"Unable To Swim, His Boat Afire Youth Brought Ashore On Plank," Toronto Star. June 5, 1934. Page 1.
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Special to The Star
Picton, June 5. - Death by drowning or by fire faced Ralph Frederick, well known local athlete, when the cabin cruiser on which he was a passenger caught fire in the Bay of Quinte yesterday when the engine backfired. Frederick was unable to swim but was rescued from the sinking craft, which carried a large tank of gasoline, by the heroic efforts of his companions. Ronald Church. Buff Cooper. Harold Ruttan and Leon Hudgin. All except Frederick leaped into the water and swam to shore and, no boats being available, planks were taken out and Frederick, catcher on Picton intermediate baseball team, was taken to shore on one. Firemen applied water to the craft, which was towed to shore after a rope had been attached to it. but the gasoline-fed flames only mounted higher. Several men board- burned the craft and succeeded in cap- sizing her. Later she was raised and while she was badly damaged, the hull, it was found, was not burned. The craft is owned by Postmaster John Hubbs, ex-M.P., and was being prepared for the season.