Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-09
LIFESAvERS in
NEED, OF OUTFIT
VENICE CORPS Is POORLY
EQUIPPED
SHOULD HAVE MOTOR BOAT AND
ACCESSORIES
Adolph Toenjes, Hero of San Gabriel
Flood, Is Laid Up as Result
of Daring Rescue
Work

UENICE, Jan. S.-Tardy, but never
Y theless hearty, appreciation by
the public of their heroic services
has resulted in greatly Frightening the
spirits of members of the Venice vol
unteer life saving corps. The agita-
tion being made to procure the neces-
sary funds to furnish the corps with
modern life-saving apparatus of the
most improved type is watched by the
boys with deep interest. Hope is eX-
pressed on all hands that the agitation
may result in benefit to the crew in a
very substantial nature.
The recent exploit of the Venice life
savers in rescuing four persons from
their dangerous predicament in their
little home surrounded by the flood
waters of San Gabriel riv er in Los
NietoS valley has attracted more at
tention than ever before to the self
sacrificing work of the young men
composing the Venice volunteer corps.
This most recent performance of the
boys was the climax to a series of ac-
tivitieS in life saving extending over
three years that probably equals the
record of any similar organization in
the United States. 1t is gratifying in
deed, declare members of the corps, to
see that the great mass of people di-
rectly and indirectly affected by their
work on the beach, have come to
realize the Importance of the life
savers to this community.
AT meeting a few weeks ago the
members of the life saving corps re-
organized, shedding the name of
United States Volunteer" and adopt
ing the name Venice Volunteer
corps. The boys had been induced to
associate themselves with the govern
ment volunteer service with the prom
ise of tinancia' support, but the sup
port never materialized. Funds for the
maintenance Of the life saving work
are provided by citizens of the beaches
practically the various civic organ
izations and women's clubs. FIRE.
quently entertainments are held by the
latter, at which small sums are re-
aliz' for the ,orps None of the mem
bers receives a cent for his work, but
engages in it purely from a heroic
spirit and desire to aid humanity in
distress.
Each member Of the crew is en-
ployed in or around Venice, and when
ever the life saving alarm is given,
drops his work and hastens quickly to
the station at the end of the Venice
pier. One case is recorded where
member lost lhis position for respond
ing to an alarm, but fortunately such
instances are rare. By a recent ar
rangement with the Los Angeles Pa
cific railway, brought about through
the agency Of President Fred K. Nc
Carver of the Venice chamber of COM
merce, the railway company agrees to
haul the life boat and paraphernalia of
the corps to any point on it's lines in
case of an emergency free of cost and
furnish special car for the purpose |
By this means the field of the life |
savers is expanded to take in the beach |
northward to the long wharf and |
southward to Redondo Beach.
Tom Wilde IS captain of the corps, |
with his brother, George Wilde, second |
and Adolph Toenjes second |
lieutenant. John Moltor is quarter |
master The following are members of
the corps, being ranked as surfmen, |
shoremen and boatmen: George Nc
Manus, Alex Gray, Dan Nul Stanley
Townsend, David Moreno, Albert Rom
ero, Marcus Lee, Henry Toenjes,
Harry Bouck, John Maxim, -. Yarnell |
and Clifford Bowes, mascot. An exec
utive committee, which directs the ac-
tions of the life savers in time of need,
is composed of Capt. P. Grant, Capt.
w. King, G. l.. Anderson and George
Hubbard.
IHS GquIpHleul OF Cne lie saving
corps is very Inadequate in the opinions
of those familiar with the operation of
life saving stations on the Atlantic
coast and Great Lakes. An eighteen
foot, four-oared life boat is the only
craft available when the boys are COM
pell to make a trip beyond the surf.
small number of cork jackets and
life buoys, with line, make up the
balance of the paraphernalia.
A motor life boat, unsuitable and
capable of great speed, such a type as
that in use at government life saving
is greatly desired by the Ven
ice corps to place it in position to
render quicker aid to drowning per-
sons. In addition to this a long list of
life saving accessories would have TO
be provided for the corps before it
Gould be considered firmly est blished.
Adolph Toenjes, who with George
McManus, braved the torrential waters
IF San Gabriel last Sunday, was in
ured in the right leg by becoming en-
-angled in barbed-wire fence. Little
lttertion was paid to the injury at
irst, but it has since developed a pos
Iibiiity of blood poisoning, according to
he attending physician. Toenies is
now practically laid UP as a result of
his volunteer life saving work.