The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-08-12
MET DEATH y
IN DEEP POOL,

Howard and Aubrey Downward, sons
Of Benjamin II. Downward, who resided
in this city until year ago, were drown
ed late Saturday afternoon in one of
three pools of water near SiNty-nip:h and
Brewster avenue, Philadelphia, without
a word Of warning or chance of be,
ing saved.
These miniature lakes mark the way
of the Old Gross Channel aud ttpir
trsS.Eher1us depths have claimed vic
tins hy the scoreSere this 'Ehe Down
WdTsIs arerE e3Asst3 swimmersaand the
\ ei1d Chrstiana had been
ESthsirAtJiaNlouhls since early childhood.
Thepanl & wldch they We're drowned is
known td tle7boyS of the neshborhood
as FroInig's Lake and is thirty feet
deep in places.
The boys walked from their home, No.
69lO paschall avenue across the maa-
dows and across the Reading tra' ks to
the avenue and thence to the pool, the
centre one of the three, between the
railroad and the Schuylkill river. They
were alone and hurrirdly undressing
made IA run and jump into the inviting
pool They were oyerhcated from " Xix.
ing and as soon as their bodies touched
the. cold water their muscles hardened,
theiF limbs stiffencI and tho shock be-
numbrd their senses They went down
to the muddy bottom of the lake without
having chance for their lives.
A passcr-bv sew their clothes on the
bank and reported the find to the police
of the Thirty SECOND district. About ti.S
tnc The parents became anxious as to
their whereabouts as they failed to 'e-
turn for supper. When the word was
passed from :iIoufh to mouth that two
boys had been drowned in Froberg's
Lake. Mr.. Downward started post haste
for the spo:.
As Mr.. Downward reached the pool
the patrol wagon from the Thirty second
district with Sergeant Curtis apd six
other officers drove lip with boat hooks.
chains aud iro,,s. A glance at the cuth-
ing on the bank told Mr.. Downward all
he needed to know and he threw off mis-
coat ANA attempted to jump into the
water after the bodies or his only Child
rem
Policemen Davis aud Gross seized the
distracted father and tried to lead Inn
away He threw them off like children
and fought his way to the bank again.
The big hearted policemen 'estrainrd
him from making fr"lhardy atrmpt
that would have cost HIM his life and
ACCOMPLISHED r,tning. but they had to
give him Il battle To keep him ont of
the water. H. fought them as if for
his very lfr hut was finally ovcrhdwrrcd
and induced to leave the work of rescue
in the cyDrrirnrrd hands Of the police.
Policemen Peter Need and A Waldow
took the hooks and irons and after f,ur
hours work hauled mp the body of
Howard. the youngest son.
1'hr body was found in the position il
struck the water, arms extended, feet
together and palms touching. all indicat-
ing that the boy was paralyzcd The in
Stant his warln body touched the water.
There was nothing about II that suggl St
ed strnggl" NJ oven pain. His death
was inst ntanrouS to all outward aP
p'Trancrs.
Years ago the he'd Of the Srhuyliill
river Law IN n line with these pools.
The banks broke time and time again
and each break changed the course &C
the river until wide strtch of land
separated the site Of The original channel
from the hod Of the river Springs op IL
ed and filled the pools with clear. cola
wafer and it was this extremely cold
water rather than the depth OF tile pool
that proved fatal to the boys.
Both boys were wcll-known in WI.
mington. Howard was aged about Il
years and Aubrey IS years. Howard
was n tavoritc in musical circles as he
was IN expert mandolin player and his