Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-07-25


day on the Delaware river that he will
long remember. and II is almost a
miracle that he Is alive to-day. Three
times he WINS thrown out OF rowboat
by the waves OF larger craft which
were passing him on the river He re-
celyod the flrst ducklng opposite the
mouth OF the creek, and when the boat
was overturned there everything was
lost save part Of one oar. With this he
was left alone 10 the boat to drift about
with the tide, which was moving swiftly
seaward. His efforts to reach shore with
the broken oar were unavailing, aud he
was drifting ia midstream late In the
afternoon opposite Augustine Pier,
when he was seen by the men on
ihrec-mast schooner, who picked him up
and brought him TO New Castle. He
reached Wilmington about o'clock. His
clothing WAS soaking wet and he was
in his bare feet.
Early Tuesday morning Edward
Mcdonnell and two or three COM
panions obtained small rowboat,
about ~ feet in length, from John
McMhnus, at Market street bridge, for
the purpose Of making Grabbing ex-
icursion on the river. When they
reached the mouth Of the Chrlstiana
they saw several friends fishing near
party they wero taken aboard, and all
decided 10 70 on the flats" and fish.
When The boat started out Of tho
mouth Of the creek II contained Neon
hell. James NJ. Milburn, John Burke.
Thomas Bel!ah, Richard Chrsty and
Joseph O'Neill. The craft had only
gone about 20 feet from the jctty when
a large Philadelphia tugboat with a
tow came sieaming up the river The
swells caught the rowboat and it was
overturned. All of the occupants were
| pitched headlong, with their clothing
on, into the water.
Fortunately, they were good swim
mers and all except Milburn reached
the jeity in safety. Milburn was evi.
IDENTIFY stunned by striking the boat
when Il upset, for he was slow In COM
ing to the surface, and when he did
he was some distance from the jetty and
was drifting, with the boat, away from
shore and down the stream.
AS soon as those who swan ashore
saw Milburn's prcdicameut they pulled
| of their clothing and dove In after MIN.
! They attempted to reach Milhurn and
the boat, but the tide was very swift
and they were unable to render assist
snce. One or two of them were nearly
exhausted by the effort, but all except
llilburn managed to return to the jetty.
/ They stood on the jetty and watched
the unfortunate mans efforts to save bis
life. They expected every minute to
see him drown, but he was pluoky and
BY hard labor managed to turn the boat
over and crawl into 1t. The boat, of
course, was filled with water. but 1t was
| right side up. BY tho time Milburn got
into 1t he was nearly mile from his
companions, who were breathlessly
watching his movements.
AS soon as Milburn got In the boat he
! took account Of stock and found that all
he had was broken oar. He used this
vigorously in an attempt to pull for the
shore, but 1t was no use. He kept get
ting further out and was fast going
toward the bay. He contented himself
with trying to keep the boat right side
I up, with the hope that he would be
seen and picked up.
Several boats passed him, but nobody
aboard any Of them seemed to realize
Z the true state Of affairs and none offered
assistance.
He was still in sight OF his compan-
ions when q big French steamer came
by and the swells caught the boat and
over It vert again. The men on the
! shore thought he was certainly drowned
this time, but IL appeared as if Provl-
dence had willed that he should not
succumh to the waves, and he again
turned the boat over and got into II, still
hanging to the mutilated oar. The peo-
pie on the steamship which had caused
the trouble apparently did not notice
what had happened, for tho big boat
continued on Its way and no help was
offered, Notwithstanding that Milburn
tried 10 impart TO those ON board
signal of distress.
Again the thoroughly drencned Will
mingtonihn sat up in his boat and
started off for Old Atlantic. Every
craft that went past made uncomfort-
ably large waves, and when near New
Castle the waves from passing tug
boat again upset the boat. Milburn
went out, as before, but he came up
smiling ~ and again righted his boat
and got up on his perch.
From this time forth he displayed
signals of distress, but none of them
were noticed until the unlucky boat was
in sight of Augustine Pier. This was
about 4 O'clock. A large schooner was
noticed coming up the river and as soon
as II got near enough those on board
saw the predicament that Milburn was
in and a boat was put out and he and
the boat were taken charge of. He was
put aboard the schooner, where he was
made comfortable until New Castle was
reached. He was sent ashore at New
Castle and the boat was tied to the
wharf. When seen by reporter OF
THE GAZETTE Tuesday evening Milburn
said he did not know the name of the
schooner, but IL was afterward learned
that 1t was the James V. Carey, and
that the captains name was Matthews,
and he was bound for Philadelphia.
a As soon as Milburn set foot or terra
firma at New Castle he went to a saloon
kept by John Ries, with whom he is
acquainted, and from Mr.. Ries obtained
enough money to bring him TO Whining
ton on the train. He reached this city
at about 8 o'clock last evening.
While Milhurn was fishing out along
4 tho banks of the Chrlstiana he took off
his shoes, and when he got into the boat
he forgot to put them In with him. They
were found after the accident by Nc
Cornell, who brought them to this city.
Milburn was in bis bare feet when he
reached here last evening, but shortly
afterward he hunted up the parties
who we're with him and his shoes were
returned to him.
Milburn appeared 10 be concerned
very little over the matter, last evening,
aud he was loath to talk about II to the
reporter. He seemed TO think that there
was nothing strange about his escapade
and was not In the least bit troubled
over what had happened. He Is quiet
unassuming fellow, and does not care
for notoriety. He feels very thankful