The Washington herald., 1918-02-15

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Available boats could not hope to
Seven Persons Escape.
Danger of the ever-increasing
weight of ice about the little vessel
crushing II and its human cargo
increased every hour.
Seven persons. including q young
woman, Miss sigma Hutton. made a
perilous escape from the imprisoned
boat across a mile and half of
shifting. treacherous ice to shore.
Two Of them, Jack Hutton, father
Of Miss Hutton. and Wesley
Slaughter. a negro, missed death in
their attempt to reach shore by the
narrowest margin and owe their lives
to other members of their party.
Walter Ferguson twice saved the
life Of Hutton when ice gave way be-
meath him and ne was plunged into
the cold waters Of the river. Hutton
in turn saved Slaughter from death
when he went through a rift in the
ice.
The Booth Bay left Indian Head
yesterday morning for the Navy
Yard. bringing employees OF the
proving grounds at Indian Head 70
the city. There were more than so
on board when the trip was begun.
Progress up. the river was slow
and on the mouth of Broad Creek.
just below Fort Foote near the
Maryland shore the boat became
jammed.
\ At this point three men aboard
len and made their way to safety
across the Ice to the virginia shore.
It was not until nearly noon when
the second party, consisting OF
Walter Ferguson. Jack Hutton and
his daughter. Miss sigma Hutton,
and Wesley Slaughter, a negro. left
the Booth Bay in an attempt 30
reach the shore over the ice.
Ice Gives Way.
Only the GOODNESS and heroism OF
Ferguson prevented the death Of
Hutton when twice the ice gave
way beneath him and he was
plunged into the water.
Slaughter also fell, into the river
and was saved by Hutton
Shortly afterward Hutton himself
went through the ice and only the
quick work of Ferguson prevented
him from being swept beneath the
surface.
By that time the party had COW
cred more than half of the mile and
a half between the boat and the
Virginia shore. Hutton, with
clothes soaked and freezing. led the
way. Behind him came Ferguson,
aiding Miss Hutton The shore was
only a short distance away when
the fee broke again beneath HUI.
ton and once more he went down
into the river.
Ferguson with a long boat hook
in his hand dashed forward and
caught Hutton the second time.
Mr.. and Mrs. Abbott, Of yelling.
ton Villa. Va, the former i'll in his
bed, witnessed the series of neal
fatalities, unable to lend aid.
Party Reaches shore.
When the party reached the enc
of the ice foe it was necessary C
jump several feet across open wa.
ter to the shore.
Mrs. Abbott met the party when they
reached shore and invited them into
her home while their clothes dried.
Despite his wet clothing. however
Hutton boarded an electric car fol
Washington before changing hi:
clothes.
Three other men had preceded them
ashore across the ice by several hours,
They left the boat Immediately il be-
came evident she would be stuck for
some time. 1t was not until nearly
noon that the second party departed
So far as could be learned all others
who had started on the trip stin were
aboard early this morning.
when we left the Booth Bay al
noon," Hutton said last night. the ice
had piled high up in front Of the boat
and still was getting higher. There is
plenty Of food on board. The weight
Of the ice may crush the boat, how
ever. or piling high up around il, cave
in upon it and send it down"
Safety Of the entire Potomac watel
front depends on the breaking OF an
| ice jam at the steel plant.
Two powerful government tugs are
''bucking the center of the river ice