The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-06-16
SWEET INTO THE SEWER.
sad Fate of faffie Rafael Ferraadsns-
Ine swollen Guitets Eush Htm 10 FITS
Hoom m-snayasiing Search for HIS
BODY nv Daring Policemen.

BODY nv Daring Policemen.
Baltimore American. l5th.l
An accident happened yesterday af-
terncOn of an extraordinarily distress
ing nature. About o'clock two yOur &
boys were playing on North Howard
street between Lexington and Saratoga.
One OF them was Riffael Ferrandini.
eight years of age, and the youngest OF
Mr. CiprianO Ferrandini's sons. His
father is a hairdresser by trade. has
charge of the books of the Crescent
Club. corner of Pacs and Fayette
streets. and resides with his family.
at No. PCS Park avenue. The
other boys name could not b. ascer-
taincd. Some say it was Rafael 8 broth
er. but the probability of this is denied
by the parents. Rafael and one other
boy were suddenly seen running down
llOaard sireetafter a ball that was roll
ing on before them. They caught up
with 10, but at the same time near the
opening Of the sewer at the northeast
corner Of Howard and Lexington. in
front of Schullz's drug store. The
heavy rain that had just fallen had
swollen The water so that it over
flowed and reached the pave
mcnt, raiuIally causing strong
current % rush into the yawning mouth
Of the sewer. When the boys saw
their ball disappear, they had short
wraugie as to who should fetch II back q,
each being eager to do so. At last the
older one. Rafael, caught the other
around the waist and pulled him back.
Then. kneeling down, he lowered him
few people who had noticed the affair
could prevent him. lie slung his arm
around the iron bar that supports the
covering stone and fished for the ball.
I'm doing this he exposed his body to
the full force Of tie current of water
probably miscIlculating the slant or
the depth Of the sewer. The water
rushed upon him in such volume, and
with such strength, that it loosened his
hold on the iron bar in an instant, and
without cry or a struggle being heard
by any one. the child was swept away
into the black hole. rne news Of the
accident quickly spread. and in very
short while a large crowd had gathered
at the corner looking into the sewer.
but without anyone 5 Offering "A sugges-
tiOn 30 slse the boy. Sergeants Henne-
man and Berger and Officer D6van. of
the Western district. arrived and made
efforts 10 extract the boy. But the
rush of water was so great that even a
strong man could not have resisted it,.
there being nothing to catch hold Of
and the sewer being flushed. 1t runs
from the cOIncr Of Howard and Lex
ingtOn. down Lexington TO Liberty,
and then straight cut Liberty TO the
Spring Garden. l. has brick walls,
which. of course, are very slippery.
and the atmosphere within is nearly
suiIocating.
A BRAVE VOLUNTEER.
Still. at about $50 p. NJ, a young
man. named Nike Dunn. volunteered
70 search for the child. Without Ian
tern. he entered the sewer at Liberty
street. worked his way up along Lex
ington street to Howard, ard then back
and down Liberty to Baltimore street,
where he returned to the surface. He
had found nothing. and would have
courageously ,riel again had not his
father refused to let him do it. From
the place where the child fell into the
sewer 90 the lock in the Spring Garden
is good half hour s walk. and little
hope was left as TO the boys being
saved. There were more volunteers
after Dunn had given the example, but
they went but few steps into the dark
hole and then gave it up as bad job.
Marshal Frey was coming down from
dinner in car when he saw the crowd
at the corner Of Howard and Lexing
ton streets lie got out TO ascertain the
cause. and was told by Officer Hardesty.
of the Western district. that boy bad
fallen into the sewer. He went TO work
promptly. aud procuring a ladder had
the first man-hOle opened about mid
way Of the block between Lexington
and Favctte streets. Marshal Frey tele-
phoued 10 the Central district to have
all the man-holes opened along the
sewer. and To the Southern district to
hayo the mouth of the sewer watched.
and going in the Western district patrol
wagon with Captain Cadwallader and
q number of officers a careful search
was made.
At midnight the boys body had no.
vet been recovered. and little doubt
was left as TO its being somewhere IN
the Spring Gardens. perhaps stuck III
the mud, Of which there is plenty.