The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-09
In Attempting to Catch His
Truck He Was Crushed
Beneath the Wheels
HEROIC AND NARROWING
SCENE ON FOURTH AVE.
Fatal Accident Occurred Yesterday as
Fire Department Was Responding
to Alarm-Fre In Wholesale
Millinery Establishment.

John r. Melton of the Birmingham fire
department met with a tragic death yes
terday. He had been temporarily assigned
to duty at Station No. l, in the city nan.
Going to his breakfast about O'CLOCK
Mr.. Melton had started down twentieth
street when hearing an alarm he turned
and ran back to catch his truck as II
came laundering along Fourth avenue.
Failing to get a hold on the long ladder
machine as he jumped for 1t, he was
fatally crushed beneath the wheels.
Henry Ladwig who was standing on
the rear end of the trucks running board
which Melton attempted to get on saw
that he had missed both footing and
hand hold, and tried to save him. hrst
by throwing an arm round his BODY see
ing the futility of that he tried to push
him back.
But the momentum with which Melton
came was too great to be overcome. he
shot forward under the rear wheels
which passed over his head and neck,
crushing one side of his race
In falling against the foo. board sew
eraI ribs were broken. Ladw,S jumped II
the truck and as soon as he got to Melton
saw that he was gasping for breath with
blood flowing from the eyes, nose ana
ears. The scene was at once heroic and
heartrending.
Some one brought a bucket of water
and Ladwig bathed the face of the dy-
ing man. The ambulance from Shaw S
Son, which in the meantime had neen
called, arrived and Melton was carried TO
the Hillman hospital
Died at Hospital.
Before he could be lifted off the stretch
er in the operating room he died. The re-
mains were brought back in the ambu-
lance to Shaw & Sons undertaking rooms.
Last night at 1920 they were sent to
Plneappleville, the home of the parents
of the deceased, where the interment will
be today Ed Keith, foreman of the chem
ical fire wagon of station No. l, accom-
panied by Chief Bennett with as many
firemen as could be spared from duty
went to the train which bore away the
remains of their comrade.
Many are the vicissitudes of fireman
life. They face more dangers than the
ordinary run of men but pluck and faith
fulness to duty are their standards. De-
ficiency in these respects means unhtness
Melton was not on duty when he was
killed; a man had just relieved him. But
when the gong sounded the call of duty
was slrong within him and he answer
cd It,
The fire was at the Eagle Hat and Mil
linery company's store a wholesale es-
tablishment, at No. 115 North Twenty
first street. Damage to the building
amounted approximately to 500. The loss
on the stock approaches $4,000, though
the exact extent will not be known until
an adjustment is made.
Origin of Fire.
The origin of the fire is unknown. but
1t is thought to have been caused by an
electric wire on the second floor. The chlef
source of loss was from smoNe and wa
ter. The flames were soon under control.
Insurance to the amount OF $SOOO was
carried on the building, which Is owned
by James F. Johnston of Ashevile, n.
C. The stock was insured for $4,000 in the
following companies:
Liverpool, London and Globe, John G.
Smith & Co., agents, $1,000; Firemen's
Fund, A. A. Adams, agent, $1,000; Hart
ford ]. M Cartwright agent, $1,000; Insur-
ance Company of North America, John c.
Smith & Co., agents, $1,000; Continental,
Birmingham Underwriters agents. $1,000;
Connecticut, John G. Smith & Co. agents,
$1,000; Pennsylvania Fire, A. A. Adams
agent, $1,000: Aetna, John G. Smith & Co.
agents, 5000; Globe Rutgers John G.
Smith agent, $1,000; Phoenix, w. B. Leedy
& Co. agents, $4,000.