A Fatal Fall for a Tacoma Fireman
A member of Native Hose Company No. 1 dies after falling from a wet, slick roof while responding to a call.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Mr. Clough, a member of Native Hose Company No. 1, met a tragic end at a fire on the corner of Railroad and 5th streets. While attempting to paint a sheet on the roof of the building, Clough—who had been carrying a hose—began to slide. The roof was wet, and he could not catch the plank meant to secure him, falling nearly twenty-five feet to the ground. His wife was notified he was hurt, but not that it was fatal, and she arrived after the event, driven to distraction by the intelligence. Chief Hoose described Clough as singularly independent and very daring in times of danger, recounting a time Clough insisted on scaling a ladder in a burning building despite the risks. He leaves behind his wife and a young daughter.
“Oh, Dad, oh, Dad. Those were the cries of Clough's little daughter as she arrived at the house.”
This tragedy highlights the physical hazards faced by early volunteer fire departments in cities like Tacoma, where infrastructure was often improvised and dangerous. Today’s fire departments are highly specialized, yet the loss of life in the line of duty remains a somber, recurring reality in the life of a growing city.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.