The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-28
SKATERS FIGHT FOR LIFE.
sixty Precfpitated Into ley Waters
in Brooklyn.

NEW YORK. Jan. 2S.-Sixty skaters.
inelUdin> many women and children.
broke through the ice on a pond back OF
EYergreens Cemetery, Brooklyn. yester-
day. and in the wild struggle for life Two
hoys were drowned.
The ice over the centre OF the pond
where the water was deepest and where
the skaters were assembled in greatest
number. sank suddenly. Panic seized
the crowd Men and women fought to
save themselves and children suffered
in the unequal struggle
The screams OF the imperiIed skaters
were heard by men employed IN a fac
tory near by. who ran 10 the edge of
the pond and with the aid Of planks sue
ceeded in saving most Of the unfortu-
mates That the loss of life was not
greater is considered little short of mir
acuIous-
The police reserves Of the Hamburg
Avenue station. T.ao hurried to the
scene OF the double quick. and surgeons
who arrived in ambUIances. sUccorded
many Of the half-drowned skaters. The
bodies of the two victims were recOY-
cred later in the afternoon They were
years old, of $50 Linden Avenue and
Philip Fleck. eleven years old. OF the
same address The bodies were taken 10
Coroner Ruoff's morgue.
Many OF the skaters who went through
the ice had TO be revived by stimulants
before being taken TO their homes
The pond adjoins the lamp black fac
tory of James Lyon, and is about 300 feet
wide II is fed by the Ridgewood Reser-
voir and Is twelve feet deep in the centre.
the depth gradually decreasing toward the
shore he pond was covered with q fine
surface Of ice for skating Those familiar
with the neighborhOod. however. had Civ
en- warning that the ice had hardly frozen
thick enough to make skating safe Yes
terday's fine weather brought out crowds
OF skaters II was noticed early in the
afternoon that water WAS accommodating
on the ice in the centre Of the pond. show
ing that il was settling.
Workmen in Jones factory observed the
condition of the ice ad went to the pond
10 warn the skaters against venturing
over the dangerous locality. The warning
was not needed and he skaters raced
about unnindful Of daIzeT-
The crowd at 4 O'Clock was the largest
of the day. Their combined weight was
TOO much for the lee It suddenly broke
with a succession Of loud crashes. Wo-
men and children sank screaming in the
madIy lighting to save themselves. 9th
ers raced toward the edges of the POND
to escape. only 20 sink through the break
ing ice Fully three score people were
struggling in the water at one time
few men who endeavored to act calmly
and save weaker ones found themselves IN
the desperate clutches of panic-stricken
women and children. who frustrated their
efforts in the way OF rescue. It became a
fight each for himself
Workmen in the factory ran TO the pond
They Gra gged long planks with them
which were pushed toward the centre.
Along this footing a lifeline was formed.
Effort was made to first rescue women
and children BY tw0s and thFees hey
were taken from the water and hustled
along the pIanks 10 the shore
The bravery Of the woTkmeu caused
some of the skaters on shore TO pluck Up
courage, and once the work Of rescue was
started it progressed rapidly. b. the
tire the police reserves and ambulances
arrived all those who had managed to
keep their heads above water were saved.
The surgeons busted themselves with
administering restOratives. while the pO-
lice dragged the pond. 1t was feared that
several had met death. The bodies Of
Fleck and Schwadel were recovered but
continued search failed to bring others to
the surface. so the police believe no more
were drowned