The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-04-08
TIE DAILY ARGUS.
WEDNESDAY. APRIL s. 1885.
A WATERY GRAVE.
Gilbert l.. Parker and Fred V. Rogers,
of Davenport, Drowned in the
Mississippi.

Two well known young men of Daven,
port, Messrs. Gilbert L. Parker and Fred
V. Rogers, were drowned In the Missis-
sippi river Monday night, while out on a
little sailing jaunt. The young gentle
men were leading members of the IRA
wadi canoe club, and they were seen at
the boat house on Monday afternoon, pre-
pairing for a sail to Rockingham and back.
The Gazette SAYS that yesterday afternoon
the fathers of the young men started
down the river in search of their missing
sons.
Arriving at Rockingham the assistance
of several fishermen was procured, the
shore was carefully inspected and Horse
Head island was visited. At the foot of
the island on the shore facing. the Iowa
side, the canoe, which the young men had
used, was found filled with water and
right side up. The sail and ropes were
discovered twisted about stump, and the
paddle was also found in the boat. On
the island shore near the head was found
another sail, twisted and torn. This was
regarded almost in the light of indubita>
BILE evidence that they had been drowned,
for if they had not been they would have
returned home or advised their parents
of their whereabouts and that they were
safe and uninjured. Yesterday evening
Messrs. Z. S. Hammett, Joel Parker and
Chas. Putnam visited Rockingham in the
hope of procuring some definite infor-
nation and making an effort to
recover the bodies if the Young
men had been drowned. The following
was learned Mr.. Parker and Mr.. Rogers
arrived in their canoe at Rockingham
shortly past supper time and visited the
residence of Mr.. Mead, where they res
NAMED for short time. They were ter
dered an invitation to remain to supper,
which they declined, and at twenty min
utes Of O'Clock departed from Mr.. Mead's
residence in the direction of the river.
They stopped for while at the tavern,
and as the distance between that and Mr.
Mead's home is considerable, some little
time must have been occupied in travers>
ing it. At the tavern several fishermen
and expert boatmen advised the young
men not to return to Davenport, as gale
was coming up and that to . attempt it
would be perilous and dangerous.
The young men expressed themselves
as feeling confident that they would make
the trip without accident and did not ac>
cept the advice. They entered the canoe,
spread sail and left the shore, the last
seen of them alive. Shortly afterwards
a storm came up and an unusually strong
southeasterly wind prevailed. The sup.
position is that the canoe has capsized
and both were drowned. 1t is also sup
posed that they probably reached a point
in the river known as Pointed Rocks,
about a quarter Of a mile his side of
and the capta overturned
there. As the canoe is so constructed
that it will not sink it is thought the young
men held on until taken with cramps and
were compelled to release their hold.
Or they might have been thrown in such
a position and manner when the canoe
capsized that it was an impossiBility for
them to regain it. 1t being dark and
having lost hold of the boat, it would have
been difficult for them to have reached il.
Both are good swimmers, more particu-
arly Rogers, who is regarded as an ex-
pert, but hindered with their clothes and
The probability of their having been taken
with cramps prevented them from reach.
ing shore. And in the pitchy darkness
hey might have been swimming in a d.
'ection opposite from the shore. Of
course the exact manner in which the &C
;ldent occurred is mere speculation, and |
Is no one witnessed it, it will never be |
Known. A southeasterly wind prevailing
he boat drifted towards the island and
hung on the shore. A reward has been
offered for their recovery, and TODAY |
arge number Of men are engaged in the |
search for their remains. There is q DOS
'ibility that the young men may not have |
been drowned, but there is not one mods |
,um Of evidence or circumstance to sus-
ain such supposition. That Mr.. Parker |
and MIR. Rogers, in the midst of young |
should have met with such an
lntimely end and in such an appalling
manner is inexpressibly sad and heart
-ending. Their fathers are stricken with
A grief that is unconsolable and their nus |
nervous acquaintance who have learned |
Of the accident are burdened with sorrow. |
Several Of their acquaintance have stated |
hat they were not as prudent as they
night have been when out canoeing. Mr.. |
Rogers was an intelligent young man
about twenty one years of age, a favorite
With everyone, has been attending coli |
ege for the past season at Terra Haute, |
Indiana, and has not been home for over
week. He is the only child of J. N. |
Rogers. Gilbert L. Parker was Young |
nan of aterlinp ona1itips of choroo4or