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Cooper, Ricky Saved from Drowning in River, Coudersport, p.1
CLIPPED FROM
The Potter Enterprise
Coudersport, Pennsylvania
06 Jan 1960, Wed • Page 1
BYwetzupdoc · 03 February 2021
OVER 80 YEARS OF SERVICE
Nine-Year-Old Boy Saved From Drowning in Dramatic Rescue
Quick thinking by a neighborhood housewife and fast action on the part of three Coudersport Dairy workmen probably saved the life last Thursday morning of a nine-year-old Coudersport boy, son of a Pennsylvania State trooper.
Richard "Ricky" Cooper, son of Mr. and Mrs. Warren B. Cooper, was pulled from the concrete flood control channel of the Allegheny River about three blocks below the place where he last his balance and slid into the icy waters at the rear of the Joseph P. Heimel home on North East St. about 11:30.
Here's the story, as well as it can be pieced together from information received from the boy himself and others involved in tne mishap and dramatic rescue.
Playing with David McQuown, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold McQuown, North East St., Ricky's attention was drawn to the river beside the Coudersport Dairy when he heard the startled cry of another youth that a dog had tumbled into the channel. With other neighborhood youngsters, he rushed up the dike to the top of the concrete "ditch."
Mrs. Heimel, just getting into her car, saw the child as he started sliding down the steep concrete side of the channel after either losing his footing or attempting to rescue the dog, a small mongrel. Ricky began to scream "help" when he went into the icy waters, swollen somewhat by recent rains. Herself the mother of five children and always alert to the danger of the unprotected channel, she ran to the dairy just north of her home to summon help.
William Leete, Myrl Knickerbocker and Robert Hemphill, employes of the dairy, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Harold H. Bradley, responded instantly to the call and raced down along the grassy bank at the top of the channel. It wasn't until they were down to Third St. that they were able to find something with which to haul the boy out.
Jarvis Grover, visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arlton Grover, for the holidays, happened to be out behind the house and witnessed the situation as the trio approached him, followed by a group of youngsters, distraught and terrified mothers and others. He grabbed a nearby garden hose which the Messrs. Knickerbocker and Leete threw to Ricky, being propelled speedily along by the current in a sitting position.
Mr. Hemphill descended into the (Continued on page 4)
Cooper, Ricky Saved from Drowning in River, Coudersport; Nine-Year Old Boy p.4
Nine-Year Old Boy
(Continued from page 1)
channel on the hose and completed the rescue operation as he pulled the frightened, shivering and soaking wet boy from the waters.
During the entire operation, the boy's mother was downtown shopping while his father was at home with their other son. Mrs. Cooper said she was at . the check-out counter of a local grocery store when a youth rushed into the store and said a boy had fallen into the channel. About the same time, the fire siren sounded and moments later the Coudersport Volunteer Department's emergency truck raced down Main St. toward the end of, the channel.
It was with relief that Mrs. Cooper watched the truck go in a southerly rather than a northerly direction, because the thought that the boy might be Ricky immediately entered her mind. His where abouts, of course, was known to her as Ricky and the McQuown youth are close friends, and the meeting between the two had been pre-arranged.
As Mrs. Cooper was approaching her Park Ave. home in the family car, she was stopped by her father, Francis P. Golden, coming from the direction of the Cooper residence. Mr. Golden confirmed the fact that the boy had been Ricky but that he had been rescued and was safe and sound.
Meanwhile, Ricky had gone to the McQuown home where Mrs. McQuown stripped off his wet clothing, gave him hot milk and placed him in bed under several thicknesses of blankets. Dr. George C. Mosch was called to examine the boy and predicted that as a healthy child he should suffer no serious ill effects. He was given a home where he slept throughout the afternoon and early evening.
An Enterprise reporter, who received word of the accident, was at the Fourth St. bridge as the Cooper boy came trudging up along the river bank, all alone and carrying a toy rifle. Asked if he wanted a ride home, Ricky replied, "No, I'm staying with a friend. I'll go there." He also refused to be taken to the McQuown home and squished his way the extra block or so in the company of "admiring" young friends.
Said Ricky after it was all over: "This is more attention than I've had since I was a baby!"
The dog was rescued at the end of the flood control channel near Knechtel's Blossom Shop by Albert Knechtel, according to reports.
CLIPPED FROM
The Potter Enterprise
Coudersport, Pennsylvania
06 Jan 1960, Wed • Page 1
BYwetzupdoc · 03 February 2021
Sgt. Howard W. Kisner
Has Not Resigned
A story came to the Enterprise yesterday that Sgt. Howard W. Kisner. officer in charge of the State Police Barracks at Coudersport, has resigned and was to accept retirement. It was learned that Sgt. Kisner had considered such action but had decided to remain on the force, even with his 26 years of service rounded out at this time. This is good news.
FLASH!
The resignation of Al Schade, of Millport, superintendent of highways in Potter County, was announced at 2:00 p. m. today. It will become effective Jan. 15.
No reason was given for the resignation of Mr. Schade from the post he has held since July, 1956.
Clipping location on The Potter Enterprise page 1
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CLIPPED BY
wetzupdoc · 03 February 2021
CLIPPED FROM
The Potter Enterprise
Coudersport, Pennsylvania
06 Jan 1960, Wed • Page 1
BYwetzupdoc · 03 February 2021
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