The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-02-24
AN ACCIDENT RUNNER,
Young Woman Who Makes Her Liv.
ing by Means of Others Injuries

ing by Means of Others Injuries.
The unique occupation followed by a
young woman was disclosed the other
day in New York when there was an ac-
cident on the broadway cable line. The
accident in itself was not especially
noteworthy; a car that was rapidly
rounding the Fourteenth street loop,
known as Dead Mans Curve" struck
newsboy who was running across the
street and knocked him to the pave
ment, where he lay unconscious. his
head bleeding from a cash cut by
rough stone. The car stopped, and the
usual crowd of curious and sympathetic
onlookers gathered about the boy.
Soon young woman, with a bust
ness-like air and a tailormade gown,
pushed her way through the crowd
promptly took charge of the boy, di-
rected that he be removed to a nearby
drug store, and sent man to ring in an
ambulance call. While this was being
done she moved quickly through the
crowd, pencil and notebook in hand,
secured the names of half dozen per-
sons who had witnessed the accident,
jotted down the numbers of the con-
ductor and gripman, and made rough
little diagram of the spot where the
accident had occurred-all before the
car moved on in its uptown journey.
Then she hurried back to the boy and
remained by him until his wound had
been dressed, and he had been carried
away home.
Probably the most of those who OBJ
served the young woman's actions set
her down as woman reporter, but if
so they were mistaken. Her name is
Harriet Emerson, and she herself de-
scribes her occupation in this wise:
MY interest in people who are
knocked down by street cars is caused
chiefly by business reasons, L assure
you" she said, brightly. I'm what
you'd call a runner l suppose; at
least that is what we used to call the
boys who did this work before began
it." Then, in answer to her listeners
bewildered look, she explained further:
IF you'll take the trouble to count
them up in your newspaper some morn
ing, you'll see there are a great many
accidents of one kind or another in
big city like New York every day.
There are a good many, too, that are
never mentioned in the papers. You
probably know that if workman who
is injured by falling scaffolding, or
a man has his foot cut off by trolley
car can prove that it was the fault of
his employer, or the railway company,
as the case may be, the law permits him
10 collect damages for the injury done.
But perhaps you don't know that this
branch of the legal business has be-
come so extensive that it occupies the
whole attention of several firms. 1t is
lucrative business, too, for juries are
apt to give the injured person the ben
eft of the doubt.
This is what gave me my oppor-
tunity. l made up my mind that
woman who knew just what was
wanted, would have less difficulty in
getting the proper evidence than
street boy who knew nothing about it,
I've been al this work for year now,
and find that it pays me better than my
former office employment as a stenog-
rapher. | DO other things beside TAX
ing notes of accidents, such as serving
papers and collecting evidence for my
firm, but most of my income is derived
from such affairs as you have just seen.
"Of course, | don't see all the acct
dents that happen, though good many
more than you would think come under
my eyes, but have good many ways
of finding out about them quickly. For
instance, at most of the dangerous
street crossings there are men who
know me, and will send a tip to the
office when there's case on. Simial-
ly, I've made the acquaintance of work
men in the railroad yard and on some
of the big buildings. Iget percentage
on the fee from each case, and some of
them net me as high as $50. | don't
have to pick up many of them to make
fairly good living. l dare say you
think its an odd occupation, but like
ii, and it's good work, too, for if il
wasn't for me many of these poor crea-
lures, who are manned or injured by
the careiessness of others, would never
get their rights. CONNER
cial Tribune