New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-26
UNDER SCOW TEN HOURS
Man Supposedly Drowned in
Storm Is Saved at Pier.
GIVES SIGNAL BY KNOCKS
Hole Chopped in Bottom Of Graft
Reveals Him Standing in Water
and Nearly Suffocated.

n is not get written that Ricardo
Manello. barge captain. shall die. He had
a perfectly good chance to die yesterday
and refused Perhaps It was that
Manello did not exactly like the idea OF
dying in such an undignifed place az
an upturned sand scow-some men are
particular even as 20 the spot where they
shall die At any rate, Manelo is alive
to-day after an experience that comes to
few men
When the storm was at IFS height yester-
dsy morning two scows in tow OF the tug
boat Bouker poughed their way through
the waters Of the lower bay until they
wallowed in the surging dips and hollows
Off Sandy Hook. a high sea was running
and the unwieldy tubs listed heavily under
their burdens Of sand. Manelo was the
captain in charge OF one Of the scows.
and was sitting al his ease in the tight
little cabin Of his blunt-nosed craft
While Maneo inhaled fragrantly from
his clay pipe allowing his body TO sway
with the rolling motion OF the scow, he
suddenly became aware that something un-
usual was happening Where. a moment
before. he had been gazing contemplativeiy
a the ceiling now he found himself sit
ting on the spot where his eye had rested
just before At the same time. he knew
that he was no longer reclining at ease in
the comfortable chair on the floor but
was. instead, being flung about uncere-
moniously. humping into the chair and
against the walls of the little cabin.
There was sudden lurch. and he real
lied that the scow was bottom up. Wnile
Manello was striving 10 regain his feet. ne
saw that the water was beginning to pour
in through the cracks about the door. lie
began 10 reason that when the craft nah
been relieved Of it's sandy cargo IT would
float high enough for him 10 keep his mead
above water And in his reasoning Manello
was correct for by cnging 10 the sides
Of the cabin he saved himself Air was
scarce. but now and then the rolling OF the
scow let in a fresh breath.
Leaving Manello 10 his reveries in tne
topsy-turvy cabin Of the scow. the scene
shifts 70 those on the tug. When the scow
capsized. the crew Of the tug went back
and looked for him. thinking his body
would bob TO the surface in few minutes.
Nothing Of the kind happened. however.
and after floating about the spot where the
scow had turned I'D rs toes. the tugboat
crew decided that ne had been swept over
board and drowned.
Steam was put on and the Bouker put
IN az the Erie Basin II was heavy going.
with 4 combna ton Of choppy sea and an
overturned scow in tow. the same being
more than half filed With water. and II
vas more than ten hours before the scoV
was tod I'D AZ a pier still bottom UP.
A deckhands Of the rug were making
the overturned scow fast they heard dull
tapping on the upturned bottom. Slowly.
persstently. the tapping continued, ana
when the deckhands placed their ears
70 the planks they heard a human voice.
That was enough. and soon men began ~
chop away the boards with axes. After
ten minutes work a hole was made IN
the scow's bottom. below the choppers
saw the head and shoulders Of one Rich
ard Msnello He was almost s1ffocated.
but managed to raise his hands high
enough 70 be pulled out.
A five finger portion Of Brooklyn's best
corn whiskey had gratifying effect on
Manello. and he was soon relating his ex-
psriences.
Had his rescuers been longer in chopping
him out Of his prison he must have per
ished. for the water was up ~ his shout
ders when he was taken out and the
settling Of the scow in quiet water had
shut off all fresh air.