The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-11-09
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, NOVEMBER 9, 1906
Girl Saved From Death in Remark
able Manner.

New YoRK.-The most remarkable
escape from death by drowning and suffo
cation in mud that any human being prob
ably has ever experienced was that Of Miss
Fannie Day, young department store
employee of this city, who was one of
party of eight persons in a naphtha launch
which was capsized in the lower bay early
the other day.
Three of her companions were swept to
the bottom, when the launch, with disa
bled engines, was run into by Il mud scow.
Miss Day had gone down with the others,
and when nothing was seen of her for hours
afterward it was reported she had met
death.
But when the mud scow had been towed
nearly to its destination and the deck
hands were adjusting the dumping appar-
atus at the bottom, they were startled to
find handsomely dressed young woman
in one of the pockets. Miss Day had been
literally scooped out Of the water by the
dumping machinery, which had been left
open after the scow had discharged its last
load at sea.
The party was returning from Sleeps
head bay, and, although stiff gale was
blowing and the seas were running high,
all went well until the engines of the launch
gave out. All night long the little craft
drifted helplessly in the lay. The women
suffered severely from the exposure. When
daylight came a tug with two scows in tow
was seen making directly for them. They
called loudly for help, but the tug swept
by, and apparently they were not seen by
those on board. So close did the tug run
that the wind drove the second scow against
the launch and caused it to upset. The
eight passengers were thrown into the wa
ter, but the tug did not stop. Three Of
the men and Miss Cook managed to get
hold of the upturned launch, and chung to
it until other craft rescued them.
Miss Day, when brought to her home
in ST. Nicholas avenue, could not at first
tell coherent story of her experiences.
II went down deep, but finally came
up ever so slowly said Miss Day. i
was gasping for breath and kicking with
all my might and main.
''Finally my head hit something, and
I could rise no more. | was terribly
frightened and although it all took place
in an instant, it seemed a lifetime to me.
I was half sufocated, but had presence of
mind enough to feel along with my hands
over my head.
"Suddenly like cork | bobbed up in
an open space. For minute | did not
dare to open my eyes, but just foated
calmly and drew in long breaths of air. |
know now what drowning is, and the few
minutes was pressed up against the bot
tom of the scow were the longest and most
terrible in my life.
"When [ did look up was surprised
to find l was inside wooden square. 1t
first I couldn't make out what it was, and
then it dawned on me that was inside the
scoW.
II cried for help, but no one came. [
tried to climb up the sides, but they were
Shiny and slippery. Finally [ secured
resting place on some chains, after hav
ing swan for an hour at least.
"By and by an old man looked over
into the we'll He said: How the devil
did you get there?'
II never saw such a scared man in my
life. I yelled: Throw me rope if you
don't want me to drown. He did so, and
I wound it around my waist and arm and
he pulled me up on deck. -
Thomas Reynolds, of the scow, said Of
this finding of the girl "About seven
O clock was passing along the deck of the
scow, and heard faint cry. I'm not much
of believer in flying Dutchmen' Or any
other sea spooks, and thought | would
look to see where it came from. | looked
along in the several pockets, and when |
got to the forward pocket, blow me if |
didn't see fine looking young woman
hanging on to the bride chain Of the door
to the forward pocket.
'tThere she was, as unconcerned as could
be, with three bracelets on her arm, her
fingers full of rings, and her watch pinned
to her breast. Her clothes were certainly
a sight You know, we dump cellar dirt,
and woman can't come up through that
stuff and look decent.
''She was perfectly conscious, and [
said: Are you strong enough to take
line? Right back came: Certainly So
I passed rope down to her, and she held
on to that rope until could pull her up on
deck +"