Individual Details

Oscar L Lehman

(12 Jun 1886 - 3 Oct 1921)

The Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, Tuesday, October 4, 1921, Page 6: Fireman Killed In Crash. Lineman injured when engines collide. Oscar L. Leham Dies of Skull Fracture; Inquiry to Fix Responsibility Ordered. Oscar L. Lehman, 35 years old. Lieutenant of engine company No. 1, died at St. Vincent's hospital shortly after 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon as a result of injuries sustained when two fire engines, responding to a call at Tenth and Montgomery streets, crashed together at the corner of Fourth and Jefferson streets. He sustained a deep skull fracture from which he died without gaining consciousness.

Frank Baily, aged 38, a lineman attached to engine company No. 22, was at St. Vincent's hospital last night with a fracture of the left leg and other serious injuries sustained in the collision. He is expected to recover. Other firemen on the two engines were badly shaked up and bruised. The fire engines crashed while scores of pedestrians looked on. Both engines were badly wrecked.

The dead fire lieutenant had been married but three weeks. Besides his bride, he is survived by a 3-year-old son of a former marriage. He resided at 405 East Eleventh street. Lieutenant Lehman was appointed to the fire department on June 4, 1910. Fireman Baily has been attached to engine company No. 22 for several years. He is married and lives at 560 Columbia street.

According to Traffic Investigator Freiberg, who made an investigation, the collision could have been avoided. City Commissioner Bigelaw late yesterday ordered a complete investigation of the collision of the two fire engines. Witnesses to the accident will be called before this board and an effort will be made to fix the responsibility.

Responsible witnesses last night declared untrue statements to the effect that no one signaled the firemen as they approached what proved to be the fatal corner. Several men waved to them, it was asserted, but drivers paid no attention and later said they are flagged so often by pedestrians, for one reason and another, that they ignored the warning this time.

The Oregonian
, Portland, Oregon, Friday, October 7, 1921, Page 6: Lehman Funeral Held. Hundreds of Friends Pay Tribute to Fire Lieutenant. Funeral services for Lieutenant Oscar A. Lehman, who died Monday following injuries sustained at Fourth and Jefferson streets in the collision of two fire department trucks, were held yesterday afternoon from the municipal auditorium. The body of the fire department officer lay in state two hours before the funeral and hundreds of friends with flowers paid their final tributes. Elder L. K. Dickson of the Seventh Day Adventist church officiated at the services. Lieutenant Crane of the St. Johns police station sang two solos to the organ accompaniment of Henri Keates. Masonic services were held at the grave in Mount Scott cemetery. The delegates to the state federation of labor convention attended the funeral.

The Oregonian of October 22, 1921 has an article that both engine drivers were suspended for 3 months for the accident.

Events

Birth12 Jun 1886stombstone show born 1889, Iowa
Marriage7 Sep 1921Gladys M. Shepheard to Oscar Lehman, Multnomah Co., Oregon - Nellie Gladys Finley
Death3 Oct 1921Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon
Alt name??? Lehman
BurialAKA Mount Scott Cemetery, Multnomah Co., Oregon, Lincoln Memorial Park, Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon

Families

SpouseNellie Gladys Finley (1895 - 1957)

Endnotes