Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-29
WOMAN SW|MS I
MILES IN OCEAN,
SETTING RECORD
Miss Mabel Lawson Goes from
Dead Mans Island to
Long Beach
HAS RESERVE OF STRENGTH
Given StimuIant Three Times on
Her Long Battle Against
the Tides
HAS RESERVE OF STRENGTH
Especial to The Herald

LONG BEACH, Aug. 2S.-Setting a
new swimming record on the Pacific
coast and accomplishing a feat never
before accredited to any man or
woman, Miss Mabel Lawson, 19-year-
old Los Angeles young woman, this
morning swan from Deadmans island
at San Pedro to the Long Beach pier
and thence to shallow water in front
of the lifesaving station at the bath
house. The distance of Miss Lawson s
swim Is estimated at seven miles. She
used the English overland stroke ex-
clusively.
Her aquatic expedition was under
taken as a test of strength and not to
set a record for speed. The distance
was covered in hours and 20 minutes
Miss Lawson dived from a boat at
Deadmans island at $40 o'clock and II
was $3.50 when she came ashore in front
of the bath house, the cheers of thou
sands of people ringing in her ears.
Her mother Mrs. Whitney of the Ar
cade hotel, Los Angeles, embraced her
as she waded up the beach.
The young swimmer declares she'will
next try a swim from the end of the
Long Beach pier to the San Pedro
breakwater, which, being against the
current, would be a more difficult task
than that accomplished today.
STRENGTH LEFT
"I could have gone three or four
times farther had it been necessary"
she asserted upon reaching the beach
this morning II have considerable
reserve strength left I would be will
ing to swim against Miss Annette Kel-
lermann at long distances at any time.
If Miss Kellermann were to undertake
the swim from San Pedro to this city
tomorrow, as 1 have heard she may, 1
would swim with her and would finish
the course"
Miss Lawson's coaches, chief among
whom Is William Mehler, q lifeguard
employed by the bath house company,
declare she can swim against any
woman IN the world In long distance
going.
Miss Lawson had expected to dive
from the end of the San Pedro break
water this morning, but the fog which
hung over the bay made it impossible
for her or the men in the accompany
ing rowboat to steer their course with
out something to guide them. Accord
ingly the start was made from nearer
shore, so that the boom of the break
ers could be heard, and from this the
course was taken. The line of their
progress doubtless wavered numerous
times from straight course.
In. the rowboat which went along
near the swimmer were Mehler, Will
liam Thompson of San Pedro and c. E..
Cleveland, a Pike merchant. They
kept the boat about twenty feet from
the young woman most of the time.
They stayed in her wake or rowed to a
position in front and guided the
swimmer.
THREE RESTS TAKEN
Three times during her long swim
Miss Lawson came up to the boat,
rested one hand upon it and took a
small drink of ammonia, prepared by
DIR. Bernard Shelton for the purpose of
stimulating sher. Twice she turned
upon her back andN floated for few
seconds.
The only trying moments during her
swim were when she passed in front of
the Long Beach harbor opening. A
strong current there proved hard for
her to get through, and as she could
see the harbor jetties and saw that she
was making little IL any progress she
became worried and nervous. Taking
small stimulant at this time she rail-
lied and pulled away from the sort of
tiderip which had held her. At this
time she was probably half mile OF
shore.
She swan to within about twenty
feet of the Long Beach pier. She did
not land there, but turned and swan
to the shore. Al Riethmiller and w.
Barton went out from the lifesaving
station in the lifeboat % greet her.
They met her as she got In water shall
low enough to allow her to wade.
"Give me your hand, AL" were her
first words, addressed to Riethmlller.
She was plainly tired and her knees
were unsteady for a moment or two,
but after her mother met her on shore
and led her away to rest she seemed
strong as ever and none the worse for
her swim.
This is not Miss Lawson's first sea-
son of swimming, but she has never
undertaken long swims before this
year. She frequently swims to the end
of the pier and to boats anchored near
it, and made a mile in 2S minutes Fri
day. She has had a standing challenge
for a race out for a month, but has
had no takers. The young woman lives
at the Arcade hotel, Los Angeles, but
spends much of her time at thevbeach.
She gives much credit for her develop
ment as a swimmer to the instructions
and coaching given her by Mehler.
1870