Guardians of The City SFFD Home Page - San Francisco Fire Department Museum
SFFD - Those Who Died in the Line of Duty:
 

Black RibbonJAMES BAINBlack RibbonJames Bain, Asst. Foreman - January 15, 1895 (#35)
Engine Co. No. 24 - 449 Douglas Street

FROM THE FIFTH WHEEL

Fatal Fall of Rigger James Bain at the Park.
While the Mechanism Was Being Removed a Beam Slipped—
The Victim's Daring Record.

1895 January 16

James Bain, a rigger, fell from the Firth wheel at the Midwinter Fair grounds yesterday and was killed.
Bain was walking across the wheel on a beam when the flimsy structure swayed in the wind and precipitated him upon a pile of debris thirty feet below. He was removed to Cooper's Hotel at Eighth avenue and D street, where he died shortly afterward.

There was no more self-confident nor daring rigger in San Francisco than Bain. At one time, when a terrific storm threatened the big search-light of the electric tower, he bravely climbed the iron web and at imminent risk of life lashed down securely the great reflector. He performed a great deal of the work on finials of the fair. Much of the Fifth wheel was put together by him, and he was chosen to take it down for removal to Sutro Heights. His work yesterday consisted of marking certain parts with paint to guide mechanics in taking the wheel asunder. Bain was a middle-aged man and lived with his family at Twenty-fourth and Castro streets.
San Francisco Call, Volume 77, Number 47, 16 January 1895 — FROM THE FIRTH WHEEL [ARTICLE]

BAIN'S DEATH WAS ACCIDENTAL.

1895 January 18

The inquest into the cause of the death of James S. Bain was concluded before Coroner Hawkins last night. The jury brought in a verdict of accidental death. While assisting in the taking down of the fifth wheel Bain fell from the scaffolding to the ground, fracturing his skull. J. W. Mays and E. Dunn, who were working with him testified that the scaffolding was shakey (sic), and, a portion of it giving way, Bain lost his hold and fell.
Source: San Francisco Call, Volume 77, Number 49, 18 January 1895 — Bain's Death Was Accidental. [ARTICLE]

DEPARTMENT NOTICE

1895 January 17

S. F. F. D.— The Regular funeral detail of the Fire Department will assemble at 18 engine house. FRIDAY MORNING, January 18. 1894, at 8 o'clock, for the purpose of attending the funeral of the late JAMES BAIN, late member of said department. By order
D. T. SULLIVAN, Chief of Department.
Source: San Francisco Call, Volume 77, Number 48, 17 January 1895 — Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 [ADVERTISEMENT]

Extracted from original sources with grammar and spelling as published.

SFFD Home Page Guardians of The City Home Page