The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-23
CAUGHT N \ WHIRLPOOL.
An Eyewitness Describes the Horrfbie
Fate OF Ha~kefi-- Party.

ATE Oh tta-AFfiF-
The drowning 81 g q. r. Haskell. Will
lam Barton and Mrs. ~. =. PEoxsA IN
the Columbia river. near The mouf2 o.
the Aethow. last Monday, was Witnessed
by Deputy Auditor .. l.. Andrews. 81
this city. 1no returned yesterday from
a trip east Of the mountains The il!-
fstea party LEFT The steamer City Of IL
leusbarx on the west side 81 Inc river
70 40 70 the government sc0w rnoorea
asos-t 20 yards below, and instead Of
skirting the bank, which would have been
safe. plunged direc.iv into the stream.
The river Al that point IL fun Of rocks
ard bosi1ers and runs like a railway
train. There II a ledge setting cut from
the 'easterIy shore. and II causes at the
present stage Of the water tremendous
cFoax-eurrenfs. n0w nsutraiized by their
opposing Influences and calm as Puget
sound hnt again. when they unite. whirl-
iBg and dashing "a a mad surge Of almost
irresistible power. Sometimes. from the
smooth. dsceitful surface VII rise in an
instant A wave six feet IN height which.
ieaplng forward ia lmpetuous course, will
bury logs and trees from sight.
As the little boat started from the City
OF EGensourg IT. yas noticed mat Has
keu was At the oars. and Barton and
Mrs. Prowen were 50 lted together In the
stern. throwing the bow out OF the
water 4 few STROKES sent the SKIN far
out toward the middle OF the stream.
and the men and woman we're weeping
rapidly toward the scow below. The
water appeared as smooth as q lake.
when all a. once an enormous wave rose
up Immediately behind the fran skin. and
those on the steamer saw Haskell, uncer-
tain what 20 do. rest on hts oars. In a
second water had poured in.o the over
loaded boat. which seemed 10 stop for an
instant. then quickly 20 stand with PROV
lxr,r. 10 -. "A Mi go.
from sight beneath the current.
The h0rrined watchers saw nothing for
many seconds. All al once Irs. Prowel
reappeared. and, buoyed up by her cloth
ing rapidly drifted on the long outside
curve OF the great eddy toward the west
crn shore. when short distance from
the government scow she sank and was
not seen again.
The two men rose almost together and
shouted TO the steamer To save Mrs.
PrOwell. and near them rose the boat.
After a desperate struggle both succeeded
in catching d and hung on for their lives.
But they were on the short circle OF the
eddy. and we're hurled toward the vortex
of the maelstrom, many yards from
where the unfortunate woman was drift
ing 10 her death. Again the boat was
caught by the whirlpool. and again II
vas dragged beneath the surface.
little later the two men, still close to-
gether. reappeared. and made a hard
fight for their lives.
In the meantime a boat had been
launched from the steamer and was now
far out into the current TO rescue the
men, If possible. Bur one Of them disap
peared and the other went down for the
last time with the rescuing party only
length away This boat also shipped
water. but safely avoided the whirlpool.
The boat with which Haskell. Barton
and Mrs Prowell went down was held
under water several minutes. and came
10 the surface about 300 yards below the
scene Of the accident.
Mr. Andrews says the men and woman
could have walked from the steamer 10
the scOw IN only a few minutes. but hav-
Ing taken the boat they made the mis-
take. FIRST OF putting all the
load IN the stern. next, OF GO
ing into the stream instead OF keep
ing IN shore. and. finally, OF hesitating
at the instant when the oars should have
been used with all their force
The point where the drowning occurred
Ia almost tho same spot where Rancher
Henderson and comrads were drowned
only a fortnlEht ago. The rive Is 50
swift and the current so strong that ihe
City Of Ellensburg las 10 lime mp" IN
order 10 ascend the river. and often hos
10 make half "A dozen trials before pass
ing given points. The current seems 10
run from fifteen 10 twenty miles an four
and a boat cannot live save under the
most skilful management
4 letter from Cheian Fails. dated May
81 says. IAN attempts 10 recover the
bodies have been unsuccessful, though
search parties are keeping a lookout all
along the river. The terrible accident has
cast n shadow over the entire country.
AZ all parties are wei known and highly
respected by a large circle Of frienls.'