The Washington herald., 1908-01-19
RULES COST A LIFE
Only a Horses, but 1t Was
Claimed by Duty.
SLIPPED ON ICY ASPHALT
Followed the street Sprinkler Upon
the Order of the Big Metropolitan
other Horse, Which Takes Place
of the One Shot by Policeman.

of the One Shot by Policeman.
New York Jan. 1S.-The other day a
sprnkling cart belonging 90 the street
cleaning department was engaged in wet
ting down the asphalt pavement on West
l25th street. between Seventh and Eighth
avenues. The asphalt pavement slopes
slightly from the car tracks I'm the mid
die Of the street down TO the curbstone at
the edge Of the sidewalk The slope
which is scarcely noticeable and which
is intended to accelerate the drainage Of
the street after rainstorm. was the
cause of q series of minor accidents. one
of which ended disastrously for big bay
horse attached TO "a sweeper.
The day was cold, and as soon as the
thin drops of water from the sprinkler
touched the cold pavement they froze. and
formed thin layer OF ice Following
IN the wake Of the sprinkler came two
sweepers, the FIRST one drawn by a team
of fine big gray horses. The animals
plodded along, but IL was with the utmost
difficulty that they managed to keep
their feet on the ice.
The further the horses walked the more
nervous they became and TO pedestrians
VINO were watching the antics of the two
big horses striving 10 keep their balance,
1t seemed that it would be only a short
time before one of them would go down
Suddenly. when the sweeper had reached
point I'm the middle Of the block, one Of
the big grays. after skatins and prancFng
for two or three minutes fell and in
going down he kicked his mate in such a
fashion that he knocked the legs from
under the second horse. With the aid OF
a couple Of onlookers the driver managed
90 get the horse up again. and, after
swapping their traces To the whifiletrecs.
he drove of after the sprinkler.
Asphalt Was slippery.
Still the trouble WAS not over by any
means. for the team Of bays attached 10
the second sweeper was having Just as
hard time 10 keep their feet as the
team of grays. Along came the bays
skating and slipping every step When
the second sweeper reached a point only
a few feet from the spot where the other
horses had fallen one Of the bays went
down. The driver swung himself from his
position ou the seat and spranE TO
the pavement. but he. recEoned without
the ice, and rs q result his feet shot out
from under him and he received a heavy
IalL He lay SIN for a time. bgt after
two men had helped him arise be- Iimped
around 90 whore the prostrata horse las
and with the aid 90 q blanket and some
Of the bystanders he finally managed II
set The horse upon his feet again.
The driver swung himself into his seat
again and picking up the lines drove
on. Suddenly the oflsida horse went
down once more with q thud. One of the
bays hind legs buckied under him and
the sharp little snap which would be dis
tiuctly heard wbeg the horse struck the
pavement conveyed 10 the ears of the
wise ones IN the crowd Of onlookers just
what had happened. The poor animal
had broken his leg, bringing has days OF
usefulness % a speedy end. II was
some time before the dazed driver could
comprehend what had actually happened
D0ubuessly he was attached 70 the horse
and he mated 20 think that the worst had
occurred.
Bullet Ends Suffering.
lie pulled the blanket. which had suf-
feed on SO many previous occasions in
getting horses on their feet from his
seat and after a look at the horses brok-
en- leg to satisfy himself or tho truth. he
threw it over the painting animal lying on
the icy asphalt which was no longer icy.
for the heat and steam from the horses
body soon melted the Thin sheet Of Ice
end caused the water 20 run down to the
curbst0ne ia little tiny streams
Each person i'm the crown OF bystanders
had some advice 20 offer of what should
DE done with the horse bat the only re-
mark the driver made was. "Ah. let him
die. He belongs TO the street cleaning
department, and the city can afford to
pay for him. Then be sought a tele-
phone, called up the department stable.
and after telling them what had hap
pened he asked them 10 send A veterin-
airy over 10 examine the horse
After delay of over half an hour the
veterinary arrived, and on examining the
broken limb he gave permission to
policeman 10 end the horses suffering
with bullet The policeman placed the
muzzIe Of the revolver to the head OF the
horse, but when the poor animal felt the
touch OF the cold steel he raised his head
and looked around ri the bystanders with
an appealing look, as much as 10 say.
What is eli the fuss about?" Then he
gently Jet his big head fall back 10 the
cold pavement again, and a minute after
ward a shot broke the stiffness and little
steel messenger blotted out the last spark
Of life forever. The driver removed the
blanket from the body and placed it on
the seat. Another horse was sent around
from the stable and attached 70 the
sweeper. and II went on its journey again,
the team slipping as before.
What is the sense OF throwing water
on that pavement a night like this?' said
a man who was leaving the scene. 1.-THE
water freezes over that dirt and does not
permit the sWeepers to move H. Then 1t
cost the city q good strong horse OF
course, YOU cannot blame the drlEer Ee
Is sent out from the stable with orders to
follow the sprinkler. and does it whether
il costs one horse OF three. It matters
little with him, lie is obeying orders,
that's all. But for the life Of me I cannot
see the wisdom Of sweeping street where
the dirt is covered with a layer OF ice.
The Greatest show on Earth.