The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-06-04
Merrymakers' Boat Car
ried Over Dam.
ONE OF PARTY SAVED
Five Girls Didn't Rise to Sur
faee--One Boy Tried to
Swim.Ashore, But
Sank.

Philadelphia, May 31.-A row boat
containing merry party Of eight
young persons was Swept over Flat
Rock dam, in the Schuylkill river,
and seven of them. five girls and two
boys, were drowned. The victims, all
Of whom were Philadelphians, were:
Maize Kennedy, 1S.
Maud Rutter, 10.
Mamie Sullivan, 21.
Florence Bend, 21.
Bertram Osmond, 10.
Roy Kicker. IS.
Florence Densmore, 10.
The young man saved is John
Moore, aged 81 years. The party were
members of the Elm Social club. one
of the numerous associations In this
city organized for the promotion OF
picnics and other social functions.
They were attending a picnic at Rose
Glen, along the Schuylkill river. on
the northern outskirts Of the city.
They went rowing on the river.
Current Swifter Than Usual.
Heavy rains during the past week
had made the muddy stream quite
high, and the current was' much
swifter than usual. However. the un-
fortunate party Immediately struck
out :or midstream. All the girls were
huddled in the stern, one Ct tho boys
was rowing and the othe: WAS sitting
on the bow of the boat. A..er getting
in the middle OF the river Snl finding
the current too swift for comfort the
boat was rowed in towards shore.
During this time 1t was carried slowly
down stream. The boy doing the
rowing decided to go through the
locks, and as he approached the dam
he was hailed by the lock keeper not
to approach any closer. The warning
was not needed, and the young oars
man kept on rowing until he found
that the lock was closed. He at.
tempted to turn the boat, which was
then about so feet from the dam and
two feet frem shore. but he turned the
wrong way. A moment later and the
boat was in the swiftly moving cur
rent. Realizing then for the first time
that they were in danger, the girls
began screaming and the man at the
oars lost control of the boat Swiftly
1t was carried toward the brink OF
the falling waters, and just as L
reached the breast Of the dam, over
which about 80 inclses of water was
passing. the entire eight stood up and
the boat went over stern first.
The drop to the rocks below Is ap
proximately about IL feet. The boat
struck the water bottom up. and as II
disappeared the whole party was un
der it. Ncthing more was seen by
the few spectators who saw the &C
cjdent for almost O minute, when the
boat reappeared with one boy cling
ing to It's keel Then the other youns
man was seen to come to the surface
and make frantic effort to reaci
shore by swimming. The six girl,
never rose to the surface
Only One Was Saved.
The boy who was swimming, an,
who proved to be Osmond. became OK
hausted and sank before he could b,
rescued. Moore, the other boy, VIII,
was clinging to the boat. foated abou
half mile down the river, and hi
rescuers had an exciting time befor,
they landed him In another boat. HI
was greatly exhausted ind was sligh,
~ injured by the falling OF the boat
Every effort was made to rescue tn
girls, but II was impossible to ge
them alive In tho rushing waters, UI
70 late hour last night none u th
ooaissi q The victims had pesp sSc6s
~ II II os--r----TT-- Fsr-rs' Z