The Washington times., 1910-03-12
FIREMAN Is HERO.
ASSERT COMRADES
Makes Thrilling Trip Over
Top of Runaway Engine
to Save Driver.
HORSES IN FRIGHT,
BEYOND CONTROL
Over Heated Boiler, With Engine
Swaying, He CrawlS to
Save Friend.

OdNG TIl6UU.
Crawling over red-hot boiler. with
steam up to a pressure of 10 pounds,
along the flexible pipes used on the
fire engine to couple its pumps TO the
street plug, hanging on he knows not
| how. with the engine sWayng, jump
ing. sliding, as II whirled down a steep
snoW-covered grade with the pulling
power OF three heavy wild runaway
norses accelerated by the weight of the
$40 poUnCs Of wood and metal behind
them. over a roadway SO slippery that
the application Of the brakes turned the
heavy vehicle into species OF sleigh
that sped faster than with the wheels
turning. Assistant Engineer Henry
Burns. in stopping the horses mad
nSht provided the records OF the Fire
department with nervy rescue un-
like anything in its history.
II all happened Thursday night, but
the department has just caught its
breath from the wonder OF II. and is be-
ginning 10 talk
Dashing Into Binding Snow.
Number eighteen engine is pulled by
three Of the most powerful bay horses
In the department-Teddy Bill and Bob
Gentle and easily managed under Ordi-
nary circumstances. they did not take
kindly to the alarm that rung from the
corner of New Jersey avenue and Il
streets southeast about 9:3O O'Clock
thursday night taking them out into
the blizzard weather that would have
made Commander Peary hesitate.
Out into the binding snow they
dashed with Assistant Driver Joe Bent
~ handling the lines. Straight through
virginia avenue from Ninth street the
driver guided his team. The grade falls
Steeply all the way to South CanitOl
nlOnpg nf
Whether il was the sharp. biting cold
or the whirling snow In their ewes or
some other cause that prompted them.
the horses took the bits IN their teeth
and bolted. So long as the course was
stralght they were allowed to run. but
the down grade, the heavy engine. the
slippery streets turned the run into a /
race.
Hold En- Joe, Pm Coming"
The men Oh the hose wagon, Just in !
front Of the engine, were startled TO /
see the big numbering steamer. gaining
on them. When Second street was
reached, where a turn. should have been !
made, the hose cart was cleared by ]
scant twenty inches as the three big 4
bays dashed on. Bently sawed al the /
mouths Of the beasts ahead of him bur
their Jaws seemed 20 be Of iron.
The drivers strength rapidly gave out. /
lie remembered that Assistant Driver 4
a
occasion, was dashed beneath the en-
Sine and killed. Cation was driving the I
same engine and the same horses This
Old not tend to increase Benuey's conf /
oencei and he felt mis- last vestiEe Of /
strength going when a shout came from /
behind
Hold 'em down. Joe I'm coming"
1t was Burns. From his place on the I
rear OF the engine ne saw what was I
happening I'D front He had been on |
the engine when Cation went down un-
Ger the wheels. Taking A strong grip on |
the SaIety-valve, he pulled himself up ]
beside the boiler.
Hands Burned By Hot Metal.
The hot metal burned his hands, and /
the engine ran on two wheels part Of /
the time, but he crawled on, straddIlng
the pipe, and pulling himself slowly
forward until he arrived at the side of
the driver. where he graspcd one Of the |
lines. and: with the help of Bentley. !
managed 10 pull the team down to |
speed mat enabled them to make the |
turning INTO South Capitol street and |
tnence north TO the box, arriving in |
time to take part in the fire
During the time he was on his vav
from the rear TO the front Of the en-
glne, the machine sWayed and pitched I
so tnat Engineer Hunt was thrown bod
nv lLoLn the step into the street. He /
was not hurt, and reached the scene OF /
the fre almost as soon as the engine
a perIunctory report Of the affair was 4
made 10 the chief OF the Gepartmept /
yesterday morning. Just a bare state 1
ment Of the facts or the case. Fl.t the /
members Of No. Is Engine Company are |
not satisfied with that
Call Burns Hero.
They have told their story to the chief
and in their story Burns is made out /
hero All of them attest this state |
ment. and they want sometime; done
for the assistant engineer, some recog-
milton Of his service.
Burns himself doesn't care So much |
about II He says il Is all IN day = 4
work, with him Gray hairs mark his |
progress from piDeman TO assistant cn-
Sineer-a process that has occupied /
some seventeen years. He was one
OF the men VINO went TO Baltimore when /
that city was cngulfed with flames, and /
ne has number of quiet little stories /
OF unusual devotion to duty in the rec /
Ords Of his work.
Why did I do it, he repeated when 1
questioned about the affair this rnorh- /
ing- I couldn't let him 90, could III
lie would probably have been killed ard /
the engine busted. There were the 4
runaway horses. there was Bently. and !
there was the pipe. l Just went over /
and Gained 'em down. That's all there /
is 10 it, Anybody would have done |
il. and could have done IL. I knew every |
part OF the engine and just how 10 ge- |
over. That's all"