Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-28
1a,NO NAVY DAY
CROWD HIGH MARK;
SEVEN N MISHAP
6an0pIank Crash PhMges
Five INTO River and W
hires Two Slightly.
G0BS MAKE RESCUE
FROM b. S. S. RICHMOND
Aerial Show, Fire Drill and Ship
Inspections Among Attrac-
tions for Throng.

With $4,000 persons visiting the
washington Navy Yard yesterday for
the Navy day celebration, a new high
record was set for the observance here.
All day long a steady stream Of per
sons filed through the main gate or
entered the yard in automobiles and
the fact that q gangplank leading up
TO the U. s. s. Richmond buckled on
one side, throwing I'VE persons over.
board and hurting two others, failed to
dim the glory of the occasion. Last
year 10l 900 visited the navy yard.
Two OF the beams Of the gaagplank
broke, causing 1t TO become lopsided
ana catapuiting the i've persons. In
Guiding four children, into the waters
OF the Anacostia River, from which
they were speedily rescued by sailors
ana Marines. Two Of the persons stand
ing on the gangplank were slightly In
Jureo, but we're not tossed into the water.
There were some IS persons ascending
the gangplank, when two of the three
moor beams broke, causing the gang
way to tip over, splitting the quinte into
the water alongside the trim cruiser.
Rescue without Orders.
Without waiting for orders from the
oflcer of the deck Of the Richmond.
nan dozen gobs clambered down the
wharfside and supported the visitors.
taxing them TO the wharf, from which
Wnllng nands brought them safely and
speedily aboard the Richmond.
The Nays opportunity to stage n
genuine rescue came at $3.50 O'Clock In
the afternoon, at the height of the
celepration. A naval airplane had been
catapulted from the u. s. S. Richmond
as part OF the demonstration and the
Waltlng throng Of visitors seeking adj
mittance to the ship was being held
ashore until that maneuver was come
pleted. As soon as the guard was
signaled to permit the stream of visitors
70 resume there was mad scramble
Tor the gangplank
AT least rs persons were on the gang
plank when che of its outer beams
cracked through and the center beam
fractured under the strain. The plank
sWayed TO the side, pitching the Ave
persons overheard. Those who fen into
the river were:
Mrs. Myrtle Grant, go, e01 q street
southwest; Betty Babb, Z, and her sister.
June, IL, OF 812 Fifth street northeast:
MARIE Andrews, ~, $40 Fifth street
northeast. and Alexander Glendennisle.
2, OF 32S N street southwest.
Mother One Of Injured.
The two who received slight injuries
IN the Jostling on the plank were Mrs.
q. II. Babb, mother of the two little
girls who went overheard, and John
Meade, 1905 Benton avenue. Mrs. Bahb
suffered q foot injury when she was
thrown from thes plank to the wharf.
while Meade received a confusion Of the
left leg as he was pitched against the
guard rail- Of the swaying gangplank.
With the exception Of the GIenden-
ming boy, who ned the scene OF the ac-
cident as soon as he was taken from
Ile Waler, oil OF the persons were taken
to the Riehmondss sick bay, where they
were given care Two woman trained
the women and girls and helped them
to undress. The wet garments of those
who went overheard we're promptly dried
in the ships laundry and all the per-
sons were given stimulants to counter
act dangerous effects of their plunge
Among the sailors of the Richmond
who went TO the rescue were r. T. Null
Inns and ]. w. Dayton, who hauled Mrs.
Grant to safety, and F. v. Perkins and
r. w. Harvey, who saved the children.
No more visitors were admitted to the
Richmond after the crash of the gang
plank. Persons already aboard, how
ever. were permitted to complete their
leisurely inspection Of the ship and
were carefully passed ashore over the
remaining gangplank. The Richmond,s
carpenters were ordered to strengthen
that plank Immediately after the acct
dent and they did this by erecting
heavy beams at points along the span
OF the plank.
Throngs See Demonstrations.
Visitors at the washington Navy
Yard, including countless children, wit
messed the aerial show, with autogirog
and planes; went aboard the light
cruisers Richmond and Memphis, seeing
planes catapulted from their decks;
stood in line and went on board the
submarine R-3: examined the destroyer
Herbert; heard the almost continuous
concert by the famous Navy Band; saw
how the Marines live in camp; Wit
messed the fire drill in which yard per-
sonnet put out q real fire, lit for the
occasion; watched civilian workmen
pour great masses of molten metal IN
the big shops and filed through the
various branches of the gun factory
here. The Navy Yard celebration was
In charge of the commandant, Rear
Admiral Henry v. Butler. u. s. N.
Out at the Naval Observatory a small
stream of visitors went through, and
those with special invitations last night
viewed the stars and moon through the
big telescopes. Oficials said today that
$50 persons visited the observatory dur
ing the Navy day celebration.
Rear Admiral Frank B. Upham,
u. S. N, chief of the Bureau of NaVi-
cation, as the Nays chairman for the
country wide celebration. forwarded or
ders TO orators for Navy day to avoid
controversial topics IN their addresses.
This deprived the speeches Of much Of
their fire, as requested by Walter Bruce
Howe, national chairman for Navy day.
which is held under the auspices Of the
Navy League of the United States.