The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1902-08-20
AFTER HARD STRUGGLE
For Life, James Moore is Drowned in
Willamette, Above Harrisburg.

himself, struggle that lasted sew
era1 minutes and was witnessed by
a number of people, James Moore,
a well known Corvallis logger, was
drowned in the Willamette. seven
miles above Harrisburg, last Sat
urday afternoon, Though search
for the body began Immediately
after the unfortunate sank for
the last time and has been kept up
ever since, all efforts to recover the
body had, at last accounts proven
futile.
The accident happened about
2:3o in the afternoon. The Moore
Bunker force of loggers was bring
ing a drive of logs down the river
to Strong's sawmil1 in Corvallis. The
party consisted of seven men, and
they had reached a point in the
Willamette, seven miles above Har-
risburg, where Curtis slough
makes into the Willamette. An
island is there and at the lower end
of the island is a gravel bar. The
junction of the water occurs i'm
mediate1y below the bar, and makes
a stream that flows with great swift
ness for a distance of nearly mile
below. The banks on either side
are steep, and account of the rapid
ity at which the current moves,
landing is almost impossible.
The drive, all but the last log
had passed the bar, and Moore was
with this log. He succeeded fin
ally, in moving it into water that
would float it. AS the log foated.
Moore, as is usual in such cases,
jumped into the water, which at
the spot was waist deep, 1t was
however, very swift, and quickly
carried the logger into the channel
He began Immediately to swim
with the current, and his efforts,
together with the natural rush of
the waters, carried him swiftly past
the drive and his companions, and
out into the dangerous channel
below.
The boat of the logging crew
was at the rear end of the drive.
Dohse Wrinkle hastily secured it,
but in doing so, lost several NOM
ents Of time, and the swimmer was
soon a long distance in the lead.
Both were for some time in full
view of the members of the logging
party. More thon once, the swim
mer swan towards the bank as if in
an effort to land, but each time,
after vain attempt he turned back
into the stream.
Far below, perhaps more than a
quarter of a mile below where
Moore fell in, an old gentleman and
his young son sat on the bank fish
ing. Cant you help me?' Moore
shouted from the water. The old
gentleman replied that he could
not; that he was unable to swim,
and that he had no boat. The
fisherman said afterward that Moore
at the time, did not appear in the
least excited, but he seemed about
exhausted.
Shortly aterward, the swimmer
sank out of sight. The old fisher
man, who was fastening along the
bank, saw him go down. But in
a few moments Moore arose, still
swimming. ST wish I could help
you, FRIEND" shouted the old man
from the shore. ITS too late; I'm
worn OUT" the swimmer answered
back in a feeble voice.
They were his & last words, as
heard by mortal man. A few NOM
ents later, in full view of the fish
erman on shore and the single oc-
cupant of the logging boat now
nearing rapidly, Moore ceased his
efforts, and sank into the waters
about which he had, as logger,
been toi1er SO long. He did not
rise again, and UP to this hour,
Tuesday noon, no word has been
received to the effect that his body /
has been recovered.
The search for the body began !
the moment that it sank. On Sun
day force of 40 men were on the
river and Monday and yesterday
the energy was not less conspicu
Gus. Drags of every device, and
dynamite in large quantities was
resorted to but without result
R L Taylor, who was at the scene
all day Monday, said the general
search would be given up yesterday
The log drive yesterday morning
was mile and a half below the
scene of the accident.
James Moore was 43 years of age
and had spent most of his life in
Benton county. With his wife and
family of FIVE children, his home
was in Jobs addition. For years