Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-02-01
AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE
several Residents of DruIy Town.
ship Get Into q Perileus Predica-
ment While Crossing the MISSISSIPPI

ment While Crossing the MISSISSIPPI
pi at Muscatine.
The Muscatine Neaos- Tribune tells of
the narrow escape of six persons-four
from Drury township-whils crossing
the Mississippi there Monday evening.
The Neps- Tribune says:
About 4:30 o'clock Miss L:tta Drury,
John Stakeman, Shed Stickrod and Chss.
Acy, all residents of Drury township,
who had been in town on busiI ess, started
home, got into skiff and were ferried by
Henry Dugan and Ed. Skoolsy through
the channel way leading from the levee
to where work is being pushed on the
bridge piers When the boat reached
the middle OF The river, the occupants,
thinking the ice beyond was sufficiently
strong TO bear them up, wanted 20 get GU.
and walk to the other shore. The boat
was stopped. and the passengers debarked
on the ice. Ed. Skooley and Miss Drury
were in the lead. and had not proceeded
more than a hundred yards. when the
frsil ice gave way. and precip tated them
both into the river. The sudden plunge
filed them with fear, for il was in the
deepest part Of the river, and life was at
stake They struggled to get out but to
no effect. The thin, honey. combed sur.
face could not resist the pressure. and
as they halfway raised themselves
out of the water, the ice would
break afresh, INNER ing them again
and again. MIR. John Stakeman,
who was not far behind the others,
for lack OF something better to reach
them, took of his overcoat and holding it
fast at one sleeve. flung it out toward
them. but in so doing he had ventured on
an uncertain footing himself, and in an
instant was floundering in the stream with
the others. At this juncture Hurry Du>
gan, who had been in the boat mp to this
time. saw the perilous predics ment of his
partner and their passengers and with q
pike pole In hand rushed to the rescue
Before reaching them, however, he, 700,
was engulfed. He retained firm grip on
the pole and fastening 1t into ice In front
of him sought 10 pull himself out. but the
treacherous surface yielded at every foot.
Again and again did he fall back under
the water, and after three or four minutes
of fruitless effort he finally made a DIES.
perate effort and succeeded in getting out
of the hole which had broken for a dis
lance of twenty feet srouni. He had
about resolved to be satisfied II he ever
got out alive without saw ng anyone
else. but the piteous appeals of the
young woman for help nerved him
on to heroic effort in her be-
half. Advancing, he passed The pole out
to her. and when she had seized 1t he
dragged her on the ice. Sxooley. who
was in the same hole, chung to Miss
Drury's clothing and was lane ed with her
But apparently the fates were opposed tC
their release from the threatening dan.
gers, and this time all three went down
Dugan jerked his pole from the sinking
woman and crossing ii on the ice ht
E raised himself upon 1t. Miss Drury was
well nigh exhausted, but in q last effor
grasped the pole and was pulled out in
safety and was assisted back to the skif
where she sank in helpless heap
Stskeman. who had first gone to her as
sistsnce was helplessly battling for life
but thoroughly worn out he sank below
the surface, his head disappearing beneath
the ice for the third time when Dugar
succeeded in fastening the hook on thu
end of bis pole into the drowning man,
clothes and drew him out more dead thar
alive.
Front street for blocks was lined will
spectators who watched the half hour;
struggle and rescue with int nse interest
1t was the nsrrowest escape rom drown
ing seen in this city for years.