New-York tribune., 1901-05-31
SWEPT TO DEATH OVER DAM
FIVE GIRLS AND TWO BOYS OF PICNIC
PARTY DROWNED IN PHILA-
DELPHIA SUBURB.

Philadelphia May 3O.-A rowboat containing
a merry party of eight young persons was
swept over Flat Rock dam in the Schuylkill
River this afternoon and of them-five
girls and two boys-were drowned The victims
all of whom were Philadelphians. were:
DENsMoRB Florence eighteen years old.
RICHER. Roy eighteen years old.
BOND Florence, twenty-one years old.
KENNEDY Massie eighteen years old
OSMOND Bertram. nineteen years old.
RUTTBR Maud. nineteen years old
SULLIVAN. Mamie. twenty-one years Old
The young man saved is John Moore. twenty
one years old. The party was composed Of MEM
bers of the Elm Social Club, one of the numerous
associations in this city organized for the pro-
motion of picnics and other social affairs. The
above named persons. with a large number of
others most of whom live in the southern part
of the city. organized picnic for to-day. They
embarked in gayIy decorated wagons early this
morning and pitched their camp at Rose Glen,
along the schuylkin River, on the northern out
skirts of this city
GO OUT FOR ROW.
Following their usual custom. the party split
UP after dinner for row on the river. and those
above mentioned decided to go in one boat, This
was shortly after o'clock Boats were accord
ingly hired and the two parties set forth for an
hours fun on the river. Heavy rains in the last
week have made the muddy stream high, and
the current was much swifter than usual.
The unfortunate party Immediately struck out
for midstream. All the girls were huddled in
the stern one of the young rowing
and the other was sitting the bow of the
boat After getting in the middle of the river
and fiading the current too swift for comfort
rhe boat was towed III toward shore. Ali this
time it was being carried slowly downstream
ROwED CLOSE TO DAM.
The youth doing the rowing decided to go
through the locks and he approached the
dam he was hailed by the lockkeeper and told
not to approach any closer The warning was
not Needed and the young oarsman kept on
rowing until he found that the lock was closed.
He then attempted to turn the boat, which was
about fifty feet from the dam and twenty-five
feet from shore but he turned the wrong way
A moment later and the boat in the swiftly
moving current Realizing then for the first
time that they were in danger, the girls began
screaming and the oarsman lost control of the
boat Swiftly 1t carried toward the brink
of the falling waters. and just as it reached the
breast Of the dam, over which thirty inches of
water was passing. the entire party stood up
ard the boat went over stern first
The drop to the rocks below is approximately
twelve feet The boat struck the water bottom up,
and as it disappeared the whole party was under
it, Nothing more was seen by the few persons
who saw the accident for almost minute, when
the boat reappeared with one youth clinging t.
it's keel Then the second young man was seen
to come to the surface and make a frantic effort
to reach shore by swimming. The six girls
never rose to the surface.
The who was swimming, and who proved
to be Osmond became exhausted and sank be-
fore he could be rescued
Moore the other youth. who clinging to
the boat. hOated fully a half-mie down the
river and his rescuerS had an exciting time be-
fore they landed him in another boat. He was
greatly exhausted, and slightly injured by
the falling of the boat Up to late hour to-
night none of the bodies of the victims had been
recovered.