Dog Creates Consternation over the phone.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 20, 19 May 1909, Page 43

Dog Creates Consternation over the phone.

Ah apparent tragedy which, however, fa its outcome proved simply humorous, occurred recently in Chicago. An operator was startled one nig I ■ ' - sound which came over tae wire from a warehouse on South Water-street, watch she knew was untenanted at night. Tae moans were heard by several of the other operators, and it wa, determined to summon the police. A patrol wagon la-iiel to the building indicated, but everything was found dark and quiet. However, a detective, dispatched to the telephone exchange, also heard the moaning .- und. and it was decided to force an entrance into the warehouse. Down in the Itaseinent the cause of the alarm was discovered. It was a half-starved dog. Ihe wretched animal, wandering about in •search of something to eat. had dragged the telephone off the desk and caused the moaning noise through gnawing the wires. A bank clerk, working over hour-, had occasion to transact some business in the bank vault. While there the door, through .som' accident, close,! on him. It locked automatically, and be found himself a prisoner in an airtight room from which no cry for help could issue, even if there bad been any one near to bear it. It was only a question of a short time before the air in the vault became exhausted and the clerk would die from suffocation. Fortunately for him there was a branch ’phone in the vault. He got in communication with the bank officials, who reached the bank in time to save him.