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July 9, 1934. Heat wave. 104°F for the 6th straight day. Chicago’s south side tenements had no electricity. Ice was the only thing keeping babies alive.
Rose Malone, 12, ran ice for her uncle’s cart. The 25-pound blocks melted fast. By noon the horse collapsed. Rose put the strap over her own shoulder and kept walking.
She delivered to 31 families. On her last stop, she found Mrs. Kowalski and her newborn passed out from heat. Rose used the last melting block to cool their necks and ran for help. Both lived.
The Tribune photographer caught her sitting on the curb, bleeding from her shoulder, holding an empty rope. She said “I ain’t tired.” She went back out the next day.
