The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-09-16
FROM A BURNING
To WATERY
CRAVE
Jacksonville Man Escapes Death
From Flames Only to Meet
1t in the Water.

I Friday saws. Fred Green, a merchau-
/ disc broker, employed by the firm OF
Candish e. Rosser Of this city. was
drowned last night just of the Haw-
wood dock, near the Ostrich Farm,
at about 1850
The young man, in connection with
T j. +. Franz, NJ c. HuttO, Joseph
Oetgen and Charles Marean. all young
men, left the city last night at about
8:45 for Phoenix Park in a gasoline
launch, owned by Mr.. Franz. Inc
party went to attend the Knights OF
Pythias picnic, and left the park on
their way home al about 1885 10 the
city. They were making their way
10 the foot Of Main street. and when
opposite the Ostrich Farm tie fse1
carb0nator broke and gasoline leaked
OUT into the bilge Of che boat The
gasoline released from the tank
caught fire and Green and others
jumped from the boat.
All Had Narrow Escape.
Young Marean could no. swim. and
yelled for help The calls of yOun 3
Marean appeared TO call the others %
the boat, and all of them chung to toe
craft, instead Of striking out for the
shore, except Green. Franz went 20
the rescue of Green. and twice had
his hands upon the drowning man, but
could not hold him In the struggle.
The last time Franz had hold Of Green
&c was by his hair. but the drowning
man broke away, and sank fer the
last time The FIRE in the boat had
n - e ina ia fefr
and the Young men remained where
Green had gone down for the last
time, but cO-ld not find any trace OF
him. They hurried 20 the city, and at
once went 10 the ofces of charles a.
Clark, where they requested that the
undertaken drag the river at the point
designated for the body
Cause Of IN. Accident.
It appears that the accident which
led to the drowning Of young Green
was caused by the breaking OF the
feed pipe OF the gasoline tank. Had
Green remained in the boat his lie
would have been spared. Mr.. HuttO,
who understand the working Of the
gasoline engine thoroughly, and who
appreciated the danger from the first,
described the accident as follows:
Hutto Tells Of Accident.
we were returning from Phoenix
Park and were opposite the Hayward
dock, when feedpipe broke and gasO-
line leaked out into the boat I saw
that the engine was slowing Gown, anu
knew that something was the matter.
/ rushed to the engine from the real
Of the boat and when I got there /
saw that the engine was taking too
much gasoline. / closed down on the
carbonatOr, when my hand struck the
float, and I saw that it was broken.
I Immediately went 10 the other side
of the engine % shut of the switch,
when The engine backflred and ignited
the gasoline which had flooded from
the carbonator.. II was then that tae
boys jumped
Fought Through Flames.
81 Immediately tore the spray shield
as far as I could. ne fire was so
bad that I had to jump overheard.
after I had badly burned my hands
/ crawled to the bow OF the beat, and
tore the rest Of the spray shield
of and got down in the flames in the
bow Of the boat TO shut of the gasO-
line from the tank, which flowed from
the leadpipe ] did this that in case
that The lead pipe should malt I would
have the gasoline shut of in the gal
vanized iron tank This done, ! had
TO again jump overheard and swim &c
the stern of the boat. We then com
menced work with our coats and
fought the FIRE. while Franz went over
board to endeavor TO. save Green.
Effort to Save Green.
Franz caught Green, and the two
went down togeJner. Franz brought
Green with him to the surface, but in
the struggle lost his hold. Franz
again dived for Green and again
caught him. only 10 have the drown
ing man again escape his hold. Sew
era times Franz dived for Green. and
the last time got only a slight hold
on Green's hair, which he oOulq not
hold After this Franz dived for him
several times. and until he was himself
50 exhausted that we had to throw
him a line in order 10 set him back
into the boat. We we're compelled
to pour water in Franz's face TO bring
HIM to-"
Marean states that had he not
yelled that he could not swim, he be-
lieves that the entire party would
have abandoned the boat and en-
deavOred TO make the shore, so
frightened were they by the appear
ance of fire on the craft. But his
cries. he states brought al the boys
to their senses and caused the efforts
which succeeded in putting out the
ere.
Dragging for the Body.
As soon as the drowning was re
ported 10 the Offices Of Chas. Clark a /
party set out IN a launch to drag the
river. Mr.. Rosser at once notified a
brother Of the young man in New
York Of the drowning. His mother. /
who lives in Columbia, S. c., wiz be
notified this morning.
The launch In which the young men
we're making the trip ia a nine-horse- Z
power. three-cylinder launch, and was
REGARDED as one Of the fastest and SAT /
Est launches on the river.
All the young men showed signs /
IF having been badly burned. with the /
exception OF Franz. who while others /
we're fighting the flames, was en-