The Washington times., 1909-04-25
A FEW FACTS ABOUT MR.
CARNEGIE'S HERO FUND.

With most of our readers we smiled
a little at the announcement of Mr..
Carnegie's ''Hero Fund" We had a
picture of the braggarts crowding for
ward and the real heroes hanging back,
of gold medals and silver chains for
poor women and men that needed homes
and education, of an effort to foster
heroism by destroying the disinterest-
edness of the hero. So, to be plain, we
smiled.
Then came Mr.. Carnegie to define his
object. Said he:
I do not expect to stimulate or
create heroism by this fund, knowing
well that heroic action is imrAdsive; !;
but I do believe that if the hero is
Injured in his bold attempt to serve or
save his fellows that he and those de-
pendent upon him should not suffer pc
cuniarily thereby"
That was sensible. But how about
the management of his fund?
Now we have the answer to that,
after five years of experience, in the
annual report of the Hero Fund Com
mission for the twelve months ending
with January 81 of this year. 1t covers
the consideration of 32l9 cases of
which the applications made on behalf
of 2,O5o supposed heroes were refused,
Ola are still pending, and 246 were
granted.
A medal was given in each of these
latter cases. But the commission did
not stop there. 1t gave also sl4s,62l.54
in cash and provided tie money for
lessening the suffering due to four great
disasters-$l24, ,462.O6. Finally, the
commission has established pensions for
the widows and children of the brave
amounting to Sl6.32O a year.
Yet it is the adjustment of the re-
ward to the peculiar circumstance oi
the hero that arouses most admiration
for the commission. Here is a story
which clamps tEe heart even when set
forth in the form of this bulletin:
"245. Frank Omner, aged thirty sew
en-, foreman, died saving John Bevin
(colored), aged ffty-eight, laborer, from
suffoeation, New Orleans, La, October
%. 1907. Omner went to the bottom OF
an eleven foot sewer manhole and
fastened a rope Sround Bevin, who was
overcome by gas. He then started to
climb out, but fell on Bevin. The latter
was pulled out and recovered, but when
Omner was removed he was dead"
What Is It that certain book, which
is read all over the world today, says OF
the man who layeth down his life for
his friend? And this white man gave
his up for a colored fellow workman in
New Orleans!
Now the commission has a problem
on its hands here. For Omner left a
widow and two children. Well, first il
gives the widow a thing it will not
do for us to estimate too lightly-s sill
yer medal TO certify as long as she
shall live to the manliness of heI
"man" Then It provides $1,000 to
liqGidate the mortgage on the home the
two were buying. Then it gives her a
pension of $50 a month with So a
month additional for each of the chill
dren until they become sixteen years
old. If there is a proper recognition
Of a sacrifice like this, we think the
Carnegie commission has pretty vel
I discovered it.
Or, here are two Indians. They were
aboard a disabled steamer in the Col
orado river. at food stage. A young
mother and her six year-old son fel
into the water. The Indians threw
them a plank and then leaped in tc
help them reach shore. The current wa:
too strong and the plank would not
/ hold the four. So Peter Dean, one oi
( the Indians, with the fortitude of hi.
race, let go the plank and drowned try
ing to reach land without it. Saltamah