Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-26
TO PROTECT THE HORSES.


Metropolitan Line.
A small crowd gathered at the corner of 9th
and streets this morning around a street car
that was standing on the tracks, the horses
blanketed the driver and conductor walking
up and down trying to keep warm and the pas
sengers in the car patiently waiting for some
thing to be done. A small man with a
high. shrill voice was moving about
actively, stopping now and then to respond in
vigorous style to the witticisms and complaints
that arose. 1t was Dir. Key, the agent of the
Humane Society. and in the discharge of his
duties he had stopped an east-bound car on the
Metropolitan road. The two horses attached to
the car had struggled up the slight grade that
is just east of 9th street, and il was there that
Agent Key decided that the law against cruelty
to animals could properly be enforced in the
interest of the horses. No Object ion was made
the part of the employees of the company
and Mr. Keys authority was respected.
TOO MUCH FOR TWO HORSES TO PULL.
"Over an hour ago." said Mr.. Key to q STAR
reporter who happened to pass along. II tele-
phoned to the companys Office that Congress-
men, real estate men and citizen sgenerally had
been employed all the morning in assisting to
move the cars that were too great load for two
horses. told them that il was about time that
they doubled up their teams Nothing was
myself"
Hi therer' he called to the driver Of the
herdic. You say at the Office that they must
use more horses or / will stop the line"
The driver promised that he would and urged
on his struggling team. The fur hat Of Mr.
Key bobbed around in the crowd and the little
man seemed to be full of electric energy. AZ
ter while snow pillow came up behind the car
and the driver stopped and jumping down
walked forward to see what was the matter.
Al Il
That individual merely pointed his finger in
the direction where the Humane Society agent
stood and said, MIR. Key
AN EXTRA HORSE.
The snow-plow drivers gave one glance at
Mr.. Key, took in the situation and called up
an extra animal and directed that the horse be
hitched to the This was DONE the blankets
were pulled off of the car horses. the conductor
jumped aboard and the driver gathered up his
reins.
THAT extra horse must 20 all the way
through" yelled Mr.. Key, plugging through
the snow from the sidewalk. If he don't
will arrest you, he concluded, looking at the
driver.
That individual protested that he was not re-
sponsible for the extra horse. But Mr.. Key
told him that made no difference and he wanted
that horse to remain with the car. The car
then finally started and the snow sweeper came
plunging along and cleared the tracks. The
next car mounted the grade with comparative
ease and Mr.. Key, watching its progress, said:
We'll, as long as they don't get stalled l sup
pose will have to let this thing go along; but
! sm going to do all I can to protect the
horses"
THE SUPERINTENDENT PROTEST.
man. said to be the superintendent Of the
road, came along and he told Mr.. Key that he
had no right to stop the traffic Of the road. Mr..
Key replied that he was going to protect the
horses, as the law required, and he had nothing
70 do with the business of the road.
The superintendent drove on and Mr.. Key
resumed his position on the corner and the
crowd gradually dwindled away.