Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-08-01
A YOUNG HERO or THE GUTTER.
How a Young Bootblack Stopped a Dam

How q Young Bootblack Stopped a Dam
gerous Runaway on the Bridge.
"Ding, ding, ding" rang the electric
gong at the New York terminus Of the
Brooklyn bridge just at the busiest hour
Of an afternoon. Nearly ali in the great
throng that was pouring into the entrance
turned their heads as they heard the i'm
petuous note of warning. What was this
gong? Why was it soundedY Few in the
crowdk knew; but instinctively they seemed
to feel that something serious had occur
red. Instantly the policeman whose duty
1t is to watch the carriage exit at the
northern side Of the terminus had run to
the strongly constructed gate thrown back
against the building and had unfastened
1t ready for closing.
Then the word passed, "It's a runaway
on the bridge, and it's coming this way!'
In another minute the crowd, springing
up, as it were, from the ground, blocked
Park row. Several policemen strove vainly
to keep the people back from the end Of the
driveway. Necks were craned and eyes
were strained to catch a glimpse of the
horse and wagon which were just coming
into view at the top of the long stretchnof
paved approach to the bridge.
Here he comes!' was the cry from a
thousand throats, and people involuntarily
drew back, as if to avoid the crash which
might come later OF The horse, it could
be seen, Was on q dead rum, but so far away
was he that he only seemed to be moving
slowly.
Then it could be seen that a Young
man sat in the drivers seat and held the
reins. His feet were firmly braced against
the f%ootboard, his lips were set and he was
exerting all his strength to stop the mad
onrush of the horse. But the incline Is
steep, the animal had evidently 'lost his
head" and was now dashing to his certain
destruction in an excess of mad terror. The
policeman with his hand on the gate began
slowly to close it. 1t was his intention
should the animal not be stopped to shut it
IN his face. People began to picture to
themselves the crash, and turned away
their heads in horror. There was profound
silence in the awestruck crowd, broken
only by disconnected ordinations, and
above all the importunate "ding, ding,
ding" of the gong.
Down the long incline cam the fright
ened steed, his black coat despatched with
foam, and swayed from side to side by the
frantic efforts of the young driver to slack
en- his gait. In some Of these lurches the
horse and wagon narrowly missed striking
the teams Drawn up at the sides of the
driveway. From a cab standing a few
hundred feet up the driveway could be
heard the hysterical screams of a woman.
Still the horse had not slackened his speed.
The policeman closed the gate and the
crowd drew back, as if impelled by one
will, holding it's breath.
The horse had reached the stone balus-
trade that walls in the driveway for the
space of about a hundred feet from the
sidewalk. A bare legged bootblack, whose
face showed pale beneath it's coating of
dust and CRIME, was seen standing on the
balustrade. Suddenly the boy was seen to
spring into the driveway in front of the
plunging horse. He seized the frightened
reins close to the bit, and raising himself
from the ground hung at the horses head.
A shout went up from the crowd, The
horse made several more plunges, then
swayed from side to side and finally stopped
stock still within a few feet of the stout
bars of the gate. The gong ceased ringing.
Five minutes later the entrance to the
bridge had regained its usual appearance,
and no one in the hurrying crowds would
have guessed that it had been the scene oil
an act of heroism.-New York Tribune.