Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-10-29
THOMAS G. YOUNG
DROWNED IN THE BACK" RIVER, YBS
TBRDAY MORNING,
While, With Others, EndeaVOring to "Sho't" TIL
Dam in Skif-The Body
Recovered.

A most unfortunate accident, resulting
in the death of Mr.. Thomas @. Young, a
well.known resident of the Island, and
the collector of the Water Board, occurred
at the Government dam in the Back
river, shortly before eleven o'clock yester-
day morning.
Sometime during the morning George
W. Lennon, the paving contractor, ]. M.
wilkins, and Louis PembIton, eyed
about sixteen, went down to the vicinity
ofthe dam, in a skiff, to fish. They had
little or no luck, and being Joined by Mr..
Young, they concluded to 60 up to the
mouth of Indian Wheeling creek, at
Bridgeport. The skif was rowed up there,
but the fishermen had no better success,
and then it was proposed by some one in
the party that thsy 60 down to the lower
point of tt island as last resort. Tee
four men accordingly embarked in the boat
and started down stream. When they
reached the vicinity of the dam they were
about in the &c atre Of the strsan. At the
present stage of water there is powerful
current going over the top of ths dam,
the wat being probably two or three feet
deep on top oftbe wall, aud falling with
descent of about four feet to the level
of the southern side, where it breaks up
into mass of foam, creating very rough
water for thirty or forty yards below.
Coming down the centre of the stream in
the skiff, the fishermen could not judge Of
the fall of TIE water over the dam, and as
thsy approached, bow Cd, they determined
to try to shoot the fall. The skiff was
held steady and allowed to drift to the
verge Of the dam, in the expectation thatlt
would 20 over oil right, but the fill wa,
to, great, and when the PROV of the boat
went over, it dipped down at such sba'p
angle that the b at would not righten, and
stood up eg sinst the dam at an angle OF
about fifty degrees, dumping the occu-
pants out into the river.
Lemons and Wilkins held on to the
boat, deyo!iug Themselves to trying to
right her AMI save the boy, PemhertoD,
but Young left them and stuck out for the
Island shoe. Ttose with the boat sue
ceeded in getting firm grip On the skiff,
but wien it slid off the dam it rolled over
and over, giving them lets of trouble to
mai 1tsin themselves and at the same tine
care for Pem5erton, who part of the time
was supported on Lenmon's back.
In the m eantime skiff, manned by An.
drew Moore aud Allie Wilde, put off from
the Ohio sh ,re, below TIE dam, and came to
tie rescue of the msn in the skjff They
landed the boy Pempsrton, and were then
sent to thu aid of NJ. Yourg, who was By
this time quite close to the Island shore,
and app Iently making G 'od Pro2rass Just
before he reached the STORE, howevs ar, prob
ably wi hia twenty feet of 1t, he Became ex.
haust ID and sapk out sight.
Moore and Wilde then towed the skiff
with Lemon and Wilkins to shore, and the
alarm being promptly given, large force
of men were toon busy searching for Mr.
Youpg's b:dy. About quarter after 1
o'clock it was fou I'D by George Smith. who
succeeded in thru stir G hook through or
of the straps If the d. o Rned mans rubber
boot and bringing thu body to the su face.
1t was brought ashore and removed to his
late rt 81 'enc ;, NJ. 10S Sou'h York street,
about q aai ter past 2 o'clock.
Ths Gro wniug wal most unfortunate
sff.ir, causing general sorrow and regret,
no. only upon the leland, where Mr..
Young was known to every resident, but
throughout tie city as well. Among the
officials at the City Hall, the news
brought forth many expressions of sor-
row. Deceased leaves wifs and two
nhjlSrsp