Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-24
A FAITHFUL AND NOBLE DOG.
fIsw lie Saved Many Laves In Barning
Hotei and Lost His Own.

Hotel and Lost His Own.
An Olean On. " special says: The large
Newfoundland dog Heck, belonging 10 the
st. Elmo Hotel, in the neighboring oil town
Of ElGred, Penn, was known through
out the northern oi.-feld for its great
strength and almost human intelligence.
The porter OF the hotel, kind-hearted but
intempCrate person, was an especial favor
ite with The dog. The porter, small man.
slept in q little room back OF the office. The
dog slept i'm the Office. On Thursday night
last the porter was very drunk when he went
TO bed, and soon fell into heavy sleep. Some
time in the night he was awakened by the
loud Barking Of Heck, who was jumping
iranticaly on the portcr's bed and seiZing
the pillow with his teeth. The still drunken
and drowsy porter tried 10 make the dog
60 away but the animal persisted in his
efforts, and il finally dawned on the be-
fuddlcd mind of the porter that the house
wss on fire. His room was fullpi smoke,
and he could hear the cracking OF the
flames. lie .rrnng from bed. but was still
so drunk that he fell to the floor. The
faithful dog ut once seized him by the coat
colllr, the porter not having removed his
clothing on going to bed. and dragged
him out OF the room and bali way
10 the other door OF the office,
when the man succeeded in gottng
TO his feet, and, unlocking the door,
staggered into the street. The fire was
rapidly spreading over the building. and
the hotel was filled with guests, not one OF
whom had been aroused. The dog no
sooner saw that his helpless friend was safe
than he dashed back into the house and ran
barking loudly upstairs. He first stopped
at the door OF his masters room, where he
howled and scratched at the door until the
inmate was made aware OF the danger and
hurried ont OF the house, as there was no
time to lose. Tue dog gave the alarm At
every door, and in some instances con-
Quoted the guests down stairs TO the outer
door, each one OF these, however. being
strangers In the house. which fact the dog
seemed TO understand in looking out for
their safety.
All the inmates OF the house seemed to
have lost their heads in the excitement,
and il is said that the hotel dog alone pre-
served complete control OF himself, and
alone took active measures 10 save the
! inmates Of the house. In and out OF the
/ burning building he kept continually dash
ing, plotting some bali-dressed man or
woman down stairs, only to at once return
n
child in her arms tripped on the stairs
while hurrylng out and fell 10 the bot
I ton. TIE child was thrown on the noor
/ in the hall some distance away. The
woman resained her feet and staggered
| in a daZed way out Of the door, leav-
! ing the child in the midst OF the smoke that
w.s pouring from the Office door. Ths
/ brave dog saw the mishap, and. Jumping in
| through the smoke seized the child by its
night-clothes and carried il safely out. Not.
withdrawing this rescue the mishap that
i made il necessary led 10 the death OF the
/ noble animal. The mother Of the child, on
/ being restored by the fresh air, first became
aware that her child was not with her. and
crying out wildly that Gamma wss burn
/ ing up ia the housei" made q dash FOR the
/ building @ il 10 rush through the
! flames 10 seek her child Heck had already
| brought the little one out, but it had not
! vet been restored to its mother. The dog
I saw the frantic rush Of the mother toward
! the burning building, and heard her cKcl1-
nation that some one was burning up IN
tie house, and although the building was
| now mass OF smoke and flames inside and
! out the dog sprlng forward aud, a. dozen
| hands seized the woman and held her back
| from her insane attemptto enter the house.
| disappeared with bound over the burning
threshold. The faithful animal never ap-
peared again. His remains were found in
| the ruins.
| There il no doubt in any ones Diind that
| but for the intelligence and activity OF
| Heck the fire in the hotel would not have
been discovered in time for single inmate
| 10 have escaped from the building, and that
the noble animal understood from the bali
| crazed movements OF the child's mother
that there was still another one in danger,
and to rescue whom he gave hls own life,
is accepted as equally certain. The remains
| OF Heck were gwen a ttting burlsl. and
| his loss Is gietted as that OF useful citi-
| zpn might be-