The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-28
FIRE HORSES RUN WILD.
DASHED AWAY IN TERROR FROM
THE ACENE or 4 FIRE.

man sleeping on the second floor OF the Hotel
Hansa, opposite Cooper Union. on Third ave-
nue.. woke and smeed smoke. He jumped
out OF bed found the hall full OF smoke, ran to
the window and shouted Fire! Fire" as loud
as his lungs would let him. Policeman Rich
heard him and rang an alarm from the near
est box. Within two minutes and half
one OF the engines of Fire Company 30
from Great Jones street, near the Bowery.
wheeled into position beside n hydrant at the
northeast corner OF Cooper Union. Driver
Bohne unfastened the buckles that held him
strapped to the seat and slid down to help the
two engineers. Port and Lynch. couple the sue
ton pipe between the hydrant and the engine.
Assistant Foreman Sheridan who had ridden
with the engineers on the tail Of the engine.
had dropped of as they passed the II otel Hansa
and was in the smoke-hlled cellar looking for
the heart Of the fire.
The horses were nervous for some reason
Company 30 has always been famous for its
horses. To 33 belonged the famous fire horse
Jim. of whom the fremen used to say that he
knew more than any one in the department
except Chief Bonner, Jim Is now living life OF
ease on n well-deserved pension. or the three
horses drawing this particular engine. Ginger
the near horse. was the only one with any great
experience. He 10 Just an everyday fire horse
eager to run to his station when the alarm
sounds. and to pull his heart out to bring the
big engine to the fire before all others Frank
the off horse. has not been In the department
more than six months The men Of the
company are fond OF him more than
all the others. though. already He has
personal and individual way with him
for every fireman. Playful in idleness.
he is nervously in earnest when the signal
for work sounds. John. the middle horse. is
quite without experience He has hardly had
time to show what is in him. What it was that
annoyed these three as they pulled up beside
the Coorcr Union hydran, nobody will ever
know. But they were cross. Frank bit at
Johns ear and John stopped on Ginger's toe.
andthey were all prancing uneasily when Bohne
Joined Port and Lynch at the coupling.
An elevated train started from the Ninth
street station. ruflinE and snOrting. John
turned his white face up and eyed the elevated
structure suspiciously. Down through the
ties out OF the darkness came a kissing,
spreading Jet OF exhaust steam. John kicked
outant struck Frank on the shin. Frank reared
and kicked back; Bohnc dropped his coupling
and turned to see what was the matter Mean
while n third floor guest Of the Hotel iansn.
who had not wakened with the first alarm. was
reused to action. He stuck his head out OF the
window and screamed Help "Police!"
and Fret" until he gasped for breath The
llIeilluH u wv tIeNuleu eHeIIle saw MN, SHW
the smoke rising from below. and yanked the
whistle rope The engine was right over the
fire horses at this moment. and the screech OF
the whistle seemed to come from the skv.
That was the last straw. The three horses
bounded about in their harness until the
sparks flew from the stones under their hoofs
and the engine started with Jerk. Bohne
had caught up the reins from the ground and
was leaning back against them jerking right
and left as he was pulled along. The big sue
ton pipe parted with rip and a crack like a
pistol shot. In another moment the big
engine. with smoke pouring back from its
stack. was swinging east on Aston place. Bohne
was running along abreast OF the right hind
wheels. one minute pulling back. at the next
leaping forward to save himself from being
dragged from his feet. Ed Port. the engin eer.
was little further behind on the right side
and Lynch was three strides behind The
street was empt" and. except for the clatter OF
the runaway and the pulling % another engine
going into action on Third avenue. without
any sound OF life. The first gray of the morn
ing had begun to tighten the housetops.
The three horses slackened little as they
drew near Lafayette place. Ginger's common
sense was beginning to assert itself and he
hung back The team swung to the left and
headed toward Lafayette place. Bohnc saw
chance and took it, He dropped the rcins.
spurted. caught tho outside trace opposite
Ginger's hind quarter. pulled himself along
with two quick yanks to the horses
collar. got hold of the collar. and
made flying leap FOR the horses
back. The engineers almost stopped in their
aStonishment and admiration Of his daring
They realized that he was taking the risk with
the most levelheaded horse of the three. As
he rose in the air and was swinging his leg to
throw it over the horse s back the front wheel
OF the engine struck the curb. The Jerk nearly
threw the horses II sent Bohne flying from
Ginger's back. He struck the curb and rolled
ifalcss along the gutter The engine slowed
ont into the street, and Ginger frighted now to
the tips Of his long ears. was as frightened as
the two green horses.
The engine lcaped forward. drawing away
from the two engineers. who saw the big ma
chine 20 swinging away from them throwing
back sparks and smok Q to be blown into their
persprinG faces. Lafayette place becomes Elm
street at Great Jones street. Elm street has
just been cut through and has not
yet been paved or even graded. 1t 10
full OF hollows and hummocks The engine
pitched and bounded and plunged and slowed
from one bump to another. while the bell
changed wildly. At every BUMP rose n fiery
cloud OF sparks, The horses were running.
not as Won have seen them run when going TO
tire, with an even. Ions reach and a steady
SWING; these three were running wild pulling
against each other, heads high in air and down
70 the ground. with their ears laid back and
the bits in their teeth. They ran in zgzag
course. first to the place where the east curb
ought to lie and then TO the west.
On the front steps Of Police Hsadqua rters sat
one or two detectives. doorkesper, and the
night force OF newspaper reporters 1t was
nearly time for the reporters 10 20 home. Just
as they tad learned from the telegraph depart
ment whore the fire was they heard the run
away engine, coming. down Lafayette, place
They settled back on the steps. saying that tho
fire was out and the engines were coming
back. When the engine passed Great Jones
street where II should have. turned east it
came or toward them. Then for the first tmo
they saw tho terrific pace at which it was COM
ing and ran out into the stree; to see wha.
was the matter.
The angle between Mulberry strcct and Fin
strcer is an open lot. A church was pulled
down there when Fin street was cut through
ana tho celia has never been filled in. Tho
three wild horses crossed BleCcker street head
ing straight for this hole. Two policemen.
Miller and DOlphGs, rose up as II from tho
sidewalk bricks aud stood in their way, The
horses fateled, swcrved toward Mulberry
street, nnd, crossing the sidewalk at an angle
dragged the engine SMASH into n lamppost The
But the shock had stayed the team Tor a
second In anOthpr the W. nnIiranap