Girl Stops Runaway – Clings to Bridle and Prevents Horse Trampling Children

NEW YORK, NY, Feb. 28: Miss Adelaide Downing, daughter of a contractor living at 460 Barnes avenue, the Bronx, was walking down the Boston Hill road at 179th street at dusk to-night, when she saw a runaway horse with an empty sleigh careening behind dashing over the brow of a hill. Below her fifty boys and girls were coasting, unconscious of any danger.

Realizing that if the runaway were not stopped before he reached the youthful merrymakers he would trample the coasters under foot, the young woman leaped from the sidewalk into the road and awaited the animal. When the horse come up to her Miss Downing jumped and caught the bridle rein. Exerting her strength to the utmost the courageous girl dragged the animal to the unoccupied side of the road and it dashed past the children without touching one.

Originally Published by The Washington Post, Washington, DC 1 Mar 1907