The Portland daily press., 1897-06-14
ESPECIAL TO THE pREss.1

| brunswick, June 13.-Frank Rice. the
son-.of Mrs. Harriet M. Rice of Portland
and brother of Miss Henrietta D. Rice
| the well known singer, was drowned in
the Androscoggin river at this place
about 1.30 O'Clock today. He was nearly
"a years old and was dentist engaged
| in practice with Dr.. Curtis of this place.
At 1890 O'Clock this morning Mr.. Rice
accompanied by Mr.. j. Dawson Sinkin-
son, a Portland boy and student at
Bowdoin, started down the Androscoggin
for days outing at grove on the river
bank some two miles below the town.
The river, swollen by the recent heavy
rains, was ve1y high and the current was
stronger than it usually is at this time
of year. The two young men took with
them lunch and the light rowing canoe
in which they were embarked was not the
safest kind of craft in which to stem
the fierce current of the river. Unmind-
full of their danger the young men made
their way down river and landed at the
grove which is about half mile below
what is called the "Narrows." At about
O'Clock they started to return to Bruins
wick and with Mr.. Sinkinson at the oars
| they pushed out into the river All went
well until the canoe was abreast of
Humphreys point in the narrows where
| the river, flowing between the high
banks runs very fiercely. In trying to
stem the tide at this point the frail canoe
suddenly capsized and threw both of the
men into the water.
| Sinkinson, a very athletic fellow and
strong swimmer struck out for the shore.
| Rice could also swim well and was lit
| tie ahead of Sinkinson and seemed to be
making good progress to place of safe
ty. He shouted out to Sinkinson, sGet
hold of the canoe and swim it ashore %
Sinkinson turned back toward the canoe
but the light craft was now in the very
center of the current and was being swept
down stream at a great pace. Sinkinson
saw that he could not hope to catch it at
the rate it was going and started to
swim ashore once more. He saw Rice
some distance away from him and
thought that he was all right. The canoe
| was now swept in nearer Sinkinson and
the shore and the latter again swan out
to it and tried to push it in toward the
bank.
| The water was very cold and by the
| time that Sinkinson reached the canoe
| the7second time he was well nigh exhaust
ed. He looked around for Rice, suppos-
| ty, but could not see him.
Two men were coming up the river in
a boat and after time picked Sinkinson
up and took him ashore. They told him
| that they had seen Rice turn on his back
| when a short distance from the shore,
throw up his hands and suddenly sink
| beneath the water. 1t is supposed that
Rice was taken with cramp, brought
on by his sudden immersion in the cold
water and had sunk before he could shout
| for assistance
Sinkinson was carried to farm house
near by and carefully cared for. He was
| so much exhausted that he could scarcely
walk and it was some time before he
could be bought to Brunswick. Mean
| time crowd of men had gathered and
| the whole river bank searched for long
distance but nothing could be found of
Rice's body. All the afternoon big
crowd of men were at work hunting for
the body of the unfortunate young man
| but up to late hour tonight it had not
| been found.
The news of the accident caused the
greatest sorrow in Brunswick where Rice
was well known and much beloved He
was member of the Bowdoin glee and
mandolin clubs and very prominent in
the social circles of the town