The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-11
M'CALL SAVED TWO MEN
ACCIDENT AT THE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS BRIDGE.
Who Had Never Learned
to Swim.

at the new bridge being constructed at
Meridian street and Fall Creek, said he
never swan before yesterday morning, and
1t was then like the case of the woodchuck
that climbed a tree because he had to-
By learning so quickly Mccall probably
saved the lives of two men who were in the
stream and in danger.
In order to make a proper foundation
for the bridge the contractors put in
sand pump and drew the sand from the
bottom of the river. In some places the
holes were from six to eighteen feet deep.
The area of the depressions is not great
but they cause considerable of an under
current In moving the derrick and pile
driver, RATS are used and the workmen
are obliged to get into the water. Most
of them worked where the water was not
deep but some of them had to get into the
deep water ana swim.
The men worked yesterday the same as
usual and the work consisted of changing
the location Of the pile-driver and the der
rick. The men had been In the water all
morning and Ed Watkins, colored, worked
in the deep water. Watkins was something
of joker and like the man who cried
wolf when shere was no danger. con-
tinually tried to make his fellow-workmen
think he was drowning. 1t became an old
story and about IL O'Clock, when he was
overcome and began sinking, they paid no
attention to his cries of help" Finally he
was seen to 90 down under the water and
strangle when he came up. The other
colored men in the water became alarmed
and made their way to the shore as fast
off holr 10 Not
Otto Strange, the foreman, seeing that
Watkins would drown if he did not receive
help waded into the stream. Watkins was
then in the deepest hole. He reached the
struggling man and tried to push him
toward the bank The water in the creek
IL quite high, the undercurrent was very
strong and Strange, who wore hir boots
strapped about hts waist began to feel the
effects of the current and was also in
danger. At last he got good hold on
Watkins and made another effort TO get
him out. He could not. and then got hold
of a rope which lay I'm the water near by
and called 10 the colored men on the bank
TO pull them out. The negroes were so
excited they did not understand or became
more frightened and instead of pulling on
the rope ran up the bank. Just then Wat
kins turned around and threw his arms
about Strange's neck and his legs about
his waist. Stranges boots were filled with
water and with the undercurrent there was
grea. danger of both going down together.
Strange finally loosened the negroes hold
by pounding him in the face. Then both
went under the surface simultaneously.
Miss Stevens, living Oh the bank of the
creek saw from her window what was GO
ing on in the water and called the time
keeper, who was then in the house. He
ran out and pulled off his coat as he went
down the bank. He waded out and then
when the water got beyond his depth be.
gan swimming. for the first time, he
r. a I'm he h.
bed him and with few pulls and pushes
got MIN into water where he was able to
wade. He was then pulled to the bank and
Mccall returned to the water to look after
Strange. He could not be seen.
HOW STANCE WAS LOCATED.
Mccall asked where STANCE was, and one
of the colored men pointed cut into the
water and said. Hes there where them
bubbles Is" Every one was excited. The
oolored men had been dancing UP and down
on the bank and had hid in the bushes and
some had gone away altogether. There was
some question as to whether or not STANCE
came to the surface until he did so without
| his hip boots. Some of the spectators said
he staid under the water a minute; some
said three minutes, and one or two main
| tanned he was under eight minutes. STANCE
said he realized his danger and was COO
| went to the bottom. where he pulled of
| the boots which with the undercurrent
hlndered his helping himself. When he
4 came up without the boots Mccall grabbed
| him and hurried him to the bank. where
/ after about two minutes, he said, "Oh
I'm all right: let me co. The barrel tina
| Mccall sent for was not needed
Watkins lay on the sand for about hal
| hour and then went home When som,
| doubt was expressed as to the truth of tn,
| statement that STANCE had staid at tn,
bottom of the creek until he had pulled of
| his boots, Mccall and others insisted tha
/ he was not seen at the surface during tina
i time and that the boots were yet at tn,
4 bottom. The work was continued by tn,
| white men. but none of the negroes re
/ turned during the day. Mccall said h,
i doubted very much whether they would
| come back this morning.
One of the colored men who stood on tn,
bank for a time. threshing the air with hi
| arms and crying. There he is: help hin
| outi" and Here he comes." was a mar
| for whom the police had been looking On,
/ day he was working in sewer and larg
/ shovel filed with sand fell upol
| him, burying him. Workmen quickl!
pull him out. but could not. Tn
shovel or scraper had caught in SOM
manner and could not be moved. Small
i shovels were procured and the other ne
| groes started to dig him out. Just thel
two policemen came in sight, and the ne
groes, thinking they might be arrested 70
the accident, said, Here's the police; don
| say a word about how IL happened, TIL
| man under the shovel did not want to Sc
the police. and, hearing the remark. begal
kicking and jerked himself from under tn
| shovel ard sand, which weighed abou
| Loo pounds, and got away before the po
lice came up.