Evening star., 1937-07-19
MAN IS DROWNED,
EIGHT ARE SAVED
AS CRUISER BURNS
Boating Party Victim Who
Couldn't Swim Gave Life
Preserver to Child.
GASOLINE TANK BLAST
BEGINS FIRE ON RIVER
W. 6. Cronk Dies as Others in
Party Stay AAoat Until Boats
Reach Them.

A 24-year-old street car conductor
was drowned yesterday and eight other
persons-including a 4-year-old girl
were saved after gasoline explosion
set afire the cruiser on which they had
been enjoying an outing on the
Potomac.
The only male member of the party
who could not swim, Woodrow G
Cronk, refused a life preserver so the
father of the young girl could use it
to save his daughter. Cronk was the
last to leave the boat as flames swept
its entire length, and he sank before
help could reach him.
Others in the party were Robert L.
Hollowell, 33; his brother, W. Dennis
HolloWell, 81; his daughter, Mary Ellen
4; his father and mother. Mr.. and Mrs
Thomas HolloWell, SO and Sc, and his
sister-in-laW, Miss Charlse Heritage
20, all Of 1903 Illinois avenue: Miss
Edna Heritage, Is. Winston -Salen,
N. c., who is visiting her sister, and
William Cook, 30, 2013 New Hampshire
avenue. Cronk also lived at the Hi
nois avenue address.
Harbor police, who dragged the
river all night, had failed to recover
Cronk's body early today. His wife,
Estelle, left Saturday by automobile
for a vacation in Mississippi and was
not expected to reach there until to-
morrow. Friends did not know where
to reach her en- route. Cronk also is
survived by his parents, who live in
Fredericksburg, Va, and a grand
mother in Alexandria.
AS described by Robert Holowell,
who is associated with his brother in
the law firm of HolloWell & HolloWell,
the explosion rocked the 32-foot cabin
cruiser shortly after it had passed
under the railroad bridge near High
way Bridge. Cook, who was running
the boat, was thrown into the water,
and other members of the party we're
knocked down, stunned, for a few
moments.
Fearing another explosion, those
still on board huddled in the stern
and front of the boat as flames
spread through the wooden super
structure and heated the metal hull
white hot. Several other boats at
tracted by the blaze and column of
black smoke approached within about
$50 feet and called to them to. Jump.
Dennis Hollowell found life pre-
server and offered it to Cronk. who
passed 1t to the little girls father.
The two Misses Heritage were the
first to jump, followed by Robert
Hollowell and his daughter. Mrs
Thomas Hollowell, who could not
swim, jumped with her husband and
son, Denis, who supported her until
help arrived. Cronk, last to leave
the blazing hulk, sank in a few
moments.
Gas Overlooked Tank.
Those rescued were picked up in
the cruiser Aloha, operated by Ben
nett Wood, 1914 Fifth street north
east; Lawrence Waple, 635 Massa-
ehusetts avenue northeast: Edward L.
Lewis, 1892 Fourteenth street, and
Robert Manning. AS the burning
boat drifted near the seawal of
East Potomac Park, the fire was
fought by park police until the arri-
val OF the harbor police boat. One
ofhcer, Pvt. c. A. Parker of the har-
Dor precinct, was slightly injured
when his hand was caught between
rope and the railing.
The boat was owned by Emil Diez,
q friend of Dennis Hollowell, who had
loaned 1t to Hollowell while he went
out OF town for month. Police
believe the explosion was caused when
gasoline, caught in the bilge after
overf1oWing from the gas tank, caught
dre from the motor.