New-York tribune., 1909-09-06
GIRL SWIMS HE'LL GATE
PLUCKY WOM4N IN RACE.
Tscentg-four Get Life SaUers En-
durQnce Contest Medals.

Adeline Trapp. a Brooklyn miss Of eighteen years
the last Of twenty-four finishers. but the nrst
woman swim from the seth street pier in the
East River through Hell Gate and on TO Clason's
Point was cheered as il she the winner at the
end of the annual endurance swim of the Vol
unteer Life Saving Corps. held over that course
yesterday
No accidents ,narred the contest though the un-
avodable delay al the start made some OF the
swimmers nervous. Benedict May. OF the Cty
Island station Of the corps, the first To hrish
In the elapsed time of hour and $3la minutes
Clifford Benedict. Of South Norwalk, Conn. was
second, in 1:H, and he was followed by Alols
Anderle forty years old, Of Stelnway, Long Island
who finished in 40.
The endurance swim was restricted 10 actuai
members Of the United States Volunteer Lie say
ing Corps the two women who We're en'ereo ho'u-
ing certificates of membership in that organization
Fecause Of their positions as instructors in the
public baths
Miss Priscilla Higgins who was the only other
woman IN the SWIM instructor IN the Dalh ~
Pike street and Corlears Hook. She was forced TO
rive mn hecause of cramp in the left calf which
attacked her Just after she had successfully breast
cd the svirling currents of Hell Gate Miss Irapp'
who finshed twenty-fourth, is a school teacher III
BROOKLYN near her home at No. iiS I4avemeyer
street and during the last summer has been an III
strIctor the Battery Bath.
As the life saving corps declared, the swim was
not a race, but endurance test and to emphasize
This roint the medals given the inishers were
The recipient was first or last This didn't prevent
the trirty-nine men who started, however, from
striking of If il race, and as soon as the
ebhing tide of East S9th street caught the swim
uers duel for place started between Benedict
and Anderle. May had struck almost Directly
across the river at the word. and 1t looked like
waste of energy until he got close to the Astoria
shore the current caught him stronger even than
it had the bulk of the men in the middle of the
river, and swept him far in the lead that he
won and held advantage Of ten minutes
Benedict and Andere, leading the main bunch
Of swimmers. struggling for the place then
between Mill Rocks and the Hog Back Inc
Misses Trapp and Higgins stuck close together
and We're taking very easy; in fact, even to the
but kept up a steady overland stroke from start
finish.
About a thousand persons crowded the shore
around East Seth street and East End Park to
watch the start and half Of them took trolley
cars for CIasons Point to he in at the finish.
They had their favorites, too but the strongest
cheers went for the two women contestants ana
for William Bratton. of the Harlem station of the
corps, who ambled down TO the end Of the dock
the crutches he has carry, and then, at the
starting word. balanced himself on his one leg
10 dive in and try conclusions with his more
fortunate tvo-leEged mates. Brattons boat de-
serted him after seven miles of rough swimming,
ana he was ken into the official launch.
Those who finished each Of whom received the
endurance medal of the corps. were Benedict MAY,
Clifford Benedict, Alois Anderle. Harry Leviness,
2. Hsrrigan, Leonard Levy, Fred Friese, Albert
severino, 2. Linnenkohl, Z. Creagh, William For
a PanZenhagen. H Nattinson. William F7escher,
J. Enright, !. l. FlaCkner, VI. McDrrmott. William
Meltcher. J. {. Pick, Tony Cspone and Miss
Adeline Trap.