NEWSBOY, AUTOMOBILE, AND DOG.

The New York Times
June 29, 1901

Caused Excitement and Amusement in a Baltimore Thoroughfare.

From The Baltimore American.

A newsboy and an automobile created excitement yesterday afternoon at the corner of Calvert and Baltimore Streets.  For about three minutes the automobile did what the "newsies" describe as "circus stunts," the latter part of which was not participated in by the particular vendor of news who occasioned the whole affair.  The result was a much-frightened boy, who disappeared at a rapid gait down Calvert Street, a somewhat bruised and battered automobile, and a smashed-up iron railing alongside the new bank building of Alexander Brown & Sons.

The owner of the automobile had brought it to a stop at the curb a little below the bank building.  This feat had attracted the attention of a number of newsboys, who became all the more interested when the owner jumped from the vehicle and disappeared into a building.  All the fine points were admired, and presently whispers were heard out of which could be distinguished the first mutterings of coming trouble in the sentence, "You get in."

One bare-legged youth climbed into the automobile, and, sitting on the upholstered cushions, was the envy of all the others.

"Pull that there thing in front of you, Jimmey," said one hopeful, and just to show that he was not afraid "Jimmey" pulled the lever as far over as he could.  Then came the trouble.  The automobile, a steam affair, had the power reversed, and after a few short puffs it was traveling backward at a lively pace.

"Whoa!" yelled "Jimmey" but the automobile refused to whoa, but kept going faster and faster.  Now the wheels had been turned, and the vehicle described a beautiful circle, and as it started on the second round "Jimmey" escaped by a leap over the dashboard.  The automobile would have kept going round, perhaps, had not a yellow dog gotten in the path.  The dog went down with a howl beneath the rubber-tired wheels and then the automobile deflected from its path, and, darting over a pile of rubbish, dashed upon the pavement, putting a number of interested spectators to flight.  It stopped suddenly, having crashed against the iron railing at the side of the Brown building, breaking it partly down.  The force of the contact threw the machine back, and it was preparing for another onslaughter when a friend of the owner jumped in the vehicle and turned off the power.