The Colorado statesman., 1912-06-01
CARNEGIE HEROES AND
The RACE PROBLEM
6Y BOOKER T. WASHINGTON,
PRINCIPAL, TUSkEGEE NORMAL
AND INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE.

One OF the most interesting little
books which ! have read in recent
years is the report of the Carnegie
Hero Fund. | think it will do any
one good to read records printed in
this book of the 5S3 persons who have
been sought out and given recognition,
since the commission was founded, be-
cause they risked their lives in the
effort to save others from injury and
death. Most of these heroes, as ap-
pears from the report, are men and
women from the humber walks OF
life. They were sailors, miners, rail
waymen, and often common laborers,
men, for the most part, employed in
the dangerous trades, who in their
work come daily in contact with un-
usual perils.
| observed, however, among this list
of heroes an assistant secretary of the
York Stock Exchange, a school SUI
perintendent in Kansas, an insurance
agent and a bank clerk. A consider
able number of heroes whose deeds
have gained the recognition of the
commission are boys and girls; sew
eral of them are put down merely as
students. But among others l no
ticed the name of woman, an author
and an educator, who is 70 years OF
age. 1t is evident, therefore, that he
Toism, physical heroism of the kind to
which Mr.. Carnegie has tried to give
recognition, is not confined to any
particular age or class. 1t would, per-
haps, be nearer the truth to say that
10 nf of
in every man and woman which sim
ply needs an opportunity and an occa-
sion to transmit itself into action.
The last report of the Hero Fund
Commission was made in January,
1912, and there are, as | have said,
5S3 deeds of heroism recognized and
recorded out of 6,667 cases examined
and passed on by the Commission
since the Fund was established in
1904 In each case in addition to the
name of the person who performed
the heroic deed. brief record has
been kept of the particular act of he
roism rewarded and the circum-
stances under which it was performed
There are, however, in this new
Book of Heroes, which Mr. Carnegie,
through the commission he has estab-
Iished is gradually bringing together,
two classes of Incidents which are
particularly interesting to me. They
are cases, the first in which a black
man or woman has risked his or her
life to save a white man or woman :;
second, in which white man or
woman has performed a similar act
for the sake of a black man or black
woman.
There are nine cases of heroism
credited to Negroes in the report is
sued a year ago, and since that time
have learned by inquiry, three other
cases of heroism by Negroes have
been Investigated and recognized by
the Commission. Following is the ac-
count of these particular instances OF
Negro heroism as recorded in the re-
port of the Hero Fund Commission:
John B. Hill, colored, aged 35, coach
man, rescued Thomas S. Prescott
aged 6, and Florence Williams, col
ored, aged 81, from a runaway, At
Ianta. Georgia, December l, 1905. BY
grabbing the bride of a runaway team
hitched to a landau containing the
child and maid, Hill. after being
dragged some distance, threw the
horse. 1t fell upon him, breaking the
stitches in wound due to a recent
operation.
Bronze Medal and $500 to reimburse
him for pecuniary loss sustained on
account of injuries.
George A. Grant. colored, aged 80
teamster, sustained fatal injuries res
cuing Charles G. Campbell. aged AS
president American Printing and Dec.
Grating Co, and Charles A. Whipple
aged 4S, superintendent Of building
construction, from a runaway, Groton
Connecticut, June %, 1906. Grant
grasped the bride of one of the horses
and finding himself unable to control
the other horse because its bride was
of, he threw the one he had hold OF
and was kicked on the neck and run
over by the vehicle. He died the
second day after.
Silver Medal and $25 a month for
the support Of widow or until she re
marries, with IS a month additional
for each of four children, until each
reaches the age of sixteen.
Theodore II. Homer. colored. aged
81. waiter, rescued Freddie Berger
aged s. from a runaway, Philadelphia
Pa. August 2. 1908. Homer ran sew
eral feet to meet badly frightened
runaway horse drawing a delivery
wagon containing Berger and grasp.
fng its bride stopped it within eighty
feet.
Bronze Medal and $500 for educa.
uonal purposes as needed.
Albert X. Sweet. colored. aged 20
machinist, attempted to save, Rang.
hild. S. D., Lily H. c. and Axsel w. L.
Hanson aged fifteen. thirteen. ten, re-
~pectively, and Gilbert w. Johnson
-oiored. aged fifteen, from drowning