Evening journal., 1918-08-01
DIX ENGINEER dies
Saving PROPERTY
swept Away from Fellow
Soldiers in Swirl of
Drainage Ditch
STORM CAUSES
SEVERE FLOOD

IhAlf ulAt MIlEu uSAVMuf ~ D. Aut.
l.-One soldier was drowned under
rsgic circumstances, another narrowly
scsped the same fate and much dam
ge was done 10 roadways and surface
lrsinage systems in the camp by a sue
ession OF showers which in the last q
lours at times approached the intesiiy
4 a cloudburst. The victim ot the
torn was Private Wadley z. sharp. OF
Company, 26th Engineers. whose
Tome was in Waycross, Ga. Caught in
he flood water Of a drainage ditch
While with a party OF engineers who
lad volunteered 10 salvage COVE: 1mcnt
property he was swept 10 his death
through a 3OO-foot drainage sewer.
Sharp was a volunteer, having en-
listed for service in the 26th Engineers.
stationed at Camp Dix while recruiting
10 war strength. He was in his bar
racks when a message reached the or
ganizatlon that storm waters were
threatening TO wash out government
railroads in the area Of the 33ith Field
Artillery. Captain Arthur Knapp asked
Tor volunteers 10 guard the tracks, and
Sharp was one Of the first TO offer his
Iervices.
The captain led the main detail up
he railroad tracks. while another ON
ser. with several privates, among them
Sharp. made a short cut wading
through a drainage ditch. The latter
party were I'm water about three feet
deep when sharp suddenly disappeared
In the brown swirl His companions
thought he had slipped and fallen. and
when he did not rise felt around for
him in the water. 4 moment later
another engineer began 10 sink, but fell
low-soldlers grabbed him and pulled
him TO the bank. 10 was then discov-
cred that the rush OF water had blown
of a manhole cover and that the water
from the ditch was pouring into this
opening. Surnising that Sharp had been
drawn into the sewer, Captain Knapp
rushed a detail TO the outlet, 300 feet
below. Thirty-fve minutes later
Sharp's body was discovered in the open
waterway below the outlet. He was
still alive and efforts at resuscitatlon
were begun at once and a pulmOtor
was hurried 70 the ecene, but he died
DESPITE the efforts Of surgeons who
worked over him two hours. His body
was sent last evening to his Georgia
home. where he is survived by his
mother Mrs. Fannie L. sharp.
Tie storm waters, undermining a
culvert. caused a bad cave-in yesterday
afternoon that entirely blocked traffic
Of the main thoroughfare through the
eastern side OF the camp. The damage
occurred at a point where a big drain
passed under the highway a few hun
dred feet above the headquarters OF the
camp fire department. Repairs Will be
rushed by army engineers.
The leniency OF the camp commander
also saved Private Harry NJ. kirkpat-
rick. OF Canton, Ohio, member OF the
2ist Co, i53d Depot Brigade, from
spending a year in a military prison.
lie was sentenced for refusing TO obey
orders and respect 10 an officer. Cen
eral Scott found that the man, at the
time Of the offense, was q rookie" and
had had no opportunity to acquire the
proper realization Of military discipline.
The general then disapproved the SEN
tence, this action indicating that the
former chief OF the General stan and
one Of the most rigid Of discipllnarians,
is determined that no injustice shall be
done the men freshly summoned from
civil life for army training, but that
every recruit shall be given a chance
News that the 18th or lightning
Division" which trained here, was hop
Ing soon 10 get into action somewhere
ir France, has reached friends OF the
overseas fighters here and that the divi-
sion has actually made its first strike
for humanity is conveyed in recent
casualty lists. Names Of several Of
fcers and enlisted men are shown
among recent lists. Among the officers
mentioned is Major Roy w. Gausmann,
Of Leonia, who was severely wounded.
A graduate Of tho Columbia Engineer
ing School who gave up his profession
10 enter the army won his commission
al Plattsburg and was assigned 10 Camp
Dix with the 303d Engineers. He was
a moving spirit in the erection OF the
Engineers Hall, now used as a Knights
OF Columbus recreational building. An
other officer reported wounded, Lieu
tenant Joseph r. Busk, Of New York,
was a member Of an infantry regiment
that trained here. Earlier casualty lists
have contained the names Of many SOL
dlers who got their initial training
here. but were transferred TO other di-