Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-03

sheriff's automobile, where they were
rubbed down, given a good warm
breakfast and placed aboard a car
for Venice with the sheriff's conph-
ments.
Proud of His Men
Capt. Tom Wilde, commanding the
life-saving corps, who was unable to
accompany the boys on their trip last
night declared today he is proud of
the work of the corps.
THE boys deserve all the credit pos
sible for their work, said Capt. Wilde.
"Reseuing persons from icy mountain
streams is not exactly in line with the
practice of the corps, whose work here
tofore has been in the ocean surf,
but they have proved themselves
equal to it and they could do it again.
Second Lieutenant Adolph Toenjes of
the life-saying corps, who, with George
McManus, succeeded in reaching the
house where Mrs. Armstrong Mrs.
Wells and two others were marooned,
and bringing them to shore in boat,
gave an interesting account of his ex-
periences in the cold waters of San
Gabriel. Toenjes said today:
THAT was the worst experience 1
ever had in life-saving, never be-
lieved water could be so cold as that
we had to swim through in order to
reach the house We realized it was
dangerous, too, as the current was
very swift and carried all sorts of deb
ris. I snagged my foot when attempt
ing to reach the house from the boat,
1 think I got tangled in barbed wire.
Tells Rescue Story
when MuManus and [ got into the
house the occupants appeared over
joyed at our arrival. I never saw any
one so glad to see visitors as they
seemed to be. The water was at least
two feet deep on the lower floor of the
house and they were expecting to be
whirled away by the current at any
moment. A number of valuable chick
ems which the owners desired to save
from the flood were roosting peace
fully on the dining table. There was
nothing in the house to eat.
Mrs. Armstrong got us some hot
coffee, placing the last sticks of wood
in the house on the fire and then agreed
to accomp Y us in the boat, although
they were badly frightened. The boat
almost overturned several times when
we attempted to cross from the house
to land, but we got through safely and
I am not at all sorry we went to their
rescue. If We had to save only one
life 1t would have been worth the trio.
This wasn't anything very much out
of the ordinary for the crew to do as
we are trained for it, but it shows
what can be done when necessary with
a number of trained men. All the boys
who were on this expedition stuck to
their work like heroes and got soaked
through, but they don't mind a little
thing like that"
Was Dangerous Work
McManus coincided with Toenjes in
many of the latter's statements, de-
claring the rescue of the four persons
from their dangerous predicament the
most difficult piece of work in his eX-
perience as a life-saver. This IS what
McManus said today:
q am so used to swimming in all
sorts of water that I don't think of
the possible danger to myself, but I
certainly was afraid that we could
never get those women safely across
the swift current. After we got them
into the boat the swirling eddies
turned it round and round and sew
eral times when it struck snags. 1
thought it was all off with our pas
sengers. We took the precautiOn to
place cork jackets on them, but I fear
they would have been drowned if they
had fallen into the river at that time.
1t was great relief when we got
them safely to shore. 1t was hard work
for all the boys, to be sure, but I don't
think there is a member of the life
saving corps who would hesitate on
any occasion of this kind to lend aid.
That is what the corps was organized
for and only those who are willing to
risk their lives for others in distress
are taken in as members. It seems like
a long distance to go away from home
to do live-saving. but if our services /
are required again. Wen be on hand"
When asked by the Herald repre-
sentative at midnight last night if1
they would go and make an attempt
TO rescue the marooned people at Gage,
mem bers of the Venice corps who
could be found at that hour, to the
man, offered to make the trip and in
the remarkably short space of twenty
they had got their phara-
phernalia together and were aboard a
car bound for Los Angeles.