Bridgeton pioneer., 1901-03-07
HEROISM OF BRAVE BOYS.
Heroic Rescue at East Lake of
Martin Collin, Jr., a Seven
Year Old Boy.


of brave young men snatched young
Martin Collins, Jr., from what seemed
apparent death Friday afternoon.
The scene was East Lake, and the
exciting, apparently hopeless rescue
was watched by greatly excited
crowd of people, including the terror
lied and almost crazed mother of
little Collins.
Over on Elm street, Martin Collins,
Jr., a seven year old lad, lives with
his parents. 1t is not far to East
Lake, and every day young Martin
runs down to the lake to watch the
skaters.
Friday afternoon the little chap
went down along the shore, and after
awhile began sliding about the ice.
The boy took run on the ice and
then began to slide\ The momentum
was such as to carry the little fellow
over on the thin ice, which broke be-
meath his weight and Collins was
precipitated in the icy waters.
There We're a good many people
around the pond and several witnessed
the accident. William Ballenger was
the first to grasp the situation and he
hastened to the shore and broke loose
from it's moorings AN old boat
/ Before it was showed out in the open
Howard Riley and another young man
jumped into it, and as the little Col
lins fellow was going down for the
third time grabbed him and pulled
him out of the water in the boat
A long thin rope tied to the boat
had been held by those on shore and
an attempt was begun to pull the
boat in. The heavy weight of the
boat was too great for the rope and it
was broken,
There was nothing in the boat
with which to paddle, and there was
no other rope at hand.
! THE boat was an old hulk and was
now leaking badly Gradually it
lowered in the cold water and in a
moment the three boys were precipi-
tated in the water, and the boat
rolled over
Young Collins came up under the
boat and all hope for him was lost.
Heroically Riley again went to the
rescue. He dived under the boat and
came again to the surface of the
water bearing in his arms the uncon-
scious form of Collins.
The party clung to the old boat un-
| til another line was made fast to it,
and the three young fellows were
pulled ashore on the West side and
the apparently lifeless body of Collins
carried to the home of John Boobiltz,
Yorke street.
For hours the body was worked
over, and a physician being sum-
moned came and after long time
4 Collins began to breathe naturally,
and consciousness was regained
When the accident occurred some
Olt HOllHGJl uIS. UH6 mOUQG1
of the boy, and nearly crazed she has
tened to the lake and was an eye wit
ness of the thrilling rescue. When the
boy was removed to the other side of
the pond, she was nearly crazed, but
was quieted when told her boy lived.
Late at night Collins was removed
from the Booblitz house to his own
home in Ogden's coach.
Saturday Pioneer" reporter
called at the Collins home on Elm
street and learned that the little
fellow was doing very well and was
out of all danger
Mrs. Collins was exceedingly desir-
ous of acknowledging her gratitude to
the brave young men who had snatched
her boy from death, and the Others
who had so generously and kindly
ministered to him after the rescue.
West Jersey and Seashore Road Elects