New-York tribune., 1910-08-29
DUE GIRLS IN LONG SWIM
Sisters Over Course from Queens
boro to Brooklyn Bridge.
SIX MILES WITH TIDE IN 1::3O
Saluted by Steamers and AL
Sorts of Graft Along the
East River.

Inst as the first faint beams OF the
sun we're coloring the waters of the East
River Yesterday morning a small motor
boat slipped nOiselessly down the river
and made fast TO a bulkhead in the
shadow of the Greensboro Bridge Be
fore the ropes had bound 1t TO the pier
three slight figures could be seen cIlnp-
ing I'M the side of the water soaked tim
ters until thev stood on the flooring Of
+ba nier Almost Is quickly three small
boats which had been in tow or the
launch we're unfastened and padded out
2 bout twenty feet from the bulkhead-
The three figures, now discernlple as
Young girls. were poised on the enc
pTanks of the buIkhead. all clad IN one
piece swimming costumes
The three who hraved the first cooiness
OF the early morning in such ffnnsy
dress were the Due sisters of Bay Ridge,
famed for their daring in the waters
about Brooklyn. and each one Of whom
has breasted the treaCherous NarrovTs-
1t was desire TO conquer strange waters
and swim through unknown bypaths
that brought the three girls TO the East
River yesterday. They had laid out a
TO the Brooklyn Bridge. known as the
four bridges course, because it flows
under the Greensboro. the Williams
burg. the Manhattan and the Brooklyn
bridges.
1t was the intention of the girls to
make the start as early as possible. in
order to avoid the river traffic, which
becomes heavy later in the day. All the
swimmers are very young. starting with
Ethel. eighteen Vera. sixteen. and Bea-
triCe, the youngest. who is only thirteen
years old They are the daughters OF
Alfred Due, Of Brooklyn. and are stu
dents in the Manual Training School.
All We're mere ba bies when they had
their first lessons in the water. Mr.. Due
and his wife and a fourth little girl
Marie, accompanied the swimmers in a
row boat
1t was just 6:17 when Beatrice darted
from the bulkhead to strike the nurkv
water with a clean stroke Next Vera
disappeared in The dark current. fol-
lowed by Ethel The two elder sisters
wore red turbans. and Beatrice had a
dark blue cap on her hair The Young
est, who had entered the water ten min
utes before her sisters, was soon swept
down the river hard by the Brooklyn
shore
Close behind her was her father and
James Miller. a volunteer IIfesaver. They
kept in her wake for more than q. mile
while the little swimmer slipped swift
" through the whitecapped river. The
two elder sisters were content to travel
more slowly in the middle Of the river.
Al 23d street the water was cut and
rip-sa we'd by many cross currents. and
the girls had 10 put more strength in
their strokes Now the sna II boats be
hind them began to bob up and down.
like chips on the waves, but the swim
mers never faItered.
Soon the big Metropolitan Line
steamer. Yale. coming down the river
from Boston, rassed Vera. and the
skipper roared a salute. The. boat
slowed down as ii passed the girls. while
the passengers crowded TO the rail,
cheering madIy All three were en-
quilted in the great swell kicked up
oy the big turbine. but still they
ploughed on.
For the rest of the journey down the
river the girls had almost a continuous
, alton. Beatrice always in the van
Ferryboats and fishing smacks acknowl-
edged the prowess of the fair swimmers
with one accord One of the officers on
the Yale roared through a megaphone
al Beatrice, asking where she was
bound, Back came the answer from the
girls smiling lips, ITO the Brooklyn
Bridge"
AS the clocks pointed 10 40 Beatrice
swan under. the Brooklyn Bridge.
Vera followed three minutes later. and
Ethel came in leisurely. at just o'clock.
They had strong tide with them ali
the way
The distance covered by the girls was
about six miles. All were breathing
easily. and wanted TO continue. The
breast. side and tFudgeon strokes were
used bv the sisters in their hazardous
swim.