JOSEPH H. COLEMANJoseph H. Coleman - November 27, 1917 (#66)
Engine Co. No. 26 - 351 - 2nd Avenue

COLLISION WITH STREET CAR
Appointed September 6, 1907

Assigned to Truck Co. No. 1, 1907
Assigned to Engine Co. No. 6, 1908
Assigned to Engine Co. No. 26, 1909
Assigned to Truck Co. No. 10, 1911
Assigned to Engine Co. No. 26, 1912

MOTORMAN  DISREGARDS SIGNAL OF APPARATUS.
VEHICLE, CARING CREW RUSHING TO SIXTH AVENUE ALARM, IS STRUCK SQUARELY IN THE MIDDLE.
WRECKAGE THROWN MANY FEET.
CAPTAIN J. F. RILEY AND CREW ARE HERALDED INTO THE AIR. T
ROLLEY ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN GOING AT THE RATE OF 40 MILES.

1917 November 27

Any hose wagon of engine 26 and a Sutter streetcar, at second Avenue and California Street, at 11 o’clock last night, Joseph Coleman, hoseman,  was injured so badly that he died two hours later, and five other firemen were injured, two of them seriously. Hose wagon was responding to a still alarm  at 28 Sixth Avenue.  Coleman lived 462 third Avenue and is survived by a widow two children.

The seriously injured were:
Riley, John F. 351 Second avenue, Engine 26, head cut, face, chest and legs bruised.
Brain, John, 334 Thirty-second avenue, head and face cut, back wrenched.

The streetcar was piloted by motorman Edwin Whitner, who was in charge of the car that struck the fire department wagon of Engine 10, May 13 last, injuring two men. One of these men, Frank Kruse, is still in the hospital.

Whitner was driving a Sutter street car of the United Railroads westward. Witnesses said the car was going at a high-speed, 40 or so miles an hour.

BELLS WERE RINGING.

The hosewagon, driven by two horses, was dashing north on Second Avenue, bells clanging loudly enough to warn a motorman for blocks away.

The street car struck the hosewagon just as the wagon reached the middle of the track,  crashing through the wagon and throwing the men and materials far up on the sidewalk in a mass of wreckage. Several men were buried in the wreckage. The vehicle was lifted almost to the top of the streetcar.

Driver John Courneen was tossed to the sidewalk, but escaped with bruises. Lieutenant William F. Hensley, who is on the rear of the wagon jumped and escaped with slight bruises. William Quinn, a hoseman, had his ankle strain. These men were taken back to the fire station.

CHIEFS GO TO HOSPITAL

Battalion Chief Maxwell rushed the injured men to the Hahnemann Hospital, where they were cared for by Doctors Lee S. Seward and James Ward.

Chief Murphy went to the hospital at once and remained until nearly this morning. He spoke highly the efficient service of Coleman and the men injured.

Father Frank Buckley the Star of the Sea Church was called at midnight to administer the last rights to Coleman. The Coroner’s office permitted body to be taken to the undertaking parlor.
Source: San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco, 27 November 1917, page 11.

Extracted from original sources with grammar and spelling as published.

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