The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-07
Big BAY HORSE In A NANHOLR
HTS HOOFS SLASHING AROUND
BARNEY RILEY'S HEAD.

,sOvery Crowd Cheers Twenty Husky Men
- They PUN on Tackle Rigged 20 the
Grand street Elevated station Tn
Horse shaky and Hailcy Only bruised.
Asouthbound surface car Tammed a truck
pulled by two big bay horses yesterday
morning about II o'cloc at the Bowery
and Grand street. Dan Brophy. the driver,
who was heading for Brooklyn with a load
OF tin scraps. tried to swing his horses
clear OF an open manhole at the southwest
ooner. The OF horse went clear. but his
mate. badly frightened. got his hind legs
In the four foot opening. became frightened
and gradually sank into the hole. wedging
his fifteen hundred pounds OF horsefesh
40 tightly in the opening that hardly Q
raw OF daylight could get through.
Two policemen grabbed the on horse
and hung on for dear life. He kicked and
plunged. tangling and breaking the har-
ness. The imprisoned bay. whose head
univ remained above ground. whinnied
In fright and struggled vainly to get clear.
In A minute or two the corner was Jsmmed
With Boweryites. habitual and oasua
The platforms OF the elevated station be-
came crowded and every train that stopped
AZ the p~orthbound and ~southbound platforms
added to the jam.
A dirtv faced little man had been strug-
cling 10 make himself heard above the
yelling OF the excited ones. the cries Of the
hons and the general turmoil. His name
.-as Enright and he had been out of the
manhole but a few minutes.
For the love Of Heaven he yelledi
enny partners in that hole. and that horse
/. kicking the daylights out OF him."
The police and a dozen husky volunteers
got busy in a hurry. Policeman Ruckert
Of the Mulberry street station house got
cloee enough TO the blocked manhole to
veil below 10 the imprisoned man, Barney
RIlev. a cable member for the Empire City
subway Company. He couldn't see Barney,
but presently he heard the cable fxer
sIm all right yet" Riley said, but the
feet Of him are lashing over my head, and
ItIs only a minute or two more Nv got
before he'll smash my skull like an egg
shell. Hurry up. He's dropping W.
I Police Captain Murtha happened along
and took charge Of the job OF getting Barney
from under the big truck horse. Dan
.Brophy, with the assistance Of several
heavy shouldered young men OF that vicin-
liz who seemed 10 consider the accident
a. a cheerful break in a dull day, got his
other horse free Of the harness and backed
the truck away from the manhole. Then the
Empire CITY Subway Company's employees
fetched a block and tackle from some
where and rugged it to the elevated structure
On the downtown side.
sHi!' yelled Capt. Murtha. About twen-
tfy-fve Of you fellows get busy here with a
good, hard pull and we'll have this horse out
In a jnfy.'
Above, on the elevated platforms, the
crowd watched in growing excitement,
every once in a while letting out a cheer
as a short, fat individual with a red, sweat
ing face skipped to and from the hole and
gave news Of Riley's condition. Mean
while, the reserves had been called from
the Mulberry street station house and the
cops forced the crow back from the vicinity
Of the manhole.
sFor Gods sake. hurry up!' Riley called
up from the bottom of the manhole. My
right shoulder il caved in from a kick and
I can't. protect myself much longer
Through the manhole about two feet
from the bottom. a IL inch gaspipe ran,
and it was this that saved Riley from getting
kicked to death almost instantly. The big
pipe stopped the horses fall. and Riley,
crouching in alright at the side Of the pipe,
was able 10 dodge most Of the wild swings
that the terribly frightened horse gave with
Its hind feet.
Mike Enright at the risk Of broken bones.
managed 10 slip a ledJncT DclJ ONcI buO
horses head and neck and to get il firmly
fastened around the body, back Of the fore
legs. Then with a -Yo, heave hol" from
Capt. Murtha the twenty or more huskies
gave a great tug and drew the horse part
way from the hole. The watching crowd
set up a yell of delight.
Another tug or two and the horse was
out, lying on its side. too scared at first TO
stand. When il did get to its feet it shook
and trembled for several minutes, n
when Brophy got his harness patched and
his two bays hitched up once more the
rescued horse walked of shakily.
Two cops pulled Riley from h hole.
Policeman Ruckert sent to st. Vincents
Hospital for an ambulance and DR.. Lordi
responded. He examined Riley carefully
and said there were no broken bones, but
that the man had several bad bruises.
Twice said Barney, the big hoofs
went slashing past my head, not missing
Il more than an inch or two. ] burrowed
down by that blessed gaspipe and prayed
20 all the saints l could remember OF, and
honest l thought Of more OF them than |
had since ] was a kid at st. Michaels.'
Riley went TO his home at 2s East lIsth
nkraat kaIn1A sk.ra 49, HE narfnaR Mia