Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-08-14
LITTLE HENNIE,s WILD RUN.

A Chicago Boys Thrilling Experf-
ence on the Part OF the Cable Car
System.
From the ST. Louis Repubiic.l
CHICAGO, July 20.-Little Henry Al
tenberg, who lives with his parents. at the
corner of West Madison street and West
ern avenue, nearly lost his life to-day as
the result of scientific experiment which
he had carried beyond the bounds of per
sonal safety.
Since the new street car cable on Madi-
discovered that strong current of air is
continually working down through the
slit in the road. Acting on this discovery
many of them have amused themselves ty-
ing piece of paper at one end of a string
and an old tomato can or similar article at
the other. Laying the piece of paper on
the slit, they soon had the satisfaction of
seeing it disapper under ground, where
the string became wound around the cable,
and in a -snSinsat- or-twoz their delight
would be intensified by seeing the tomato
can go rattling down the street
Little Henry Altenberg, however, is of q
reflective turn, and he figured it out that
if he tied rope around his waist he would
be able to stop the cable when the slack of
| the line would be hauled taut, as the lake
mariners say. Other boys might fasten
cans to the creeping cable, but such diver
tissement was too tame for him.
l. Running up to his mothers rooms at S03
West Madison street he quietly and with
/ out ostentation took the cord from the
l family bed. Fastening it about his mid
die he tied to the other end piece of pa
per. Running down into the street he
dangled the paper into the cable tunnel
His scientific ideas had been well con-
ceived. The currents of air that swished
down the dark passage whitfield the paper
/ about until the rope wound round and
round the cable. Then his wild career be
gan.
Men, women and children, and the Wes
End gentlemen who wear silk hats and
sack coats, simultaneously were soon awe
stricken at the figure the boy was cutting
He pranced down the track like yearlinl
colt around blue grass pasture. His
L soiled shirt fiuttered in the breeze and his
hat flew off. But he did not stop to picl
it up. He couldn't. He gripped the rop,
that so closely identified him with the ca
BILE system and sped on and on. Then h,
lifted up his voice, swelled his lusty lung
and yelled wildly. People generally shout
ed, 'tHey!" at him, and several thoughtful
ones asked him if it hurt much, but h'
only galloped on. He was. devoting hi,
whole thought to the scientific inyestiga
ton he was conducting at such rapid
gait and with such flattering success
He had started up at Leayitt street al
2:10 D. m At 2:12 he flashed by Hoynt
l avenue. At 2:134 he had gathered speed
and was cantering across Seeley avenue
/ At 2:14 two men, seeing the boys predica
| ment, rushed out to bear him on his way
One of them tried to jerk the rope away
but could not Then they began to cal
for knives There was dearth of knive.
along Madison street just then and non,
/ was forthcoming More men joined in tn,
exciting chase, but Hennie led them all b,
several laps. Soon the intense excitemen
of the situation was beginning to tell oI
him, when at 2:14i he made Robey street
} and he was painting for breath. Still mel
shouted and women screamed. The bo,
| Joined in and swelled the high refrain
But he could not break away, and, thougl
} reluctantly, he madly sped on.
The end came finally. A. E. Allen, a
. employe in paint store. rushed into tn
street with huge knife. .tiea unfv on,
available along HeNnie's entire right oi
way, and tratang along by the boys side
htzcSe1 the rope in twain. Hennie fell ex
hausted in his arms and the thrilling seen,
was over. Several hundred people stood
gaping at the boy who had made snch
sensation and tenderly inquired if he wer
hurt. But he disdainfully answered
"Nawi" Then big blue-backed prefeci
of police put the boy under arrest ii,
was released presently and silently stol'
away to his home.
| When he mother heard of the wonder
full feat he had accomplished She led hin
gently away to bed. Throwing the cover