THE  LAST  ALARM

FIREMAN DANIEL MCGEE

ENGINE CO. 5

BADGE #13

NOVEMBER 17, 1883

Fireman Daniel McGee, 48, of Engine 5, was the driver of the company's hose wagon and had taken the wagon's horse on an exercise run, accompanied by his nine-year-old son. After a short run, his feet became cold and he stopped the wagon on Lafayette Street, between Prospect and Congress Streets, handing over the reins to his son. He got off the wagon and began to inspect the horse on its right side. For some unknown reason, the horse became frightened and began to run. He tried to stop the animal, but the reins snapped, causing the horse to become more frightened and renew its speed.

#1 is the location of the accident where McGee was killed,
#2 is the quarters of Engine 5, and #3 is where McGee lived.

McGee grabbed the bit-ring in an effort to once again stop the runaway horse, but he was pulled off his feet and dragged approximately 100 feet before falling to the street. The hose wagon then passed across his body lengthwise, from his hip to his head, killing him almost instantly. The 18-year veteran was taken to a nearby doctor's office, where he was pronounced dead.

While not that of Engine 5, this photo shows the typical exercise wagon of the era.

McGee lived at 67 Prospect Street, with his wife and four children. He was a former member of Engine 13 of the old volunteer fire department, and left there after enlisting in the Union Army during the Civil War. He joined the company that left Newark under Major Toler and fought in the war as a member of Sickle's Brigade. On his return, he joined the fire department and was assigned as the wagon driver of Harry Soden Engine 5 when it was formed in 1865, at 56 Prospect Street, between Ferry and Lafayette Streets.

The name of the company was changed to "Hiawatha Engine 5" in 1866. He had been assigned with Asa C. Mott, the driver of the steamer, and Samuel C. Shippen, the engineer of the steamer, since the day the company went in service, and they all became very good friends. They regarded each other as brothers. It was the only company in the city that had never had a roster change in 18 years.

In 1875, McGee ran over a boy while driving the hose wagon to an alarm. It was said that the fright of the incident turned his hair from jet black to pure white.

Retired Captain Danny Prachar sent along some additional info on Daniel McGee: "He was my great grandfather. He was followed into the service by his son, Edward, who was my grandfather, followed by my uncles, Daniel and Gilbert McGee, and then my brother, Andrew, and myself, and finally by my nephew, John Prachar, who is Andy's son."

Incidentally, McGee's son, Edward, who became a Newark fireman, was the son who was with him the day of the accident.