The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-08

inc SKlpper, after WdlliHS III vain
for II to show itself again. ran TO MS
little steamer. stocked UP the fire. and
with his son Wilbur. another son Har-
old and Peter Peterson, fourth vol
untcer, wont off to the rescue. through
the hurricane, which held them In peril
throughout the run. But although the
immense seas nearly filled their little
craft, and almost smashed in its cabin
doors and windows, they kept on until
they sighted three men desperately
clinging to the keel of the overturned
yawl. Only after terrific battle were
the men taken aboard. and along with
the brave shippers gold medal came
three others, in silver, Tor his plucky
crew, who. with bulldog tenacity. had
stood by him throughout the battle
with the angry elements.
Hcroism I'm IsIHck and White.
Our scene now shifts down to tho
Panama zone whore gold medals were
la tely earned by two fearless employees
OF tho canal commission. Some months
ago. while n Easolcnc boat was ex-
changing II little army of thirty-two
workmcn from tug to drcdgc off
Porur Island. the hclmsmun suddenly
pushed the ruddcr hard over. causing
turn so sharp that two mon sitting
on the thwarts were thrown overheard
One could swim but tho other sank
like q stone. and tho undortow was
so wicked that when he came UP for
the first time ho had bean washed some
twenty five feet from the launch. With
such current running and with tho
water known to he infested with man,
eating sharks. the case looked hone
less, but while tho other OCCUPANTS OF
the little boat looked on. chapfailon.
Fitzgerald Wiltshire. Ciranadlan no.
gro ironworkcr, without stoppinp ia
protect himself by removing any OF
MS clothes. Owed Into the angry tor
rent and swimming under water to-
ward the point where tho drowning
man mad sank the second time. man
aged by dint Of Slsilful subma rinc gran.
ping TO seize him and carry him to
The surface. BY this time Robert Mel
ION, an American calkcr who had
Jumped off the launch when IL was
sixty feet from tho struggling man.
swan to Wiltshire's assistance. and
inter an cxhaustins struggle against
both under,ow and heavy seas. aided
In lifting the victim into a rowboat.
which returned him to tho launch But
let us get back again TO our good old
continent
a Tragedy on Prison Point.
on an August afternoon Il rcwboat
was swamped by a rough sea raging
oil the Prison Point. San Quentin cal.
and two OF the five men clinGinE 10
IT'S sides became deinoruiizcd when tho
angry waves commenced to wash over
them Attempting in their panic to
climb onto the upturnGd craft, they
rolled II over. knocking not only them.
selves. but their companions. into tho
water, where z fearful struggle took
place
one OF the five, Quartcrmastcr Guy
W. Beck. U. s. NJ kept cool. lie called
instructions TO his companions hut his
efforts were in vain and the two who
had unwittinEiy caused the catastro-
pho sank out of Ills sight, only. to come
UP Tar apart in the waves. However.
lie made off for the more helpless OF
the pair. and by Titanic efforts man
aged 10 keep him up until boat from
the prison arrived and took rescuer
and rescued out Of tho water, In which
the three who had looked out for them
selves mot their death Beck. for this,
gets the medal In gold.
SO mnch for our new gold brand
heroes of the water.
A Grade Crossing Struggle.
Two citizens Ia tho past year earned
the Presidents priced railway medal,
which seems to mean that the iron
steed is more terror striking foe
than the great deep
The first modern ST George OF this
pair to brave the fury of the steam
| dragon was George Karstcn, switch
man employed by the Chicago and
I Northwestern Railroad at AIlis sta
ton. Milwaukee.
AT the grade crossing where he Is
stationed there are twenty parallel
tracks, and across this death trap. up-
on September day, n woman ventur-
ed, unmindful of the fast approach OF
a locomotive that was backing toward
the crossing. Confused nv Il chorus of
warning shouts from terrified bystand-
ers. she hcsitated at a point where n
string of freight cars blocked her view
of the rails on which the engine an
preached. but instead of running back
in the direction whence she had
came, she stepped forward in the VERY
path of death Karsten, who had stood
by, leaped to her rescue, but when
he seized her she mistook his purpose
and commenced struggling with him.
Being a heavy woman, weighing zoo
pounds he had difficulty In dragging
! her. and as a result of the encounter
both were struck by the backing en-
CINE.
The swltchman fell directly between
the rails and the whole OF tho loco
motive. except the pilot. passed over
his body. But when the crowd rushed
forward to drag him out they were
dumbstrncll TO learn that although his
clothes we're ground to rags he was
practically unscratched.
me woman 1cil outside the rails.
hut her foot was crushed, and although
her prcdicn ment at first appeared less
serious than Karstcn's she sustained
/ internal injuries from which she died
The same night. In addition to tho
medal sent him by President Taft
Karstcn was given by the railroad
company a new suit of clothes. Il gold
watch and ten days special leave with
pay.
From the Teeth OF tho Iron Horse.
The grade crossinE---which some non
progressive CommonwcaIths still per.
! nit railroad companies to maintain in
centres Of population--was the scene
| of the other act of heroism lntcly
earning the Presidents order of merit
| Again woman was crossing n grid
| iron of ira rksnonc abrcast--that time
! at street in McKccsport. Pa, cross
| hi IIal q i,,.4,,.1,