The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-08-05
CONSERVATIVE LIFE SAVER,
AT 65 HE DOESN'T PLUNGE
RASHLY, TROUSERS AND ALL.

But if There's Time Utllizes II TO Save the
Trousers, Too -Dockmaster Bollas IL
Used to the Boys Who FAY In-Has
Got Two OF Them Out in 4 Year.
Walter o. Bollas, a stocky, broad chested
native American, who IL dockmaster at the
foot Of East Tooth street, was writing at his
desk at the bulkhead end OF the pier yester-
day morning whom q boy ran In and shouted:
Say, mister, a boys fallen overboardl'
The dookrnaster Is eS, but he does not
look 1t by a decade. His Juvenile appear
anoe is somewhat heightened by his long
flowing black mustaohe, which every old
volunteer fireman may wear without fear
Of comment. Far be 1t from the reporter
to intimate that black is not at present tho
natural color Of the dockmaster's mustache.
Any man who jumps overheard twice In q
year and saves a boy from dying each time
Is entitled to use any kind of dye he pleases
Mr.. Bollas dropped his pen and ran on
on the pier. He saw a youngster ioun-
dering in the water about fifteen feet out
from the side Of the pier, Mr.. Bollas
swiftly reflected on the boy and on his
brand new ~bants-that's what he called
them-and he decided that he had time to
save both. So, right In public, before
several hundred boys and girls and a few
women, Mr.. Bollas took of his new trousers
AS he came out of the Office be picked up a
coil OF repe about forty feet long, which he
finds handy in helping to haul out the kids
that have a habit Of tumbling of his pier.
He politely requested a man who had joined
the throng TO look at the drowning boy to
hold one end OF the rope and TO hold 1t fast.
In one leap, that would have done credit
to m amateur athlete, the dockmaster
splashed right down alongside the boy and
grabbed him by his hair, which was long
enough to grab. The boy tried to hug his
rescuer, but the dockmaster kept him at
arms length and asked the mar at the other
end Of the pier to kindly haul in the line.
All the boys around, and some Of the women,
too, who thought the circumstances war;
ranted the improperly of looking at a mai
without any. trousers, strung along the
rope and had Mr.. Bollas and the boy back
on the pier much too swiftly for their com.
fort.
The dockmaster explained later that he
believed in doing things methodically and
not in a hurry. He saw that he would not
have to sacrifice even his new pants il he
went about the rescue In the right way,
Or course, If the boy had been in such con-
dltion that an immediate plunge would
have been necessary he would have let the
new pants go swimming, too He had saved
a boy in a similar manner in the latter part
OF last August and somebody, the Volunteer
Life Saving Association, he believed, had
given him a medal for it, although he said
he could not see that he deserved it.
The boy he fshed out yesterday was
pretty sick, having swallowed much salt
water. He was rubbed down and after he
had vomited a bit he was well enough to 20
home. He is Samuel Goodman, 8 years old,
OF 237 East lO3d street, He was MIA wing
on the stringpiece and slipped and fe6
overheard. He said that he was too fright
ened to cry out at first and then after
ward he got his mouth 80 full of water that
he could not yell. But the boys on the
pier did shouting enough for a dozen drown
Ing boys.
Mr.. Bollas Is a fine swimmer, having re-
ceived his education along the docks. His
principle in life saving is; Never hurry and
keep your wits alive