Thunderbolt, GA Drowning Rescue, Jul 1908

BOY WAS RESCUED FROM DROWNING

SAVANNAH, July 13.---The serenity of a Sunday afternoon at Thunderbolt came near being broken yesterday by a drowning. A young man who was bathing in the Wilmington river opposite Bannon's Lodge, had a narrow escape from death. He was entirely exhausted in sixteen feet of water, seventy-five feet from the shore when he was rescued.

Mr. Edward V. Pacetti, engineer at he city hall, who resides at No. 301 Charlton street, east, was standing at the wharf, after having taken a ride down the river in his naphtha launch, when his attention was attracted to three young men swimming in the river. At first his notice of them was casual as there were perhaps twenty-five other boys and men in the water along the river front.

"Mister, please help him, he's going to drown." was shouted at Mr. Pacetti by one of the boys. He meant his friend who was being swept up the river by a racing spring flood tide. At first glance Mr. Pacetti believed the boys were trying to play a prank on him, but an instant later he saw that the young man was really in trouble. The boys had jumped into the water from the dock and were trying to swim to a launch that was anchored in the river nearly 150 feet out. They reckoned without the tide which was booming in and carrying the young swimmers far out of their course.

Mr. Pacetti started to jump into the river, and swim to the rescue as he was thinly clad. After taking a look at the strong current, which was making the boats tug hard on their anchor lines, he quickly decided that it would be taking a reckless chance. There was a batteau tied a few feet away. He cut this loose and jumped in, calling to the young man to keep up for a few minutes.

The tide was carrying the weakening man rapidly, but Mr. Pacetti rowed faster and in a few moments was close by "You'll have to hurry mister, for I can't hold out much longer." came the faint warping from the struggling man in the current. The next instant Mr. Pacetti had hold of his bathing suit and was pulling him into the boat. Exhausted and badly frightened the young man almost collapsed on the bottom of the boat.

The Macon Daily Telegraph, Macon, GA 14 Jul 1908
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!