National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-04
HAIR BREADTH ESCAPES.
Thrilling Adventures Of Strcef-Car Pas
senEer. IA Relatcd BY EEiEnsclE


senEer, Related by Himself
A gentleman, having occasion to go up in the
northwestern part of the city on New Years Day,
took the Sevcnth-Street car line going, and re-
turned by the Ninthstrcet line. This is not con-
sdered very hazardous trip as rule, but on this
occasion it proved almost as exciting journey
by the overland mail to California i'll the days pre-
yious to the building ofthc Pacific Railway!
The Seventh-street car was mounted in the
usual manner at about $50 p. III. couple of
coorcd individuals were standing on the platform
blocking the WY to the inGreSS and egreSS of the
passengers But this is to be expected and is an
attention which ladies especially would rather
miss. After the passenger had taken his seat one
of these men also entered and took q seat beside
him. A moment later alteration outside at
tracted the passengers attention. and looking out
the window next 10 which he was sitting he saw
the other man in the act of raising pistol if to
shoot In his direction. Just as he was about to
dodge, the conductor ofthe car, who happened to
be brave and athletic man, caught the arm of
the negro and turned the pistol downward. A few
hasty and angry words ensued, and then the
colored man jumped of the car and disappeared
In the darkness. He was followed almost imme-
diatcly by the man who sat next to the passenger.
The conductor then came ill., pale and excited
and explained the circumstances, which were, in
BRIEF that the two darkies had had a row outside
and that the one who raised the pistol had in
tended to shoot the other through the doorway
As he was sitting in direct line with the pasSen-
ger the latter felt that this the sort of New
Years entertainment which he did not care 10 at
tend. 1t happened, most singularly, that no
policemen were to be seen on the street for many
blocks further. They were, perhaps, engaged in
amelorating the condition of their unhappy lot
But accidents don't travel sinsly. A chapter most
always follows an Introduction. Having attended
to the social business that engaged his7GttentiOn,
southwark the gentleman took passage for the
turn trip by the line that runs mostly overland
since the snow down Ninth street
No unusual incident marred the uniform bumpi-
tiness of the journey until the was rapidly de-
scendiug the hill from street to the Avenue. Sud
denly the brake was whirled, the stopped short
the standing passengers made dive Us If they had
suddenly decided 10 stand ON their heads, and
those nearest the door hurried out TO see what
the matter. There was trouble enough. A sleigh
had either collded or shied aside, and the persons
within were thrown violently to the ground Sin
gular to relate, the lady. who was quite stout, had
been pitched Immediately under the forward
wheels of the car, and was at this moment caught
there With the wheel at her neck. Ono step for
ward by the horses would have severed her head
from her body. In the darkness and confusion IL
was some time before she could be eXtricated, and
in the meantime the horses started forward several
times while q groan OF horror went up from the
small crowd which had now assembled.
But she was finally dragged. nscusible, from her
perilous position, and, together with her fellow
passenger, who had now scrambled up and some
what recovered his senses, she was taken to the
nearest drug store. The Street-car passenger then
concluded he would walk nome and go TO bed as
being the safest place he could think of. As both
these adventures will probably otherwise escape
the attention of the newspapers they are written
be drawn as to the disadvantages Of fast driving
and the too little enforcement of the law against
carrying concealed weapons. But the passenger
is not moral refOTmer.