Evening star., 1911-07-29
women TO THE RESCUE
Of MEN IN A LAUNCH
Wade Into Water and Tow
Them Ashore With a
CI0theS|ine.


A small. open launch in which were
three men, struggling to work its way
| through Jones inlet from the open sea-
| attracted the attention yesterday after
noon Of several woman members Of the
cottage colony here, who were on the
bathing beach, facing almost on the inlet.
Among them, all from Brooklyn, were
Mrs. Frank A. Jacobus, Mrs. George
Haner. Mrs. Judson Allen, Mrs. Charles
w. Bell and Misses Mabel Whilly.
Bertha Petit. Louise Storey, Catherine
Seaman and Caroline Abrams.
The women watched the launch as it
bobbed about like cork on a fishing
line, each instant making it more ap-
parent to them that the men aboard the
craft were in danger Presently they saw
an especially heavy wave slap the launch
over to one side SO that it began to take
In water. 1t listed more and more until
its three occupants, who had been cling
ing to the upper rail, were shaken loose
The men caught at the overturned boat
however, and an instant later were cling
ing fast to it as the launch began to
drift in toward the beach.
Used Clothesline.
AS the launch was drifting toward them
there was nothing for the women ashore
to do but to wait for the incoming tide
to throw the boat up on the beach. The
men seemed to be in no danger. Present
ly however, the women realized that the
heavy undertow was dragging the little
boat back, for when it had almost won
the sandbar a few yards from shore, it
commenced to drift back out to sea. Once
more the launch was tossed almost to
the bar, the men working desperately to
aid their craft in resisting the undertow.
But once again the boat was sucked back
when the bar was almost made, and then
the women realized that If the launch
was to be saved they alone must do it,
The men aboard the launch were helpless
and there was not man on the beach
From the nearest cottage one of the
women brought many lengths Of clothes
line They doubled this to give it added
strength and made one end fast to a
piece Of wreckage on the shore, heavy
lump of timber and metal that once had
formed part of a ship. OF the bar the
little launch was drifting toward the open
sea again, the men who clung to it's side
now devoting all their strength to hold
ing fast to the boat.
The women grabbed the rope at inter
walls Of several feet and. led by those who
wore bathing suits, dashed into the surf.
Among them were many in fimsy sum-
mer frocks. They did not hesitate. how
ever, though they did seize the line near
est to shore.
Required All Their Strength.
The beach here is shallow for some
yards. but bathers have learned to be
cautious of shifting bar which ends the
shallow part. the bottom dropping away
at the end of it into great depth Of water.
Toward this bar the foremost struggled.
those behind her dragging the rope: But
when the end of the ShOal reached the lit
tie launch was still far from reach. 1t
was drifting shoreward. again, however,
and in an encouraging chorus, the women
called:
''Hold on till you float in again. Then
We'll throw you the rope.
One of them shouted back that they
were understood, and when the boat
floated in again the blight of the rope was
tossed. One Of the men caught it and
made 1t fast to the launch. Then the
rescuers started shoreward dragging the
launch behind them. 1t took all the
strength of the women to win against
the strength Of the undertow, but at
last they yanked the launch onto the
bar where its weary occupants could step
off into water scarcely higher than their
waists. But to make certain that they
got safely ashore, several of the wom-
en- ran out again and assisted them I'D
to the beach.
The men were practically exhausted and
probably could not have clung to the
launch much longer.