The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-04-11
From the Morgantown POST
A SAD CALAMITY.
Two Boys Drowued in the Creek
Narrow Rscape from Death Of Three
Others.


Tive Roys Drowned in the CreeI-
Narrow Escape from Death Of Three
Others.
On Wednesday afternoon, 30th alt,
one of the saddest calamities that has
occurred in this town for o long time,
befell two unfortunate boys near the
mouth OF Decker's creek, just below
town. '.
From the best information attainable,
1t appears that on the afternoon men
toned six boys were riding on the creek
in D skitf-two of them aged about eight
or ten years each (sons Of Mr.. Alpheus
Jenkins), one a little fellow Of about
nine years "a son of Manliff Hsyes),
anoth r little son (Meigs) of the late
John r. Drabell (of about eight years),
Richard Dering, son of the late Henry
Dering (aged about sixteen yearsl, and
Gilbert Odbert, aged about seventeen
years, son of James Odbert.
These boys were riding about in the
skiff and enjoying themselves finely,
little dreaming of danger, and rowing
the boat from one side of the stream to
the other, they concluded to run the
craft up the race to the saw mill, just
above the bridge, and ride down over
the dam.
Judge Ollie happening to pass near
the creek at the time the boys were in
the boat, noticing the skiff pretty well
filed, prevailed on little Meigs Drabell
(tbe youngest boy) to get out, and told
the boys they ought to be very careful
or some accident might befall them.
The little fellow got out Of the boat and
the Judge passed on.
Now what followed is only known
from the evidence given by the sur.
vivors, as there were no persons about
who witnessed the affair,
From the account given by the boys
it appears that they ran the skif mp
the race directly toward the dam of the
saw mill. The creek at the present
time is at pretty good stagef"and the
water pours over the dam, a fall OF
about eight OF ten feet, with great
force. Huge logs have been seen car
ried over the dam with remarkable
speed-plunged and tossed in the vor.
tex below and dashed back against the
dam with the velocity of the wind.
Young Odbert was we'll aware of this
dangerous place, and told the boys to
"look shap,R as they were now ap-
proaching< y dam, and that they must
be very careful to hold the boat steady,
AID not get too near the raging waters.
1t appears, hewever, that before they
were aware of the situation,
the suck of the dam had
drawn the boat rapidly into the
seething waters, while with terror
depicted on every countenance, young
Odbert cried out, Jump for your lives,
boys" The smaller boys, who were in
the stern of the boat, leaped into the
stream while the boat, containing Der
ing and Odbert, dashed madly onward,
and the cruel waters closed around and
swallowed them up, dashing them back
against the dam, as they struggled and
cried for help. The other boys fOrtu-
nately escaped. They were rescued
almost drowned, but how they escaped
q watery grave they cannot themselves
account for. 1t appears that young
Odbert and Dering were several times
thrown back betWeen the dam and the
water, and made several attempts to
plunge forward and escape, bat were
each time caught up by the returning
tide and thrust back among the rocks
The bruises about their heads and faces
indicate this fact.
The news was soon waited, en- eagle
wings, to all parts of the town, and in
a few minutes after the disaster the bank
along the creek was thronged with the
citizens.
The body of yeuug Dering was first
found near the dam-about ten or tif
teen minutes after the accident. All
the modern appliances for resuscitating
the drowned were brought to bear, but
the spark of life had departed, and poor
Dick had gone to his long home.
0dbert was found about midway be.
tween the bridge and mill, half hour
afterwards or more. All signs of life
were gone.