The Oskaloosa herald., 1916-03-02

contract the board determined upon
their own Initiative and hired William
Thomas to deliver over three hun
dred pounds Of dynamite at the river
and to have the county engineer and
Charles Thomas, county employee,
and son of VIII Thomas to make an
effort to iislodge the ice dam. Ac.
cordingly. the explosive having gone
forward by team the board members
Saturday morning accompanied by
County Engineer Rommel took the
train for Givin and we're soon at the
of the ice jam.
No one could know what was best
to do nor how to get at the work. At
first Mr.. Rommel and Mr.. Thomas
were in separate boats with their as
sistants. Charges of dynamite set off
had no effect upon the ice. Later,
Thomas and Rommel together in the
better boat, tried another part of the
pack and broke an oar in getting to
an available position along the east
lside of the stream. And they eXper.
fenced the greatest difficulty in the
powerful current that combattcd every
inch of their progress. Mr.. Thomas
set off a charge of seventeen sticks OF
the dynamite and went back upon the
ice to note the effect of the shot, Mr.,
Rommel remained in the boat. The
shot had had little effect and he was
DESTROYS of going to another position
with the boat. Returning to the boat,
he found Mr.. Romlnel sitting with his
Eovercoat about him. The engineer ad-
Vised Thomas to don his own heavy
wrap. Wishing to be free to use him.
self, however, he decided not to put
on the garment They started the boat
back through the trees back into the
swift current and Rommei asked if he
was sure they could make it back.
Thomas was confident. In lieu of oars,
they proceeded by drifting with the
current and arrested the too free
progress of the boat by clinging to the
trees by which they passed, as Mr..
Rommel grabbed the trunk of tree
they were passing the boat shot out
from under him tand he fell into the
water, was swept off his feet by the
current but held to the tree until Mr..
Thomas who had, for the moment lost
control of the boat, could swing 1t
back from the current and work 1t
above the man to reach him as it came
down again. While the water where
Rommel was standing was not more
than waist deep, II was strong and
swift and IL was with difficulty and
the earnest efforts of Thomas that
he regained his seat. His clothing and
coat was soaked. As the men again
started to make their way out of the
place intending to go to the island for
another supply of dynamite, Mr.. ROM
mel again expressed doubt of their
ability to. cross the .swifter part of
the current. -
Had not better catch this tree"
he asked of Thomas, as they swung
out toward the willow. ~. .
"All right" said Thomas, and Rom
mel stood upon the prov of the boat
and grabbed the trunk The came
alongside. But this threw the front Of
the Boat down and side over. Caught
by the current and the waves, the
boat was overturned, filed with wat
er, sank beneath the food,
Thomas who was now abreast of
the tree and he also grabbed. the
trunk, below where Rommel held. He
secured footing in some branches or
brush and attempted to help Rommel
up higher and out of the water which
was intensely cold. But Rommel was
weighted by his clothing and could
not struggle up. 81. ~
81 cant make 1t this way" he said
Thomas by maneuvering, worked his
way above the engineer and tried to
pull him into the branches by lifting
him from above. This plan also failed.
Thomas climed little higher and told
Romtnel to hold to his feet and pull
himself up that way. When Rommel
tried, his other grasp Slipped from the
icy trunk that was freezing his hands
ana he all but let go. Thomas reaching
down grabbed him by the collars of his
coats and attempted to pull him up.
Mr. Rommel was in such a position
where he was powerless to assist the
one above him nor could Thomas ac-
coniplish the task with his one hand
as he had to cling with the other to
the body of the tree. He eXerted his
utmost strength, screaming for help
to the men on the bank, the while.
So great was his effort that the rough
bark of the tree cut deep into the
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bruises tub wounds.
Full ia or fifteen minuted, did
Thomas n ain his grasp, on the cloth
ing of the now helpless +Rommel "a
cant do it Thomas" said Rommel with
failing strength. Let me down and l
will try the water to the drift below"
Thomas then noted the drift of logs
and brush little distance, possibly
twenty-five feet below. Are you all
right to try for that,?" asked Thomas,
and Rommel replied in the affirmative
Releasing his hold ons the clothing of
the engineer Thomas. permitted him
to drop back into the water and with.
out hesitatfng the man either struck
out brayely for the drift. or was whirl-
ed away. in the food. Either way hel
vas carried down against the drift
which was in the direction of the
and as he reached it he raised
his hands and managed to grasp one
of the logs but appeared helpless and
too weak to make headway in get.
ting out of the water upon the timber.
He chung to the log, but paid no at 1
tentlon to the shouting admonition of
Thomas to work hisstway. out Of the
water. And in this position he remain.
ed looking from side to side, now and
A a a Il