The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-13
by ROBERT c. BAUR.

was sitting on the steps on River
side Park on Wednesday afternoon
about o'clock, when some young men
came running up to me. telling me
that a man was on the pump house
dam, and would drown if he did
not get assistance at once. ] did not
hesitate a moment. but took in the
situation at once. l ran up the track
70 the pump house, and saw every one
standing there, hollering to him to
hold on that they would bring him
boat but no one made any effort to
take tho perilous trip. except an old
man. about sixty-five years old.
ron up the river bank about half a
mile. ana met the old man, who was
Mr.. Nllnna1ly in the act OF starting
from shore TO the island
Taking the boat from him, I under
took the perilous trip myself, and with
the words God help me- and bidding
him good-by, l started down the
rapids.
/ made the awful trip down through
The rapics of the James, through
Dutchman's racks, which is as danger
Gus as the falls below the dam. l came
through without mishap, until was
within thirty yards of the island on
which the remaining THREE men We're.
when my paddle broke in half, and
had hard fight to get to the island
In safety.
No Rope on the Island.
when l reached the island 1 found
there was not piece of rope with
which could let myself down TO the
dam with. In the meantime, the
police auto came up to the pump
house with fireman rope, and Mr..
Nunnally launched his other fall boat,
and brought the rope to the island.
Then we tied it to the boat, ana strip
ming my clothes off I started on my
perilous trip to rescue Mr.. Barnes.
The water was so rough and swift
I could not make 1t over the dam the
first time tried it. The men pulled
me back up to the island and | showed
the boat around little island out in
the stream. That forced the boat to
the Belle Isle side a little, and drifted
on down to the dam and went over
Just as | went over the dam, the rope
pulled tight. and it was all could do
to keep from being sucked under.
got the boat steady, and drltted on
down to the bush on which Eddie
Barnes was hanging. When | reached
the poor fellow. could see he was
nearly dead from sitting there foi
nearly three hours in his condition.
Barnes Fell Into Bont.
When the boat pulled alongside tn
hush he tried to jump in, but being
20 cold from exposure he fell in tn
boat on his hands and knees. l pat
ted him on the back and said to hin
.~rhank God, Ed. have got YOU thi
FAR to safety" He tried to talk to n,
and tell me how he happened to be be
hind the dam, but he was so weak an
cold he could not talk. The only thin
that remember him saying was tina
his pole broke when he was comm
around the island ] did not kno'
until the next day that the rope brok
when they started to pull US back owe
the dam. Then MI. Nunnally came I
see me and told me about 1t. The Inc
kept waving their arms to me, but c
account OF the roar OF the dam coul
not hear what they said, SO ! to-
Eddie the only chance we had c
earth was the awful trip through Il
rapids. He crawled to the DO
OF the boat and united the rope.
pulled in an eddy for a few minute
and then started down stream.
Cried ..Ifurrnh:" and Then Pcrishcd
When we we're just in front Of Il
M largest and toughest water, Ed
jumped up IN the boat and hollert
'hurrah!'' to the crowd on the ban
Il II said. For Gods sake. man, sit: down
But II was too late then, for by jum
ing like he did, he threw tho boat sid
ways, and when we went in the wave
nv end went under first. Then II
III end came up and the bow went unde
knew the boat was Eddie's on
chance, so l left 1t, with the wore
~Cling to the boat Ed" No man
earth could save poor Eddie III tho
waters, as did all that lies in huns
power to try to save him. While ] w
swimming, i stopped and looked ba
to see Ii could see him, but con
not When reached The island ] W
half drowned myself.
ss Il III Almost Frozen to Death.
The sun had gone down and it w
turning cold. and there stood,
most drowned and freezing TO dea