Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-09-02
CITY GAINS AS RESIDENT MAN
WHOSE DEED OF DARING WAS
RECOGNIZED BY CARNEGIE.
WALTER o. ALLEN HELPED
SAVE TWENTY. SEVEN LIVES
New High School Teacher and AthI etic
Coach Has Probably Only Hero's
Athens, O., in 1907. Gave Allen
Chance to Show What Was in Him.

Marshalltown has gained as resi-
dent young man whose deed of dar-
ing gained for him recognition and re-
suited in his gaining a Carnegie hero
medal for saving lives at the risk of
his own. The young man is Walter
o. Allen. the new coach of the athletic
work Of the Marshaltown high shcool.
and a science teacher in the school
1t might be we'll to add, to save any
embarrassment on the part of Mr..
Allen. that he Is not seeking notoriety
because of the fact that he acted when
opportunity arose and showed the kind
interesting story happened to come to
the Times Republican thru mutual
friend. one who happened to see the
medal in Mr. Aliens room. Naturally
the friend asked questions, never hav-
ing seen one of the much -talked-of
heros medals before. and from that
came the story of how the medal hap
pened to be awarded.
Helped Save Twenty Seven Lives.
Mr.. Allen came here from Athens.
o., where he was formerly student
in college 1t was while Allen was In
college that the Woodworking river.
swollen by heavy rains, went on
rampage on March Il, 1907, broke thru
dixie. and poured down upon the
town, completely submerging the low
lands. People were caught In their
homes like rats in trap. unable to
save their possessions and in some
cases their lives. Eight were drowned
before the water subsidized.
Altho he was not an oarsman Allen
and a friend manned row boat and
started out to assist in the work of
rescue. Allen had been in a boat twice
before in his entire life. and the last
time four years previous to this event
full day. His companion had never
been in a boat before The water was
running almost to the tops of the tele-
graph poles. and to reach those whose
lives were endangered the two young
men rowed over telegraph and tele-
phone wires. Twenty people
were saved by the party OF rescuers
which included Allen and his friend.
Risked Own Lives For Two.
Two men who were about to give up
the fight for their lives against the
SurR1nR waters were TeSCucQ ny 4AllcH
and his companion at the risk of their
own lives. and it was for this deed
alone that Mr. Carnegie awarded the
medals. Mr. Carnegie's agent. hearing
Of the work of the two young college
men, came to Athens. personally inves-
tigated the case. and awarded the
medals to Allen and his friend for saw
ing the two men at the risk of their
own lives. it being one of the require
ments of the fund that awards must be
made in cases where life had been ac-
tually jeopardized in saving others.
With each medal was $1,000 in cash,
and this was likewise appreciated by
the young man who was then finishing
his college career.
Mr.. Aliens medal Is bronze. and is
encased in plush. On one side is
likeness of the donor. in relief. with the
scriptural quotation from John 10: 13.
Greater love hath no man than this.
that man lay down his life for his
friends" On the other side are shown
the name of Mr. Allen. the deed for
which the award was made and the
date when performed. and the names
of the men whose lives We're saved.