The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-05-03
HORSB In A SEWER.
Extraordinary and Dis
tressing Accident in
HobOken.
RESCUED TOO LATE.
The Animal Slipped Through
q Manhole and Was
Frightened to
Death.

One Of the most extraordinary, as well
as horrible of accidents occurred In Ho-
boken this morning by which a poor
dumb animal. through gross carelessness
on the part of some one, died after hav-
ing suffered untold torture for five hours
John Meyer, driver for f. D. Jackson
& Co., milk dealers, started out bright
and early this morning to serve his route.
The animal he drove was a handsome
roam valued at $3.50. Meyer had served
about half mis- route. and was jogging
carelessly along First street when at the
corner of jefferson street the horse
stepped on a sewer man hole. The iron
cover had not been properly replaced the
last time it was taken up. and it slid off
so that the hind part of the horse became
wedged into the opening.
The driver In his dilemma called to his
aid Policemen Gebhardt and Delaney,
and some one of the three conceived the
bright idea of fastening a rope about the
body Of the horse and attaching the end
Of it to lamp post. Then the wagon was
backed up, the horse Embarrassed, and
while the horse was suspended by q rope
one of the policemen went on hunt for
derrick. The policeman say they did
not deem 1t possible that the manhole
was large enough to spermit the horses
falling through.
SLIPPED THROUGH THE OPENING.
But that is just what happened. The
rope was not strong enough to bear the
weight of the horse, and it snapped, and
the poor animal slid into the sewer.
The sewer. which runs up First street
and through jefferson street Is 511 foot
box sewer, The poor horse, stricken with
terror, began to work himself on his
knees I'D the First street sewer. The
neighinG of the poor animal under the
street at that hour made the thing
strangely weird. The horse crawled up
the First street sewer to Adams street,
and his location could be easily deter
mined by the pitirul means issuing from
beneath the street.
AS daylight began to break, the horse.
as If instinctively, began to back up to-
wards Jefferson street again. There
were over one thousand persons in the
street and the crowd was being augment
Street Commissioner Kelly arrived about
this time and at once started to rescue the
animal.
The horse worked himself back to the
manhole opening again and one of the
Street Commissioners men went down
the nanhole with a lantern. The poor
brute was huddled up and trembling
|
again and the gang were about to
tear up the street when the
horse started up the Jefferson
street sewer. The moans Of the poor
brute grew fainter and fainter all the
time. and it was evident chat its strength
was fast falling. Finally at point about
the middle OF the block between First
and Newark streets the horses means
ceased altogether.
HELP TOO LATE.
The workmen started to tear up the
street. Fully 1,500 persons had gathered
to watch the operations, and squad of
police had stretched lines to keep the
crowd in check. The sewer was soon laid
bare. The horse was found laying on his
side. There was just spark of life left,
and the head of the animal was hoisted
out of the foul sewage. A derrick had
been placed in position. and the workmen
strung several ropes about the body of
the horse and began to hoist. The ami
NAL died in few moments, however.
Street Commissioner Kelly, in speaking
of the accident, said: THE accident is a
very singular one, but understand it has
happened in New York. The manhole
covering was secured all right. The
horse was newly shod and the frogs of
one of the front shoes caught the cover
ing and overturned it. The hind part of
the horse went down. If derrick had
been promptly secured the horse could
have been saved"
f. d. Jackson, the owner of the horse.
will sue the city for its value and antici-
pates no trouble in SECURING Judgment.