Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-26
Mai. Pullman Asks Canoeists
to Confer With Ped Cross
Agent Tomorrow.
POLICE HEADS TO DISCUSS
PREVENTION OF DROWNING
Wilbert E. Longfellow. Organizer Of
Life-Saving Corps, to Be in
City for Week.

In an effort to reduce the death toll
on the river. more especially deaths re-
sulting from the overturning of canoes,
Maj. Raymond W. Pullman, superin-
tendent of police, is taking deep inter-
est in the work OF Wilbert E. Long
fellow, field representative. first-aid de-
partment Of the American Red Cross.
whose chief duty IS the organization
of live-saving corps. Maj. Pullman has
conferred with a number of canoeists,
and he wants members OF canoe clubs
and canoehts generally to meet Mr..
Longfellow tomorrow afternoon at
o'clock in his Office at police headquar
tiers.
Mr.. Longfellow this afternoon con-
ferred with Lieut.. r. A. Dean, in charge
of the harbor precinct, and later in the
week he will discuss the drowning
prevention question with the several
captains and lieutenants of police
The superintendent of police has
placed the police launch Maj. Sylvester
at the disposal of Mr.. Longfellow. and
will do all in his power to bring
about conditions which will result in
preventing SO many fatalities to
canoeists.
Waging Campaign of Education.
It is through the courtesy of Maj.
Robert U. Patterson. L. S. A. American
Red Cross. that Mr.. Longfellow is in
this city waging a campaign of edu-
cation. He has been in Pittsburgh the
past six weeks arousing interest in
the life-saving work and establishing
corps. using Boy Scouts as a nucleus.
He also has displayed an amount of in
terest in the work in Baltimore.
where, he says. there is lookout"
on the job where canoeists are most
numerous. Pittsburgh. he told re-
porter for The Star. has the greatest
number of swimming places of any
city in the country with the possible
exception OF Chicago, and the life
savers there do splendid work.
1t is the intention of Mr.. Longfellow
to visit all parts of the river and give
demonstrations of the work in which he
is interested. He will remain here all
week, he says, and will be on the river
Sunday. In addition to being interest
ed in the work of preventing fatalities.
he said. he also is interested in that Of
Mr.. Longfellow realizes to the fullest
extent that speedy recovery Is calcu-
lated to save some lives. Knowing
how to swim, he stated. does not al
from boat. although it is calculated
to help him. He thinks everybody
should know how to swim.
The shock of going overheard" he
per cent of his swimming ability, and
in most instances catching hold of an
overturned canoe is calculated to be of
more avail than attempting to swim
ashore"
To Demonstrate Use Of Hooks.
Mr.. Longfellow intends to demon-
strate the use OF certain hooks in the
recovery OF bodies. Oyster tongs. he
said, work splendidly and will recover
a body without mutilating 1t. What is
known as a water glass. he stated, is
used in some places by persons prose-
cutting searches for drowned persons
Maj. Pullman said that in all probable
ity he will see that his department Is
equipped with them in the near fu-
ture.
What the department wants." said
Maj. Pullman, lis speedy cooperation
of canoeists and members of canoe
clubs and I hope many Of them will
be on hand in my office tomorrow aft
ernoon"
The canoeists who have discussed the
question of reducing the number OF
river fatalities. Maj. Pullman said, are
perfectly willing to lend assistance
What they want is a sensible sugges-
tion from a person who is in a posi-
tion to give advice. He thinks NJ
Eongfellow is that person. and it is his
intention to have members of the force
learn as much from him this Week as
they possibly can.