Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-01-10
4 SKATING ADpENT0RE.
The Lady a Sister OF An Ex-Wtt-
mtBgt0n Reporter.

A special dispatch 10 Friday's Phila-
delphis Euen,ny Telegraph hss the follow-
ing thrilling skating adventure in which
Miss Davis, sister OF Ell. E Davis, late
city editor OF the Uo,niny Ns4s, figures /:
G. Harvey WickersAam, 4 clerk in the
office of the Pottstown noa compsny, aud
Mics Lsurs Il. Davis, q teacher Ia one Of
the public schools Of P0t!stowu, a
daughter OF Assembiymau l.. II. Davis of
the Ledger, met with a thrilling sdys1-
ture on the ice at this place Friday
and that they escaped with their lives
was little less than miracle. At the
close of school Miss Davis, accompanied
by Miss Maize R. Evans aud John K
Wickersham, another clerk In the iron
oompany's office, went down 10 the
Schuylkill and spent some time in skating.
Later they were joined by G. Harvey
Wiokersham. While gliding msrrily
along the river, between Penn and
Franklin streets, the ice cracked, owing
to the breaking Of gorge some distance
above causing sudden rise, and began
to float off. Others saw the danger and
got off, but Harvey Wickersham and Miss
Davis, unconscious of their peril, went
on. Friends on the Pottstown side
aOioanou iuo'iiy1 put WIG ehhscie uShi-
ing the faint calls thought they were be
ing summoned to their homes un account
of the lateness of the hour.
When at last Mr.. Wickersham and
Miss Davis observed their danger, and
found the ioe on which they were skating
moving, they tried to get of, but it WAS
too late; they were carried down about
square, and then, to save themselves,
both jumped into the water and headed
for the Chester county side. Mr..
Wickeraham was in the water up to his
chin and his companion could not touch
bottom. He held her up, and though
she was encountered with heavy clothing
and her skates, and he with skates and
oyerooats, and the water was rising
rapidly Chen two feet above usual
height and very switt), he olung to
her, drew her along, and they got out on
the Chester side, after wsding through
deep water about 80 yards. Big cakes of
ce hemmed them in on all sides, going
very swiftly, and they were obliged to
keep them off with their hands. One OF
Miss Davis hands was badly bruised in
so doing. One time they had to crawl
out the water upon big cake OF Ice and
pass over it. The lady could not do it,
but Mr.. Wiokersham got up and pulled
her upon 1t. The scene was thrilling
one for time, and set people to
screaming.
After reaching land the pair had to
climb a fence and then pass through
deep current that was running through a
field on the other side. In going through
this Miss Davis tainted away, but was
carried out by her heroic companion.
When the large crowd who had assem-
bled on the Potts.own bank of the river
discovered that the skaters were ssfe,the
men oheereo and olapppd their hands,
and Women who had been wiping the
tears from their ayes waved their hand
kerchieis
A sleigh was procured, and the almost
exhausted skaters, with clothing frozen
to their bod5es, were quickly driven
home. Miss Davis is confined to her bed,
and this morning, though rather stiff,
was doing we'll. Mr.. Wickersham has
not yet recovered from the severe shock
which his system underwent.
While the excitement was at It's
highest there wss social gathering at
the house Of Frank Nswlin, on the bank
of the river. The party witnessed the
thrilling scene On the river from parlor
window. No one believed for moment
that Mr.. Wickersham and Miss Davis
would ever reach land alive.