Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-03-02
A HERO AT THE THROTTLE.
How Dominick Torpey Leaped From Hi'
Engine and saved IiitIe Child From
~.

How Dominick TOrpey Leaped From HiS
Engine and saved u Iittle Child FROM
Drowning.
Philadelphia Record, Monday.
10 be added TO the LIST Of heroes ia the
name of Domincl Il. TOrpcv. an engineer
on freight train on the North Pennsyl-
vania railroad, who yesterday stopped his
train, running ut full speed, and saved the
life of a 6-YeArS old child he saw struggling
in a pond alongside the road.
Willie lamplin, the rescued child, whose
parents reside at No 1910 North twenty
seventh street, was spending sunday a, the
house OF Eugene Small, No. EtTI Leithguw
street, near Fifth and Indiana avenue
Shortly before q o'clock Willie, with
younger brother aud two boys Of hesmall
family, all younger than himself, Went out
of the house Tor walk. The children
wandered one square nOrthward to q pond
alongside the north Penn road. Tie SUR
face of the pond was covered with ice
rotted by the sun of the past few days.
The children amused themselves for
time throwing sticks and stones On the ice.
Presently Willie Tamplin ventured out
after one of the sticks. When about ~
feet from the shore the ice gave way and
he WAS struggling in the water.
At the moment he broke III freight train
No. 10, bound east, on the North rennsyl-
yania railroad, passed along under good
struggling in the water Instantly lie blow
for brakes, reversed his engine and leapci
on and down the steep embarrassment to
the pond.
A few steps from the shore and the ice
gave way under the brave fellow, 20 feet
from the drowning boy. Again and again
Torpey raised himself on the ice, only to
break through us often. Vet he struggled
on toward the boy. At length, while lie
was almost in reach of his prize, little Will
lie, faint with cold and fright. let 60 his
own hold on the edges of the broken ice
and sank TOrpey, who is a strong man,
made one more heroic dash aud, Just as
the little one was going out Of sight,
reached down and caught hold of his kilt
skirt beneath the water. Raising the
chiid's head above water with one hand
and clinging to the ice with the other,
Torpey held on until both were rescued by
the crew of the train, who had brought Il
ladder from the station ut the top OF the
embankmcnt.
When rescuer and rescued were gotten
oil shore both were speechless and almost
dead from cold One of the Small children
had run screaming home, saying willie
!; is in the water, and soon great crowd Of
people had gathered around. Willies
rather hnstened to the spot and the child
was taken into the telegraph office, and,
wrapped up III blankets, was carried home
by ms father, followed by hundreds Of
people.
Brave Engineer Torpey was taken on
special locomotive down the Reading coal
road to Kensington and Lehigh avenues,
where he was met by patrol wagon No. 10,
OF the Twenty fuurth district, and hurried
into the Episcopal Hospital. When he
reached that institution it was at first
! thought that he was dead, but cans Of hot
water placed all around his body soon
l Ii. e A..
| injections of Qunine were administered
and he was finally restored to conscious
| ness
When seen at the hospital last evening
| brave Torpey said that the last he remem-
| bered Of the occurrence was when his
comrades pushed the ladder out to him.
| Willie Tanplin, the rescued child, was
out of danger last night.
| TOrpcy is - years old and resides at No
| 1872 East Cambria street. He was able To
leave the hospital and go to his home late
last evening.