The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-16
YOUNG GIRLS DROWN
CATASTROPHE AT MINNEToNTxA
sHROUDs TWO MINNEAPOLIS
HOMES IN MOURNING
THREE LIVES CUT SHORT.
CHENEY SINK FROM SIGHT
WHILE BATHING.
SISTERS BRAVERY WAS Fatal.
In an Attempt to Rescue Her Com
paniOns Florence Mills Also
Finds a Watery Grave.

"A ooO 0IOWIlIlS OCCQII0Q III Lake
Minnetonka yesterday afternoon and
two Minneapolis homes are shrouded
in mourning for three young girls.
The drowned are two daughters of
Mr.. and Mrs. F. B. Mills, of 1925 Irving
avenue south. Florence Mills, aged II;
Birdie Mills, aged IA, and Helen Che
ney, aged 13, daughter of William
Cheney, of 1776 Fremont avenue south
The scene Of the accident was In Rob-
inson's Bay, off the northeast shore
toward Maplewood, where the chill
dren were in bathing. 1t occurred at
4:50 o'clock, and the bodies were being
brought to land as the father of the
two sisters arrived from town on the
evening train to spend the night with
his children. 1t is a sad coincidence
that the place Of the catastrophe lay
near the point at which the Inflated
Minnie Cook went down twelve years
ago last Sunday with all on board
The accident was due to an uneven
ness in the bed Of the lake, where a
channel was dredged several years
ago for the accommodation of steam
boat navigators, and into which the
children stepped from shallow water,
sinking instantly. The two younger
girls, with little Lucy Mills, years
of age, were bathing in the shallow
water which runs off some twenty feet
from the shore. Florence Mills, the
elder sister, was on the beach watch
ing the little party and frequently eau
tioning them not to venture out too
far. The older children were in at
the depth of their waists, while the
smallest girl timidly played nearer
shore. Lucy was the only one not
drowned. AS the two girls waded out,
hand in hand, suddenly they disap-
peared. Florence Immediately rushed
after them, in dress and hat, and
SHE TOO SANK FROM SIGHT
In the deep water. Little Lucy ran
affrightedly toward shore and DIP the
bank to a tent in which three men
were encamped, of whom one was F.
B. Smith. She cried to them to come
and help and told her story as the men
hurried to the water. Two began to
dive for the children while the third
man rowed across the bay to Gibson's
Point. Mr.. Gibson happened VIZ be in
his boat house and accompanied the
man back to the other shore provided
with rope and iron hook. Word was
sent to hotel ST. Louis, from which
the coroner in Minneapolis was noti-
fled, and M. H. Eddy and w. S. Par
dee fastened to the scene Of the dis
aster to lend their services. 1t was
a difficult task to find the bodies in
the muddy bottom and it was a full
hour before the graphing irons
brought their dread burden to the sur
face. Two bodies were found, and an
Ofhnr 10 Cd he ;r11
was recovered. Florence Mills was
the last, and her straw hat still clung
to her hair. Mr.. Mills, when he ar
rived on the evening train, returned
to town Immediately to convey the
sad intelligence to Mrs Mills. and
bring her back to the lake. Ehe three
Mills children were occupying a cot
tage for the summer on the Maple
wood side of the bay while the mother
and two older members of the family
remained in Minneapolis. Mr. Mills
spent the nights with his younger
children at the lake. Helen Cheney
was out with her playmates for the
day only. When the three bodies were
recovered they We're found within six
feet of each other. The channel in
which the children fell ran at dis
IdHCe VI twenty L00L from the ShOrG,
and was cut some years ago, presuma-
bly, for achort route up the lake
1t lay a depth of from IL to 25 feet,
sinking abruptly from the edge of the
shallow water. On the east and south
shores of Robinson's bay, the water
is shallow at distance Of so or more
feet from the sandy beach A sign post
would have served to indicate the dan
ger point, but no such sign was in view.
There are several such channels at Diff
ferent points In the lake for Mime
tonka is filled with shoals and artifi-
cial passages are often necessary for
the easy navigation of the steamers.
Florence Mills was a bright young girl
and member of the freshman class
OF Central high school, of MINNEAPOLIS.
preparing to graduate next year. News
of the accident spread somewhat slowly
around the lake, and there was no COM
motion about the scene of the accident.
not boat appearing in sight, and none
but the few men already mentioned,
were at hand to render their SER
vices. The news travelled quickly.
however, after it once began to circu-
late and before 10 o'clock, cottagers at
all points knew of the loss of three
young lives.