On August 7, 1914 at 12:15 p.m. the east-end fire wagon was attempting to get to a grass fire by the Monon Tracks when the Northwestern Traction Car struck the back side of the wagon, hurling it 15 feet. Fire Chief John Hurley (headquartered at the central station) had jumped on the wagon as it was going past his home. Chief Hurley was thrown 20 yards from the collision, suffering a broken shoulder and a badly bruised body. Unfortunately, Clarence Williams (47-year old fireman) was standing on the back steps of the wagon and did not survive; six children (ages 1-19) and a widow were left behind. The other two firemen involved were driver Frank Esra and fireman Otis Stephens. Esra was upset because he had not heard the gong of the traction car's approach.
And we included the first image below.
But we just recently received a donation from a descendant of Frank Esra (the fire wagon driver in the incident) that shows the same site...yet at a slightly different moment (second image). It is quite unusual that we have two photographs taken so close in time, so this is a unique opportunity to examine a moment on August 7, 1914 from two vantage points!
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