Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-08
MET DEATH IN PELICAN RAPIDS.
Ed. Johnson and Geo. Bronkey ere
Drowned in the Wisconsin River
near RhineIander.

| The above named men were in the
employ of O'Day d DAILY, who have
| charge Ofthe association drive and met
| their death while at work on the drive
| below the dam. on the Wisconsin river
at Rhinelander last Friday afternoon.
| 4 detailed account of this sad occur
ence was given the News by Mr.. Albert
Lahale OF this city, who was one of the
crew of about fourteen, who were in the
| boat when it was demolished. The facts
as given Us are as follows: They we've of
the crew that were at work clearing the
| rapids of hang-np-logs. 1t was about
|: 80 or 2:C0 when the five gates of the
dam were opened and these 9 or 10 men
| jumped into d bataau to 90 ont and take
OFT a center Tin other words Il small Jam
of 90 or 20 logs just below the dam.
| The boat was pushed from shore to-
wards the head of the jam and con-
! tanned aside from drivers, two bOatmen.
At the first shove given the bateau, the
man in the stern caught his pole be-
tween the rocks and lost IT by the time
he secured another pole, neither of the
men could touch bottom and the ba-
teau was being rapidly carried up to-
wards the dam by the under-tow. Mr..
! O'Day. who was Oh the dam Superin=
| tending the work, saw the impending
danger and hallooed to the crew to come
back. 1t was too late; they could not
help themselves and were beyond the
help Of others. The great volume of
water from the main sIuIce of the dam
struck the hateau and crushed it as it
would an egg shell, precipitatipg its
human cargo into a seething torrent Of
water, the estimated depth of which is
III feet. Mr., 0'Day jumped to the gates
of tho do q nd WI N thn oF
Peter boy les let them down. The sluice
or main gate was not SO readily lowered
and when it was the two unfortunates
mentioned above were away down on
the Rapids. The rapids are about forty
rods long, in which the river has drop
of about 25 feet and has what is called
three Chutes, or III other words three
distinct falls. Of the crew in the ba=
teau but four or five could swim, the two
who were drowned being of that num-
ber in fact they were excellent swim
mers. Mr.. Lahaieisat beside them when
the boat went over and says that he can't
explain how the balance of the crew
escaped with their lives. He was
lodged under the head of the jam, with
the water from five gates pouring over
him, catching his breath between the
swells with difficulty. Another man
NhOSG hdlllS w are ulldDIS W learn,
who was in the under-tow below the
dam, braced his feet against the rocks
and was supported by the current, until
the sluice gate was closed, when he and
Mr.. Lahaie were able to gain the shore,
as in a remarkable short space of time,
the river is nearly dry after this gate is
closed. When going down stream john
son and Bronkey were both swimming
high with heads out of water. In going
over the last chute, it is thought that
JOhnson's head struck a log, projecting
from under the wing. BrOnkey, who
was close behind him, rolling over him.
1t is supposed that he struck q rock, as
his breast was hurt and facediscolored.
After going over the last chute, they
were seen no more until taken out of
the water. This all happened and the
bodies recovered III less than half an
hour. Physicians were on the spot
when the bodies. were secured, but they
were beyond human aid as life was eX-
tinCt. Few marks were found on the
body of Bronkey other than those men
toned above. JOhnsOn's body was
badly mutilated, the head being cut and
bruised, his clothes torn to shreds,
pants and drawers completely torn off.
II called TomahaWk home and had no
hIlOh IL IC1ltlNCO III bLIS COulIlly. Ills
remains were laid to rest at Rhinelander
last Saturday. Geo. Bronkey we'll
known by rlvermen generally called
Grand Rapids home where his brother
Fred resides. His funeral occurred last
Sunday afternoon in this city from the
residence of his sister, Mrs. p. E. Berard
Rev. VIM. Clark officiating Neither
were men offamilies. They had worked
on the river for years. Mr.. Lahaie
says that it was somewhat miraculous
that any Of them escaped and the fact
that but two met death is largely due to
the presence of mind shown by Mr..
O'Day in so promptly lowering the
gates. He says further that not a man
in the crew could have been induced
underany circumstances to have worked
on the river again that afternoon. Mr..
Lahaie accompanied the corpse of
Bronkey to this city and returned to
the drive Monday morning
News.