Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-12

Of Moose. also risked his life in the
waters filled with struggling fear mad
people. He divcd three times and
brought three little girls to safety.
Perhaps the most outstanding figure
of all is George (Soapy) Pearce. fish
erman, living at 11S Penn street. Ches-
ter is getting used to "Soapy" in the
role of rescuer and a finder of bodies.
There has hardly been a drowning in
the last thirty years in which he has
not appeared as the rescuer or as the
man who found the body. He prob
ably brought moro persons to safety
Saturday than any other one man.
''Soapy' has boat and graphing
hooks. He rowed to the scene on the
instant and started in on his work of
rescue. He got five persons in the boat
and then. despite his sixty-fve years
jumped over the side and pushed others
into the boat from the water.
He plunged into tho dark and murky
waters among the fighting mass Of hu-
manity, making rescue after rescue,
never realizing the danger he was plaC-
ing himself in. With strength borne Of
desire to save the life of his fellow
beings. hc brought his total of rescued
to fourteen, then he dived in time after
time again. but was unable TO bring
another body to the surface.
ScOrns Going to Hospital
After about four hours of plunging
into the water he collapsed, but refused
to go to the hospital, and was taken
home by friends. He could not sleep.
thinking of the bodies that might still
be in the river. and returned to the scene
Of the accident despite the entrcatlcs
9 I, l., Sal Il ,,.,f 10 n,I 4
Of his brother. Edward. he brought an
other body to the surface, that of "a
child about four years.
Pearce has had during his fifty odd
years experience along the river more
than 100 rescues to his credit.
There were many heroes who will al
ways have to be nameess due to the
fact that in the excitement they mod
estly slipped away without giving their
names. Not all the rescuers leaped
from the bridge, many of them were
in the group that went down in the
crash. Among those whose names arc
rising on Chester peoples lips today
are:
Morris Baylin. sixteen years old, 1856
West Third street. This boy dived
through the hole fcw seconds after
the collapse came ana dragged three
to life and safety. He worked until he
collapsed from exhaustion.
Foster G. Webster, 12O Penn street.
He was working nearby and had his
boat in the river almost simultaneously
with the crash. He and his son ELL
wood worked all night. first rescuing
and afterward graphing for bodies.
Neil Toomey, 144 West Third street.
who served during the World War with
the Forty ninth Division, was rowing
on the Chester River with three friends.
George Magncs. 23S West Fifth street
Samuel McKennon, 200 Ivy street, and
William DOnnelly, Tenth and Upland
streets.
Toomey and his friends saw the
bridge fall and hastened to the spot
Several persons held on to the craft and
were taken aboard and brought to
safety. The slow moving boat was
then headed back TO the struggling mass
of humanity. Toomey, who was in the
front of the boat, saw the two How
kins children and their mother. He
jumped overheard and swan to them as
the boat circled nearby. Toomey lifted
Mrs. Hawkins into the boat
Dennis Kapurelos. l54 West Third
street, vast watching the victims
flOundering about in the water. The
sight OF little boy, who looked very
much like his small brother. was too
much for the big, tender hearted Greek.
He took off his shoes and jumped into
the river from the bridge railing. He
attempted to reach the boy. but was
used for a life buoy by fat woman
and a colored man" thus being unable
to reach the boy, who sank from view.
The Negro released himself and Kapu-
relos swan to safety with the woman.
Harry Griffin, 104 Penn street, grap-
pied for bodies for several hours and
recovered one. He also lifted six peo.
pie into his small boat.
Abraham Asnes, 121 West Third
street, dived from the bridge and res
cucd three women and man. He
also brought in three dead bodies.