Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-23
ONE LAD GOES UNDER WATER
Pluckily Holds His Breath and Finally
Comes to Surface.
ALL RESIDENTS OF ALEXANDRIA
One a Son o. Charles C. Carlin of Alex.
andria, Democratic Nominee
for Congress.

Keith Carlin of oil North Washington
street, Alexandria. Va. son of c. { Carlin.
who was recently nominated to succeed
the late }. r. RiXey as representative in
Congress from the eighth Virginia district.
and two companions, Emmett. Riner. 9o3
Duke street, Alexandria, and Willis Wash
ington, COZ Cameron street, Alexandria had
narrow escape from drowning in the Po-
tomac river late yesterday afternoon. The
boat in which they were rowing was run
down by barge, but Carlln and Wash
ngton saved themselves by jumping onto
the barge, and Riner was picked up by Po-
liceman Passeno of the harbor precinct
after he had been held under the water
While the barge passed over him Follow
ing their rescue the boys were taken aboard
the police boat Vigilant in charge of Sergt
Dean, and were conveyed to the wharf at
Alexandria,
The three boys, according to their state
ments to the harbor police, had been swim
1ming from their craft near Shepherds land
ing. Their clothes were piled on the seats
OF the small boat, and they were in their
bathing suits when the accident happened.
Ihey were floating, they stated, short dis
lance above Shepherds landing, when the
tug Rosalie, Capt. Matthew Kersey in
charge, which towing three barges of
the Smooth Sand Dredging Company, an
preached them on its way down the river
One of the boys in the small boat knew a
member of the tug crew, and the boys de-
cided TO row within hailing distance of the
tug and ask for tow to Alexandria
Caught in a Trap.
In approaching the side, however, the
rowboat went too near, and was caught by
the suction of the rapidly moving tug, and
was drawn directly in it's wake, between
the tug and the first barge. The boys were
unable. to row out of the trough, and the
first barge moved rapidly onto them They
were literally caught like rats in trap.
and there seemed to be no escape
Just as the barge was about TO engulf tho
small boat, however. Carlin and Washing
ton jumped for their lives and succeeded
In gaining the deck of the barge. AS that
is about four feet above the surface Of the
water and the small boat was rocking vo-
lently in the turbulent waters behind the
powerful tug, the feat was no easy one.
Riner was not so fortunate. lie was COM
pelied to wait until his two companions had
jumped, and before he had time to follow
them the small boat was caught by the bow
OF the barge and was forced underneath the
waves. With his head continually bump
ing on the bottom OF the barge, Rner was
held under while the 1oJ-foot craft passed
over him. AS he went in a diagonal course
from one corner of the barge to the oppo-
site corner at the rear he had to traverse
about ITO feet of space.
Rlner was plucky and held his breath as
long as he could. AS he was about ready
TO give up he was released from his peril
Gus position and rose to the surface of the
water His first thought, he said after
ward, was for his two companions because
the accident had happened SO quickly he
did not know whether they were safe or
not. The second barge threatening to en-
gulf him again passed to one side and Riner
made frantic efforts to grasp something on
Just as the stern of the last barge was
passing HIM, however, he noticed chain
dragging in the water and he made clutch
for 1t. He fortunately caught it.
Help From Police Boat.
The harbor police boat Vig.lant happened
to be passing down the river at that time
and the members of its crew We're witnesses
to the accident, their attention having been
called to it by the blowing of the whistle
Of the tug. Policeman Passeno was quick
to grasp the situation, and he was soon in
a small bateau which being towed by
the police boat and roWed with speed to-
ward the boy in the water. He was within
about twenty feet OF the lad when the lat
ter grasped the chain, and rowed
alongside Riner was helped into the police
bateau and was later taken to the Nigilant.
One of the first questions he asked after
his rescue was in regard 10 his companion,
and they were pointed out to him safe
aboard the barge. Capt. Kersey had stopped
his tug and started back with it to give
assistance, if necessary, but when young
Carlin and his compan .ons had been put
aboard the Vigilant he again took up the
tow and continued down the river.
In the swapping of the rowboat all the
clothes of the three boys We're thrown into
the water, and for some time the harbor. po-
lice boat searched for the missing articles.
Finally all their clothes except one shoe
and the watches and money belonging to
the bows had been picked Hp, ana the police
boat continued to Alexandria and safely
landed the trio on the wharf there. All
three expressed themselves as glad to ride
down in the larger boat and ardently
thanked the local harbor policemen for their
assistance
The swa,nped boat was righted and the
water pumped out by the harbor police
crew.