St. Landry democrat., 1878-11-30
Hero Brothers.
TWO WATERMEN WHO HAVE SAVED
NEARLY TWO HUNDRED LIVES.
New York Sunday Sun. !

PaSsalc river tor nfteen years and in that
time they have rescued nearly two hun
dred persons from drowning. Neither
nf the bratherS has received II medal for
his heroic conduct, although the giving
of medals to them has been talked of,
and they have invariably refused to
accept money for their services. They
are modest, 'lnassnming men, and they
never boast of their achievements. They
own each Il large boat house on the East
Newark bank of the river, which are
favorite resorts for the oarSmen Of the
Passa ic. many of whom stone their shells
and gigs in their houses. Philips house
is nearthe Pennsylvania railread bridge,
hnai Freeman had a house above the
East Newark foot-and wagon bridge,
hut it was destroyed by fire. several
weeks ago. He lost 1876 boats, Including
Il number of shells and barges leIong-
ing t" "arsmcn in Newark, Orange,
Princeton and ether places. His loss
amounted +" S12. 2.000-tlie savings nf a
life time. He had no insurance. He is,
however, rebuilding the house.
A Rrpnrterfor the Sun called ut Philip
Bowers imnt-house on Friday after
noon. Philip WAS not at home, hnt his
wife told the story of her husbands he
rOic efforts to save human life.
We have been in this place five
years." said Mrs. Bowers, "and Phil
has rescued II great many people in that
time. He has saved over one hundred
men. women and boys since he has been
on the river The first season we. were
here he dove into the river after dozen
persons, and he brought them all safe
to shore. He took seven men and boys
ont OF the liver in one day when the ice
WAS just formingo on he water. One dav.
two years ago, 1t boy was seen tinnting
down the river on Il log. He rolled into
the wafer. and would have been drown
ed if Phil had not divrd in after him.
Another day he went in after persons
$" often that | had no more dry under
chothing for him, and said "Now,
Phil, you've done enough of this thing.
The first you know you will he drew H.
ed" Well. he only laughed, and said :
| cant see II man or woman drown
right before my eyes without trying to
save them" Sometimes he gors ont in
Il boat alter people, hnt in n critical ease
he never stops for ANYTHING. lut dives
right in. DR.. Arthnr Ward warned him
that ! e would get his ds ath of cold, hut
that die! E0t stop him.
When the draw of the bridge was
being fixed, three years ago, pennle
a boat with eleven men and II hoy was
rnpsizrd. None of the men cnnll swim.
Phil threw II lot of planks into n boat.
rowed ont to the men, and. after hard
work, saved them all. He had to dive
after the boy. Last Fourth of July a
man tried to swim from Reynolds boat
house to the gasw0rks. Int when l,e got
in the current of the river he threw Nh
his arms and cried for help In a minnie
Phil was ont after him, and he brnneht
him to shore bnt it wasa hard Struggle.
Several 1avs ago he rescued q little hov
named DIETRICH, and he has saved fif-
teen persons, this season. We counted
them the other day. can't remember
all that he has rescued"
MY Dapa's took lots Of folks from
the water" said one of Mr.. Bowers
little bows. and he ain't afraid. A wo-
man fell off the bridge one afternoon.
and pa jumped tight into the river. with
his clothes and hnots on, and tnok her
ont. There was lots of men on The bank.
too. hnt thew daresn't go in after her"
Freeman Bowers was fnund at the
rn;ns ,,.if his Mrat-i,onse. where he was
nivino dirpc,,,,rs TO the carnpnters who
are engaged on his new ..,... .."''"'ng. re 1s
mnsculer, weIl-bnilt man. ahns7t r,,,''v r'"'v-
five years. nfage. He said that he had
rescued over sixty persons since he had
been on the river. some of whom he
r"wel for. and others he swan after.
His most thrilling experience was eight
Years ago. A sailhoat, containing two
men and five women. was capsized in
the river, opposite T4"nrney Castle,r
on the course of the Passaic River
Amateur Rowing assoriation. The cur-
rent ia very strnng there. and nnmher
of persons hove been drowned at that
place. Mr. Bowers saw the snillOat
capsized. and he rowed to the rpscne mt
once. Snme of tue drowning parsors
grasnpa III" sides of his boat and held
ON Fl mlv. hnt il.' had 10 swim and dive
nfter, ,tw" nf the woman. He rescnetl
fcnr nf the party, anl thr"e were drown
ed. H"'was tlinrnghlv pvt,anste,1 whpr
he f',allv got the boat and the rpscr"e7
parties to the imnk of the river. He
afterwards saved s"l,- IF ex-Tnterpaf
Revenne Csifector Baldwin. and another
lad. aftera hard hattie with cnr"ant. A.
another time man fell off Howas &
Phillin> wl,nrf. "n the Newark side, ~
the river numbers of men s1w the &c
c'lent Freeman threw a large block
Of wool into the wafer. and swan with
it ont tn the drowning man, who was
the current. The man tried tn st,ize hold
nf Freeman'seinthes and had it not heen
for the block of wood. both wnnld have
leer drowned. Feen,an kent the man
on the Opposite side of the block. now
ever. hv main strength. AMI finally. af-
ter n long struggle, landed him safe. un
the wharf. Almut three wears ago h.,
slive'i after % woman and It boy, and
savrd II EN-. .~ ..'
Two years ago a Frenchman and his
wife and lmhv were unset in the river
near Rrllanfine's brewery. Mr. Bowers
reached them in time to save all. The.
l,aEv slinned from its mothers arms,
hut the thick w0oler wr,ppings kent j.
from sinking until Mr.. Bowers reached
it.. 1tIanghed and chnckled at its res
cuer while he was swimming to shore,
with it. These are only few of the
resrues made hy Mr.. Bowers. He said
to the reporter: Phil has saved more
n1,ple than have. Neither nf ns rares
FIR any money reward for what we do.
IT ia easy to save person if vou onlv
keep cool and know what to do. Most
people get excited, and then they stand
and look on helpIessly. When anyhodv
is drowning Won mustn't stop to think
Of the hest way to save them. hut Jump
right in. That's the way do"
HIS EAR IN HIS PoCKET.-Yesterday
n small boy with his head lmndaged en-
tered a book store and said he wanted
to buy some school books. As the clerk
was waiting on him he inquired the
reason his customers head was tied up |
in s,lch :, shapa