Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-07-03
DRAGGING THE RIVER.
Little Rena McCready Disappeared We'd
nesday and Her Body May be
In The willamette.

Little Rena Mccready Disappeared Wed
i nesday and Her Body May be
| In The willamette.
"Child lostr' No other CT,
will SO arouse the sympathy ant
engage the interest of friend ant
stranger. Not in years has th'
entire population of this city beer
SO wrought up, as it has beer
since the mysterious disappear
ance of little Rena McCready las
Wednesday afternoon. Hundred:
have engaged in the search, ano
every effort has been made te
gain some tidings of the missing
child, but not the slightest clew
has developed with regard to he1
whereabouts.
The lost child is the six-year-
old daughter of Mr.. J. D. Nc
Cready, who came to Corvallis
something over year ago with
his family, and has since been
employed at the Carriage Factory.
Reua has resided with her grand
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Mills, since
the death of Ler mother, while
the father and the Older children,
a girl Of ten, and two boys, aged
respectively ID and II years, have
made their home together. All
are residents. of Corvallis.
Last Wednesday afternoon, Re-
ma accompanied her grandfather
to the home of E. w. Strong, on
the bank of the Willamette, in
the northern part of town, to pick
cherries. Early in the afternoon,
Mr.. Mills missed the child, who
had been playitg under the trees,
but supposed she had returned to
her home, couple of blocks dis
tant. He went home shortly
after, and his wife enquired for
Rena. Then search was begun.
AS time passed and no trace Of
the child could be found, the neigh
borhood was aroused and the po-
lice officers joined in the hunt.
Just at nightfall the fire alarm
was sounded and citizens who re-
sponded were organized into
squads and a systematic and
thorough search was made along
the river bank, and of the neigh
borhood near where the child
was last seen. j
Up to this time little thought
was given to the suggestion that
he little girl might have fallen
in the river. But J. H. Moore,
who was picking cherries in the
Gerber orchard in sight of the
boom that extends out into the
liver near the sawrnill, reported
hat he saw child, answering
he description of Rena, -ou the
Doom about two O'Clock. Crap
bling hooks were secured and
several parties in skiffs began
lragging the river about eight
o'clock and continued until after
en-. Two men who were drag |
sing with a barbed wire, hooked
something at the mouth of Dixon
Creek, which they believe was
he body, but they were unable
o make sure in the darkness.
The search was resumed early
morning and contin-
led all day. Blasts were put in
leep holes and the lodges along
he banks of the river were thor
,ughly inspected. In the after
loon some parties continued
lown the river in skiffs intend
ng to proceed as far as Albany.
Some few believe that it is
possible that the child was kid
tapped by band of Indians who
lrove down the Albany road
bout 2 o'clock Wednesday after
loon, but the theory is not given
erious consideration.
When last seen, Rena wore
,lue bonnet, pink or red cloak,
,lack stockings and shoes. The
:hild Mr.. Moore saw on the log
Doom answered this description.
She was about fifty yards from
he shore. The boom is about
wo feet wide, and the water is
rom two to FIVE feet deep.
the father says she was
lery timid about water, it is
cared that she ventured out on
he boom and becoming dizzy
ell into the stream.