Evening star., 1933-07-04
a PERSONS SAVED
FROM CRAFT IN BAY
DUR|NCW|LD STORM
Two Men in Open Boat Res
cue Capital Group on
Makeshift Raft.
II PEOPLE ARE TAKEN
FROM ANOTHER VESSEL
Couple Battle Heavy Surf Time
After Time to Get Yacht
Party to Safety.

A daring rescue by two men IN an
open boat saved the lives Of five Wash
ingtonians stranded on 20-foot cabin
cruiser in the wind-lashed waters OF
Chesapeake Bay late yesterday after the
party had fought vainly for "a hours
to reach the safety of the shore and
escape the wrath OF the gale that swept
the bay yesterday.
The rescue was one of three in which
81 persons were taken of disabled
pleasure boats in the bay yesterday,
two Baltimore men carrying IL occu-
pants Of one vessel to shore and Coast
Guard cutter taking ashore II others
from a boat foundering in shallow
water. .
The Capital party. composed Of MI.
and Mrs. j. NJ White, their 7-year-old
son, Edward and Mrs. Bertha Arnold.
sister of Mrs. White, all Of 2617 Thirty
first place northeast, and William
Davidson Of 231 Eighth street north
east, abandoned their boat in which
they had left Saturday at Dares Beach,
Calvert County, Md and clung to ran
made Of pillow-type life preservers
until they were picked up by the two
men.
Caught in Storm.
Proceeding up the bay toward Gales
vile, the five Washingtonians were
caught in the very center of the thun-
derstorm that struck without warning
Sunday and we're helpless in the rag
ing waters that were lashed into a
fury by high winds.
Davidson and White, alternating at
the wheel of the small cruiser, at
tempted to make their way to shore,
but were frustrated by the high wind
and current. They anchored and man
aged to KEEP the boat on an even keel.
Mrs. Harriet Dressler finally sighted
the party battling the high waves of
Dares Beach late yesterday afternoon
and the Washingtonians dropped
anchor q mile from shore after Mrs.
Dressler slgnaled the occupants Of the
boat that an attempt would be made
to take them off.
Realizing the futility Of an attempt
to bring boat alongside their bucking
craft, White and Davidson improvised
a raft from number of life preservers,
lows and the party then abandoned the
vessel and attempted to make their way
ashore.
Pulled to Safety.
Joe Dressler and James Miller put
out in 16-foot boat, made their way
to within a short distance Of the raft,
threw the Washingtonians rope and
pulled them to safety. Several other
men swan out short way from shore
and helped the party to the beach.
The party was taken to Mr.. Dressler's
cabin, given dry clothing and treated
for exposure. They returned to their
homes in the Capital sometime later.
Whites boat rode safely through the
night and was pulled ashore this morn
ing when the waters became calm once
more.
The Whites, Mrs. Arnold and David
son were all completely recovered from
their narrowing experiences today fol-
lowing their first night Of real sleep
since Saturday. They sung the praises
OF their rescuers, DreSsler and Miller.
The tiny craft that White and Davidson
built q year ago in the formers shop
at 221 Rhode Island avenue also came
in for its just share of praise. It rode
the widest sea the Chesapeake has
seen in many years without showing
the slightest indication Of breaking up.
White served as sailor during the
World War. He came to Washington
several years ago from Santa Barbara,
Calf, where with his family he saw the
earthquake and tidal wave that wrecked
the West Coast town.
Game Little Fellow.
Asked how 7-year-old Edward be-
haved when the 20-foot waves rolled up
to the little boat, Davidson said:
Hes the gamest little fellow ever
saw. He didn't even whimper during
the whole time. think he enjoyed
being put in the water there at the
last"
G. Merritt Twilley and A. Bond Mer--
ritt of Baltimore, wearing life belts and
tied together with an 8-foot rope. plunged
time and again through the raging surf
pounding. the beach at Pinehurst-on-
the-Bay and rescued II persons from
the schooner Harriet P. Ely, that sank
800 yards off shore early yesterday.
The two men swan out to the sink
ing craft IL times and each time re-
turned safely to the shore with one OF
the marooned party clinging to the
rope between them.
The II persons rescued by the CoaSt
Guard cutter CG-128 were guests OF
Mrs. William Whitehurst OF Baltimore
aboard her yacht Creeper. The party
left Baltimore Sunday and the Coast
Guard was called for assistance when
they did not return to Baltimore late
that night.
The disabled Creeper was located In
Craig Hill Channel, near Pooles Island,
yesterday and the yacht was taken IN
tow and carried safely to port after
members Of the Coast Guard crew put
out in a small boat and carried the
yachting party safely aboard the cutter:
Waves running IL feet high washed
away q motor boat pier, sank several
small boats and carried another boat
ashore at Colonial Beach yesterday.
Property damage was only slight, how
ever. The water was calm today.