The Washington weekly post., 1899-06-06
CHAMPION LiFE-SAvER.
Charles Emlay Has Rescued Twenty-nine
People from Drowning.

From the San Francisco CaII.
Charles A. Emlay is a hero. He has saved
twenty-nne persons from drowning in
two years Of service as bridge tender on
the Oakland estuary Just one more life
saved than he is years old. He wears no
medals, has never received even the most
trifling reward for his courage and skin.
and looks for nothing of the kind Life
saving is TO him a mere detail Of his r0u-
tine duties on the Alice street drawbridge
which he opens and closes often each day.
He is proud of his strength and skill. bur
holds lightly the nerve that has animated
him to plunge into the water and dare
death over q score of times at the cry for
help.
week ago he put the last notch on his
stick in bringing to shore jackson Smith
who fell accidentally OF with suicidal in
tent. from the bridge Emlay was in his
little cabin when the appeal came. He
jumped into his boat and rOWed 10 the
spot where a moment before he had seen
the struggling form. As Smith came To
the surface EmLay grasped his hair and
supported him until he recovered his
breath. Then began prolonged efforts to
Int the helpless man, who was very
heavy. into the boat. When he had sue
Crcdcu EmlaE was exhausted
He hasn't paid much attention 70 his
marvellous recOrd-this everyday hero
and viii not volunteer much about H.
one has 10 ask him many questions 10
draw from him the story OF his career as
a lfe-sayer. tie IS twenty-eight years
old, Of average height weighs lGs pounds.
and is compactly built. His blonde face
is burned by months Of exposure 10
bright red. and he is a very dude Of dudes
when Of duty Rough dougaTees when on
the bridge are good enough for Emlay
but when he goes 70 town he dOns the
finest raiment his money can buy ard
looks more the man Of leisure than the
ready swimmer be IS
Emlay has lived In Oakland always He
was a h4Tn=ss-maker till two years ago
when polite put him to work a. wsfrn-
man % Webster street bridge. Before
that he had saved 70 lives nor gone much
iG-0 the wat-T- hCW h- came % first 20
into the Oakland estuary l. Itself q lively
tale
Il was on q Tuesday thar he wag nut fn
chzrge o. th- lraWbritae That MINT 10
slept ln tie house tlgr- provided bv the
county At laJbr-8k v llir Ee sEi.I sIIU-
Lsred his u11r Wes bJrsf IN and ~ VAS
seized ia the c!gIeh-- ot a giant figure
before Pc could ria - the faeh-.zf as+araat
Ia rcIeaee hims.If le was rush-4 % ff-
side o. the bric.- and 10 the arms q tha
uEkr0Uu Terror draEged down q dozen
feet beneath The surface Of lh= wafer
- hen let 90 his Instructive Ulr c4.-ef
hin TO dive some distance before n. rose
50 a. 10 b. away from his a-saUarr
Once atop Tho wafer he saw the brgHZe.l
features OF the late capt Won schmId-
conyuls-d with laughter Al MS surprise.
IL vas merely q Joke or that modern
Hercaie-, ald E1l4g took Il that WaV
Won Schmidt Was one u the best sgIFa-
nleEE in The world, ami though nothing
OF covering couple u miles Ia the 80
tu4ry 20 Visit EmlaT. and from the dav
II took his enforced bal with him Eula-
made q a practice 10 go overheard ever,
morning al daybreak. he has 20 get 40
st that time % Put out the brlde. Aphfs
and usually fhe water ~ 1sa.sr. II ~ --rfs-
thing tut cheerful temperature 70 Em-