The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1889-11-08
NINE PERSONS DROWNED

The following account of sad acciden,
which occurred at Yaquina bay yesterday
| (Thdrsday) Is taken from the Yaquino Re-
| publican, of this morning:
''This morning on the arrival of the Rich.
ar ison from Yaquina, the people of New
port were startled by the information that
nine persons had been drowned in the bay
while trying to cross from Olssonville to
south beach. When opposite point Virtue
the Richardson picked up G. w. Parker,
the anly survivor of boat load Of ten per.
sons. Mr.. Parker was clinging to the bot
tom of the overturned boat. Two weeks
ago to-day Mr.. Park er and his family, con-
sisting of wife, seven children, aud his
wife's mother land grandmother, arrived in
Newport from Madison, Lake county, Da.
kota, to make a home on the coast. They
have been stopping with H. A. Wagner,
whose wife is a sister of Mrs Parker. A
few days ago Mr.. Parker found a claim on
Beaver creek and made arrangements to
move into house below Seal Rock. He
employed Mr.. Beach to put his goods across
the bay and got boat from MIR. Beach to
take his family over in. The boat was an
old rattletrap. hardly better than q seive,
and one that no person familiar with the
water would ever venture from the shore in.
Neither Mr.. Parker or Wagner knew any.
thing about boat.
Beach started ahead of them with the
goods in two boats. Mr.. Wagner concluded
to 60 with Mr.. Parker and his family and
bring the boat back. The party had not
gotten half across before the leaking in had
nearly filled the boat Both men struggled
to reach the shoal water on the sand spit
near the buoy used to anchor government
scows. They probably got into the rough
surf that breaks across the sand bar and
the boat filled and sank. How long it was
before he was picked up Mr.. Parker cannot
tell, but they left Ollsonville about 9 o'clock.
and according to this the accident must have
taken place not over ten minutes before the
Richardson arrived. From Mr.. Beaeh's
house Mrs. Eastman saw through glasses
that the occupants of the i'll fated boat were
having trouble. She could see the surf
their hats. She at once went to Mr.. Schwai.
bold and Emil Etter started in . boat to
give assistance. But he was to late to res
cue any of them. He succeeded in getting
the bodies of three of the children and took
them to their relatives house in Olssonville.
He was overcome by fatigue and nervousness
or he thinks he might have found more of
the bodies.
As soon as the accident was known in
Newport boats started to the scene to
try and find the bodies. In the south
channel about opposite point Virtue, Tracy
Dayis' boat found the body of Mrs. Parker
floating. She had her 7--year old girl Rosa
clasped in her arms. The bodies were ta-
ken to Mr.. Wagner's house.
The following are the names of those lost:
H. A. Wagner aged 36. Mrs. Mary A. Park.
er, aged 80 years, Roy Parker, aged II years
Guy Parker, aged years, Rosa Parker,
aged years. Alice Parker, aged 6 years,
Leonard Parker, aged years. Charlie Park
er, aged 7 months, and Emma Parker, aged
2years.
The bodies recovered so far are Mrs.
Parker Guy, Rosa, Alice and iCharlie, and
| just as we 90 to press report comes that the
| bodies of Leonard and Emma have been re.
covered. Mr.. Wagner came here in July
frem Dubuque, Iowa, with his wife ano
| four children. He leaves his family in des
titute circumstances, as they are depending
upon his daily labor for support. He wa.
hard working man who made favorable
impression on those with whom he had bus.
iness relations. This case presents practi
cal appeal to the benevalence and Gberality
Of the people of Yaquina Bay.
Mr.. j. B. Hoss attended to laying out th'
bodies. He thinks Mrs. Parker and the
little girl found in her arms were killed by
blows, probably from the overturning of the
boat. Mrs. Parker's skull was crushed in
back of the ear and the body of the girl
| showed contusions, and there was no water
in the lungs of either. Mr.. Parker il com
pletely Frustrated by his great loss.