New-York tribune., 1913-07-28
HUNDREDS SEE CHILD
SNATCHED FROM DEATH
|. |. R. R. Emp|Oye DaShes on
TreStIe and Saves Boy from
OnruShing Train.
RESCUER HAS CLOSE CALL
Nearly Loses Balance as He
Lifts Lad Into His Arms
Had Wandered Away
from Parents.

Hundreds of passengers on passing
trains and on the platform Of the Broad
Channel station Of the Far Rockaway
division of the Long Island Railroad
saw n tiny figure in snowy white tod
ding along the trestIe that spans
Jamaica Bay Yesterday afternoon 1t
was two hundred yards from the sta
'ion, and looked mere speck in the
distance.
Most OF those who watched the iittln
figure thought il was that II q dog. and
they expressed their sympa thy. for far
at the other end Of the trestle an cleo
trio train. bound for the Rockaways.
came laundering over the trestle. Still
the white dot between the rails made
no move TO cross 10 the other track and
avoid the approaching train.
While the crowd on the station plat
form was discussing the tate of the
supposed white dog bronzed. weather
Leatcu man who had been fishing from
the trestle 10 the west of the station
suddenly rose to his feet. his face going
white beneath his tan. He dropped his
fishing rod and started to dash mp the
track toward the little figure in white
and the onrushIng train. From a
pocket he pulled red piece Of cloth
and waved IL as he ran.
Now some II those on the platform.
looking more sharply. saw that which
they had thought to be a dog was in
reality a child. little hoy \ groan
swept over the crowd and women
shielded their eyes. drcading 10 see an
accident that appeared inevitable.
While others looked on, hopeless and
inert. the bronzed man. George Strgk-
land. an cmploye of the Long Island
Railroad. ran swiftly over the open
trcstle work, gradually gaining on the
child ahead of him. But the train. al
first more than q mile away, was now
SO close hat the hum and roar of the
motor could Doe distinctly heard 10y
those waitiaL on the station platform
when the train vas within scant
one hundred feet Of the white clad
figure. Strickland. painting from his ex-
ertion reached the boy and lifted aim
in his arms This final effort almost
caused him 10 miss his footing aul fall
between The ties into the waters of
.Iamaica BAY. but he maintained h's
balance and stepped upon tho wooden
covering of the third rail sVaying
there as the train swept 10y.
The train was brought to stop some
nifty wards beyond where the man with
the little boy in his arms stood. Pas
scngers left the train and made their
way to strickland he was cheered
repeatedly.
Then the journey back To- IN" Broad
Channel station was made. ON the
edge of the platform stood a woman
She was sobbiug and wriugng her
hands. II was Mrs. Peter Dougherty
Of Corona. who. with her husband had
been visiting friends at Broad Channel
for week. James, their -year-old
son. was with them.
when Peter Dougherty arrived and
was told Of the narrow escape from
death of his little son. he strode for
ward and grasped Strickland by the
hand He tried 10 humble his thanks
but the words would not come. Strick-
land understood. however. and quietly
disappeared in the crowd.
Dougherty said his son had wandered
10 the station and then made his way
along the trestle work, miraculously
avoiding falling between the ties.