Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1903-08-08
NEARLY DROWNED
Shippers Of the Shamrocks
Have Narrow Escape.
Were Let into the Water by the COL
lapse Of a Pier-Twenty Others Be.
sides Them Have Hard Struggle for
their Llves-tlad Just Landed from
Their Disabled Steam Launch.

New York-Capt. Wringe, sailing
master OF the Shamrock III, and Capt.
Bevis, skipper of Shamrock l, have
had narrow escapes from death by
the collapse OF pier on the Shrews-
bury river at the Highlands, N j. The
two English masters were precipitated
into the water with 20 others, includ-
ing several of the crew of the chal-
lenger.
Capts. wringe and Bevis left their
yachts in Sandy Hook bay, and taking
the launch Buttercup, started up the
Shrewsbury river to visit some Amer
lean acquaintances at the Highlands
The tide was running down the riv-
er, the last of the ebb. When about
abreast of the Jackson clubhouse the
Buttercup struck on sand bar with
such force as to tear out considera-
BILE portion of her planking. near the
propeller. The water rushed in, but
the speed Of the boat forced her over
The shoal, and it was seen that un-
less she was Immediately beached She
would founder.
There was a heavy cross sea in the
river at the time. There were three
sailors of the challenger in charge OF
the launch, and one Of these set the
the pump going, while Capt. Wringe
took the wheel from another of the
lars who had been steering and head
ed her for the beach. The water had
risen almost to the furnace door when
the bow of the Buttercup took bottom.
A passing boatman took off the five
mariners after the launch had been Sc
cured.
A crowd had been attracted to Muir
phys wharf by the accident. 1t was
never an over substantial affair and
was made more shaky by the gale
Capt. Wringe and Capt. Bevis with
the three sailors, had landed and pro-
cured tackle to haul the stern OF the
launch out Of water to ascertain her
exact injuries.
There were Is pairs of brawny arms
toiling along the tackle and twice that
number Of spectators looking on,
when, with great crash, the pier fell
Capt. Wringe was among the first to
fall into the water and when he came
to the surface several other victims
grabbed him. He attempted to swim,
but the weight bore him down. One OF
| the men held him around the neck, but
he managed to disengage the arms OF
this one.
Capt. Wringe was in great danger
OF being carried down by George r0c's
we'll and John Parker, who, being una
BILE to swim, held him as in wise un-
| til a fiotiha of boats came along and
rescued all three. :,
| The water seemed full Of excited
men, several of whom would certain
ly have been drowned had 1t not been
for the timely arrival of the boatmen
In all about 10 feet of the pier had COL
lapsed, and in falling Capt. Bevis
struck one of the piles with consider
able force, but had sufficient presence
| of mind to hold to it.
He was attempting to climb back to
the unbroken portion of the pier when
five men fell on top of him, throwing
him into the water. He swan toward
| William Maxwell, whom he found to be
unable to keep afloat. Bevis assisted
Maxwell to reach boathouse.
Meanwhile lusty arms threw ropes
and life preservers to those who had
not been picked up by the boatmen
| 1t was a wonder that no lives were
lost.