HOSE WAGON IS OVERTURNED.
Collides With Curb in Avoiding
Street Car and Three Fire-
men Are Injured.
Dashing down the slight incline on Twelfth street between Main and Walnut last night, hose wagon No. 2, driven by Joseph Stockard, struck the curb on the northeast corner of Walnut and Twelfth streets and overturned, injuring three men. A southbound car was just crossing Twelfth street and it was in attempting to avoid a collision that the heavy wagon was skidded onto the curb.
Captain John Nolan, who was on the seat with Stockard, was thrown violently to the ground and suffered an injury to the back on his spine. Fireman Fred Sans was hit on the head and bruised on the hip. The extraordinary coolness and presence of mind on the part of Stockard, who, though hurled through the air and hurt in his fall, did not relinquish the reins on the horses, but pulled them down to a stop, won him a compliment from his superior officers. Stockard was cut on the face and his arms were temporarily paralyzed. All of the men were taken back to headquarters, where their injuries were examined. None was seriously hurt.
"I did not see the car until I was almost onto it," said Stockard last night. "The street was clear when we crossed Main street, and though we usually take a great deal of risk in going to a fire, I dept the horses down to a much slower trot than usual. I am positive that had we been going faster or that car moved ever so little slower, we would have crashed into it in spite of anything we could have done."
Spectators helped to right the wagon and pick up the hose. Lieutenant John Hartmaier and Fireman Oscar Nelson jumped from the wagon before it struck the curb and were uninjured.
