The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-08-26
DEATH IN THE SURF.
A Portland Young Man is Drowned at
Nye Greek Beach.

A Portland Young Man is Drowned at
Nye Creek Beach.
Newport, August 2I-No trag-
edy more distressing ever happen
ed on Yaquina Bay than was the
drowning of William Kleeman of
Portland, which occurred here at
II O'Clock today. His agonizing
struggles as he fought for his life
between the lines of breakers $50
yards from the shore, were in plain
view of 600 or 500 people, who
were power1ess to render assistance.
A score or more of mothers or sis
tiers, along the beach. feared the
struggling lad to be kin of their
own, and their agitation was pitt;
ful to see. The drowning boys
own mother and sister were among
them, and while he yet struggled
in the surf. they found some of his
clothing and his kodak by a log
on the beach when the terrible
truth came home to them that the
lost swimmer was of their own
household. Their terrible anguish
mingled with the intense excite
meat, the roar of the surf, and the
frantic haste of those who hurried
hither and thither in the effort to
find means of rendering assistance.
the realization that some. of the
bathers who ventured far out to
render help might also be lost, the
utter lack of any appliance along
the beach for such a fatal emer-
gency, all this, made scene that
not one who saw it will ever for
get.
Young K1eeman was 20 years of
age and a strong swimmer. He
had arrived at Newport with his
mother and sister two days before.
1t is said that he did not wish to
come to this beach, but consented
to do so for the pleasure of his
mother and sister. AS he left the
outer line of breakers today and
started to swim seaward, he was
warned not to go too far. II can
take care Of myself was his
laughing reply and few minutes
later, he passed beyond the inner line
of breakers. He had scarcely
reached the spot, when his cry for
help was heard on shore Two or
three times his voice, appealing for
assistance was heard above the
roar of the surf. Then followed a
scene of widest confusion. The.
bathers as if in panic, hurried from
the water. People along the beach
who had been sitting. on logs.
rocks and other resting places were
on their feet, in an instant. Some !
darted away in search of rope or
a boat, or any other object
that could be used to save. Hun
dreds gazed with fixed eyes on the
tragedy being enacted out beyond |
the line of the white surf, where
an auburn haired head and a face
that must have been white as death
were distinctly and dreadfully vis-
ible. Some of the stronger swim
mers among the bathers gazed FIX
edly for moment at the lone swim |
mer, apparently hesitating, huge
wave rolled over him, but he re-
appeared one arm from the should
er being visible above the water.
It was apparently reaching for help
and at the sight of it.. several of the |
swimmers struck out for the scene. |
Two of them passed the line of |
breakers and reached him For
or more, those on the shore
saw the three swimmers side by
side, all in a desperate struggle.
Then to their horror they saw the
two swimmers, after an apparently
fruit1ess effort to render assistance
leave Kleeman, and with difficulty,
make their way back through the
breakers toward the shore. They |
knew then that the force of the un- |
dertow was almost resistless, and
that nothing short of a rope or a |
boat could save the lone swimmer.
OF rope, there was none at hand. /
Nor was there. boat. The need
of one or of both had been made
apparent, at the same
spot but a week before, when a
minister from McMinnville so near
ly lost his life. as a result of the
undertow Common prudence and !
a decent regard for human life on
the part of those who profit from
the seaside traffic. should thereafter
have prompted the latter to have
expended the few dollars necessary
to provide a life line. But it had
not been. done. No one
had ever been drowned while bath
ing at the Newport beach, and it
was necessary to have victim be-