The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-07-20
A PECULIARLY SAD ACCT
DENT.
browning of Mr.. Hunter L. Harris
in Lower Little River.

in Lower Little River.
Many of our readers are acquainted
with the facts Of the sad and uufortu-
nate death by drowning last THURSDAY
OF Mr.. Hunter L. Harris, a native Of
Granville county and a bright and
promising young man who was well
known and very popular here. He
was engaged with Prof. J. A. Holmes.
State geologist, in doing some work
in the region about Spout Springs and
on lower Little river, in Harneft and
Cumberland counties, as we learn from
the News-Obserrer- Chronicle. from
which we take the following:
On Wednesday morning the two
started on boating trip from Manches.
ter to Fayetteville, down Little river
and the Cane Fear. Late Thursday
afternoon they left their boat two miles
above Little River Academy, at Mr.. W.
l.. Williams, and walked back I'D the
river to examine the formations in the
river banks, and Mr.. Harris having com
pleted his part of the work, went in bath.
ing. At this point the river makes q
sharp bend and forms an eddy thirty or
forty yards across, which has a depth in
limited places of fifteen feet. He was
supposed to be able to swim fairly we'll
and waded gradually into the deeper
water, but he soon called out that he
was over his depth, and Prof. Holmes
immediately left his work, swan to him
with small log, caught him by one
hand, told him to rest the other hand
on the long and endeavored to swim
ashore. But finding that in the slow
eddy he could make no progress, he told
Harris, who appeared to be self-possessed,
to float with the log while he swan
ashore and got a plank that was stick
ing in the bank. Prof. Holmes reached
the shore and while he was endeavoring
to release the plank Mr. Harris sank out
OF sight and did not rise again. This
happened at 6 O'Clock in the evening,
and Immediately the men of the neigh
borhood assembled and began diving
and polling the river, but the body was
not recovered until o'clock Friday
morning.
The death OF Mr.. Harris was a sad
blow, not only to his family and his
friends In many parts of the State but
also to all those have recently been
watching with pleasure his progress as
young geologist and who realized the
promise of useful results in his labors in
helping to work out the geology of his
own State. He graduated at the State
University four years ago and was for
one year an instructor in geology. Dur
ing the past year he has been doing
special work in geology at Harvard Uni
verslty, and he has been at intervals for
three years connected with the North
Carolina Geological Survey.
We lar th1 f. ono h0c II 70
such q useful career, so honorable to
himself and State, should have been cut
Off so suddenly in the first flush of man.
hood. But few men of the State have
exhibited more talent, combined with
fine culture and personal excellence than
Mr.. Harris. His unfortunate death is
indeed sad loss to the State, while he
will be especially mourned by this large
clfcle OF friends.
The deceased was son of the late
Rev. DR.. Clark Harris, of Henderson,
and was the youngest Of a talented
family Of four brothers, the others be-
ing Mr.. Thos. G.. Harris, curator of
the State Museum, Raleigh, DR.. Frank
S. Harris, of this place, and Mr..
Eugene L. Harris, Of Gastonia. Be
sisters. The remains were brought to
Henderson and inferred Saturday after
noon.
The death of this young man is pecu-
liary sad and unfortunate. He was
unusually bright and promising, studi-
GUS and ambitious, and had his life
been spared he no doubt would have
made an enviable reputation in his
chosen profession. Prof. Holmes,
who accompanied the remains to Hen
derson, speaking of Mr.. Harris said he
was one Of the brightest intellects and
most promising young men he had ever
taught and that not only his family but
the State could i'll afford to lose one
whose future seemed to hold so much
of honor and usefulness in store for
him. Mr.. Harris was &c years old.