there was a smashing of glass and
the breaking of the wood as the cart
and car collided. The car struck the
horses brSadside and the blood from
the unfortunate animals was spatter.
ed over the front of the car and the
apparatus. The firemen seeing the
danger jumped for their lives. One
of the horses fell within a few feet
of the accident while the other was
carried about thirty feet up the track.
AS none of the flremen we're seriously
hurt, they rushed to the aid of the
horses. One of the horses was killed
instantly while the other was still
uIlNC "llth TIC dlllNSN' AS
wounded horse had it's head under it's
body and as Wareham pulled it out
to the air the animal breathed its
last.
The firemen say that the car was
evidently running at high rate Of
speed for after it had hit the horses
it could not be stopped until it had
gided about 200 feet up the track.
Conductor F. Witherspoon and Motor
man F. Hazen had charge of the car.
Driver Wareham claims to have
been driving along in a careful man.
ner, having full control over his team.
He also claims that he had been ring
ing his gong continually and tried to
save his team after he had sighted tho
car. He said that when the car struck
the team it was running at a high
rate of speed and after striking the
horses struck the dash board of the
apparatus turning the cart completely
leaving it standing parallel with the
track. All the firemen were greatly
attached to the team that was killed
as 1t was probably the best in the
department. The horses were valued
at $3.50.
The tongue of the truck was brok.
en- and the forward part of the appar.
atus was badly twisted. The harness
was torn to pieces. Chief Mesnar
went Immediately to the scene of the
accident and took the names of num-
ber of witnesses. The chief says that
there is a city ordinance which gives
the fire department the right of way
over everything and when the en-
ployes of the street car company saw
the apparatus approaching they should
have brought their car to standstill.
He also said that the railway would
be called upon to pay damages.
No. 2 hose cart was closely fol-
lowed by other apparatus from the
Central engine house which crossed
the track Immediately after the acci-
dent, and proceeded to the fire. The
fire was located in the residence of
man named Ellenberger and was
easily extinguished.