The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1911-05-19
SHOWED UNUSUAL
PRESENCE OF MIND
When Motor Boat Sank in the
Connecticut River.
G, p, sPENoERs FAMILY ESCAPED
Although Three out Of the Five Could
Not swim-craft Struck Submerged
Log Near East Putney Sunday After.
noon-Cork Cushions Saved Them.

An accident in which remarkable pres
ence OF mind on the part of all concernet
prevented tragic consequences happened
on the Connecticut river at point iusi
below East Putney station Sunday after.
noon when Charles F. Spencer's motor
boat, Quonektacat, in which were Mr.
and Mrs Spencer and their three children
struck a submerged log and sank in les
than a minute, Although only two OF the
occupants of the craft were able TO swim
and the accident happened several hun.
drcd feet from the shore, all managed to
reach land safely
The collision with the log came wholly
without warning "A crash sufficient to
stop the engine instantly, followed by a
rush OF water into the boat, which at
once began to settle. MIR. Spencer real
lied instantly that nothing could prevent
the craft from sinking. so he told his wife,
his daughters, Alice, 10, Elizabeth, L., and
son, Porter, ~, to hang TO the life-pre-
server cushions with which the boat was
equipped and prepare to get into the
water All the members Of the family
did as they were told, the Older daughter
her sweater and skirt. Hardly had they
made these hurried preparations before
the stern Of the boat went out OF sight
and all five people found themselves in
the chill waters of the river Alice and
Porter, both good swimmers, Immediately
struck out for the Vermont shore while
Mr.. and Mrs Spencer. with their daughter
Elizabeth between them, kept a tight
hold on three cushions and managed To
work their way slowly along behind the
older children. Fortunately the current
and wind were in their favor, and after
several minutes of strenuous and nerve
racking effort the whole family reached
the river bank Porter, who reached
shore first, ran to boat moored nearby
and started to go to the assistance OF his
parents and sister, but before he could
reach them they were in shallow water and
out of danger. All were thoroughly
chilled and exhausted but after collect
ing numerous articles of the boat 5 equip
ment which drifted shorcward, they went
to the station at East Putney where they
were made as comfortable as possible until
the arrival of one of j. b. Manley'S auto
mobiles which carried them to their home
on Chase street.
The fact that Mr. and Mrs. Spencer
and their younger daughter, none OF whom
could swim a stroke, were able to get TO
shore safely even with the assistance OF
the cork cushions proves clearly enough
that they must have kept cool, mentally
as well as bodily, throughout the whole
experience
The motor boat itself did not go to Tho,
bottom but remained in an upright posi-
ton. foot or two of the bow being kept
out of water by the air around the gasoline
tank. A boat from the Blgelow boat
house towed the damaged craft to ITS
Sunday evening and II was taken
out of the water Monday when hole
nearly two feet long and at least SIX inches
wide was found in the planking Just IN
front of the motor base. A scratch eX-
tending for several feet in front OF the
hole indicated that the boat must have
slid along the point of the log until the
weight of the engine caused the pianklng
to give away. The craft was originally
owned by G.. A. Harris, who used It as
Kerosene launch on Spofford lake for
number of years before selling 1t to Mr.
SPENCER last season. 1t was thoroughly
renovated and partially rebuilt before
being put in use on the river.