The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-07-01
Horse Driven to Ladder Wag-
on Falls on Doran Bridge
And Chiefs Horse Runs
Away.
MILLER'S WILD RIDE
WITHOUT PRECEDENT.
His Nerve in CIinging to the
Animal in Its Mad Flight All
That Saved Him From In
jury.

Two fire alarms within quick sue
cession called out the departments this
morning and at the same time came
near to demoralizing them. The loss
by fire was practically inconsiderable
but the attending incidents were of a
more serious nature. The wagon in
which Chief Miller was driving to the
first call broke down and he contin-
ued the run on horseback. In an
swering the same alarm one of the
horses to the ladder truck fell and
it's hoof struck it's mate, inflicting a
cut on the leg that bled freely. A mis-
take in giving directions as to the To-
cation of The second fire, which was
a telephone alarm, caused confusion in
the department and a collision be-
tween the hose wagon of No. 1 COM
pany and the chemical wagon from the
city building.
The first alarm was sent from box
IS, calling the departments to Grant
and Sheridan streets. A lace cur
tain at the home of Mrs Ernest Hof-
heinz was destroyed by the flames.
Mrs Hofheinz believed her home was
in danger of destruction when first
she noticed the flames and excitedly
ran upon the street. She notified
neighbors and an alarm was turned in.
All danger was passed before the de
partments arrived at their destination.
1t was in answer to this call that the
department came the nearest TO be-
coming demoralized While plunging
along with all it's power, the smaller of
the horses that draw the ladder truck,
The horse went down in a heap and in
the plunge one of it's hoofs struck it's
mate. The horse regained it's feet
hurriedly and proceeded to the fire
The animal is not injured. although it
will be somewhat stiff and sore as the
result of it's bruises.
Miller's Wild Ride.
When at the west end of the Doran
bridge, the singletree on the road wag-
to the fire, broke. The shaft became
detached on one side and the single
tree fell down so as to strike the leap
! ing horse at each bound. Miller was
thrown forward, but not out of the
wagon. owing to his braced position
| He chung to the reins and attempted
to stop his plunging bay. The horse
seemed terrified and ran at tremen.
dous pace, but after three squares OF
the roughest riding he ever expert
enced, Miller succeeded in stopping
| the animal.
| Detaching the traces but without at
| tempting to remove the harness. Mil
| Ter mounted his horses back and pro
ceeded on his way to the fire. His
escape was very narrow and to specta
tors along Sheridan street, who wit
messed the mad flight of the horse il
looked as If the chief had little
| chances. The wagon in which he was
riding had been loaned him. The one
he uses regularly is at the repair
shop.
! The second alarm, which was re ceiv
ed at headquarters by telephone no
titled the companies to come to AZ Ft
| Wayne avenue This location is al
most directly west of the city build
ing and the chemical wagon was driv
en- through the second alley north
The hook and ladder wagon proceed
ed on Fifth street north to the juno
ton with the avenue No fire coulC
be found at AZ Fl. Wayne avenue anC
after hasty investigation the chemi
cal wagon started for the Fifth stree
crossing. 1t reached there just as tn,
hose wagon from the Eighth stree
house arrived and by hurried swerv.
of their teams the drivers were abl
to avoid a collision. The hose an,
chemical wagons and ladder truck
which had reached the same poin
were massed within the width of tn
street.
The wagons hurried to 142 F.
Wayne avenue where a fire was foun
smoldering in the wardrobe of the Nc
Mutt home. The house was filled wit
smoke which emanated from the ward
robe. A comfort and old mattres
which had been stored there wer
found on fire. Quick work with tn
babcocks extinguished the smolderin
fire.
Upon his return to the city building
Chief Miller remarked: We'll this i
circus day but wouldn't there hay
been fun if the wagons had been i
the parade" The chief referred {
the fact it had been sugge sted that tn
: fire departments Join in the municipa
parade planned for Saturday.