Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-07-30
Mistsllansous Rsadins.
CRISIS DEVELOPED HEROES.
Girls, Wharf Rats and Tramps Con.

NANo ~
been the number Of dead but for actual
prodigies Of heroism, says a Chicago
dispatch Of Monday to the Philadel-
phia Public Ledger. The heroes rang
ed from slips of girls to ragged dock
rats and hoboes. A frail mite Of a girl
crawled over the Shiny side Of the ship
at the imminent risk Of her own life
and with her slim little arms dragged
a number Of children to safety.
A gloomy man who was out OF work
and contemplating suicide in he river,
found plenty Of work when the ship
capsized. He plunged in and rescued
nine persons before he was dragged out
almost dead by other A po-
liceman made a motorman stop be-
tween stations. He a back along
the tracks, plunged into the river and
saved eight. There were numerous
cases Of boy heroes. In W cases the
little fellows themselves persisted after
helping many women and children to
safety.
One boy, whose identity is yet a
mystery, jumped from the dock into
the river to help two women hanging
to some object in the middle Of the
stream. He was swimming to the dock
with one Of the women when the other
flung her arms around his neck, and
all three were drowned.
William Raphael, manager Of a COM
mission house, leaped into the river
and was swimming to the dock with
two women when a fat man, his face
livid from fear, clutched the dress Of
one Raphael kicked him in
the face, but in the struggle the fat
man and one woman drowned.
A. W. Perkins, al express driver,
who had just been excused from duty,
had put on his bathing suit under his
street clothes, preparatory to a day at
the beach. He saw the Eastland topple
over. Shedding his outer garments, he
plunged and grasped two women, but
was forced to release one He saved
the other. He Immediately plunged
back into the river and brought out
two girls.
Immediately following the disaster
the American Express company placed
it's entire wagon and motor service at
the disposal Of the rescue workers. S.
S. Mattacks of the American Express
company, with another man, whose
name was not learned, did valiant res
cue work in an unusual way. They
threw a boatload Of planks to the
struggling victims and afterwards
picked up many who were thus enabled
to keep afloat.
Edward Atkin, foreman Of the r. B.
Atkin company, also proved himself a
hero in a modest way. He found a
small boat under the Clark street
bridge and rescued 20 persons. Three
insensible women he brought out were
restored by pulmotors.
Courage and presence Of mind saved
the life Of Mrs. Walter Hubbard. II
had presence Of mind to hold my
breath when I was thrown into the
river" she said. my head felt az If
1t would burst, but / realized my life
depended upon my retaining my senses.
I fought until I got from under a sofa
that had fallen on me. Then I prayed
oh, I prayed; but I kept my eyes
open and my enses alert. Presently
some one threw me a life preserver,
and a man leaning from somewhere
hooked me with an umbrella and I was
saved" Mrs. Hubbard's daughter,
Ruth, aged %, is among the missing.
All witnesses agree that in the crisis
women were the stronger and more
sensible. While the men fought madly
for their lives, the ONE and girls,
after the first panic, quickly recovered.
They chung patiently to bits of wreck
6 and obeyed commands Of
Those trapped in the hull waited calm
ly for death or rescue. The men, chief
ly young foreigners, dragged women
from places Of safety, and even after
their own safety was assured stood
stolidly around without Offering to as
sist.
Fred Swigert, a city fireman, worked
hold. Then a diver passed up the body
Of a little girl, her flabby dress a pitiful
clinging shroud. Swigert placed the
little form on a stretcher and then,
looking closely at the drawn features.
gasped and fell unconscious across the
body. 1t was his own daughter.
Every person living in the two fam
lily house at 2,301 South Kolin avenue,
persisted in the disaster. julie Strogl,
and his wife, married five months; AL
fred Anderson, his wife and 7-year-old
son were among the victims.
G. S. Pritchard saved his wife and
son by supporting them on deck chairs
while he swan, treading water. Il
could feel dozens Of living persons
churning the water under me-" he said.
"One woman grasped my legs, but the
bodies Of others pushed her away, else
1 should have persisted"
j. N. Johnson Of 2,73S North Albany
avenue had about as sad an experience
as can be told. Mr.. Johnson, after
three attempts to save his wife and
daughter, was finally forced to land
without either.
Johnson on three different occasions
had succeeded in getting hold of his
wife, but she was pulled from his
grasp, the third time going down new
er to re-appear. His baby was clinging
to his neck, but when near shore was
pulled from him, and, owing to ex-
haustion, he was forced to fight hard
to save himself. Upon arriving at his
home he was told that the baby had
been saved, but that his wife was
drowned.
The star hero Of them all, a 17-year-
old volunteer diver, who explored the
hull of the Eastland where professional
divers refused to go and between
morning and dark brought to the sur
face the bodies of 40 victims, is Charles
E. Bowles.
THE human frog" as he was called