Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-25
THREE LIVES LOST
IN POTOMAC RIVER
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swift. The current swept them down past
Snake Island and over the dam. Dear had
hold OF the canoe nearly all the time, and
Of the boat also for protection; but Purcell
swept onward by the current, was unable
to do this After they had passed over the
dam 1t appeared that they both might be
mers and at that time showed no signs of
exhaustion.
Some few minutes later. however. as
the mad rush Of waters carried them In the
reached a point between High Island and
the Virginia shore. 1t was observed that
Dear lost his hold on the boat and was
locking around for Purcell and calling for
Bob" lPurcelll. whose body now could no
longer be seem. Every moment Bears
danger became greater and his body was
flung about mercilessly among the sharp
projecting rocks as he struggled to MAIN
which monentariiy threatened to enguli
him utterly. He was approaching the most
dangerous portion of the rapids.
Meantime Tallmadge and I had been
aging words to the boys with all our might.
telling them to hold up and that we would
come to help them
Soon after the disappearance Of Pur-
CSAh WIN ift1u, as IL seemed TO us, Deeu
thrown violently against rock and stunned
30 that he could struggle no longer. Dear
managed by an extraordinary effort to re-
tain hold on one Of the larger rocks.
right. We continued to call loudly to him
and telling him to remain where he was
Till we could secure canoe. Deer then
called out, asking: Is Bob all right? and
we answered: Yes. he Is saved We were
afraid to alarm Deer, who. on hearing this.
gave hearty evidence Of satisfaction, clap
ping his hands to show his pleasure.
"A canoe was secured by Hunter Ten
High Island on our shoulders as quick as
possible, and W. Ray Garrett and Andrew
J. Talmadge got in the canoe, went out
to the rock and rescued Dear.
Covered With Bruises
when Dear was brought to the shore
his body was covered with bruises, and
he was bleeding in a dozen places, hav-
ing evidently suffered terribly from be-
ing crushed violently against the rocks
by tho raging current and eddies. I asked
Dear soon after he reached the shore how
1t happened, and he explained simply that
Purcell and were playing at rescue and
purposely upset the canoe, but before we
knew 1t the current had US and we were
whirled over the DAM.
Dear further said to me that he had
asked Purcell before they went in
whether he could swim. and Purcell de-
clared he could take care of himself with
all safety. and that they could overturn
the boat without danger"
Robert Purcell resided with his parents,
Mr.. and Mrs. Ma,hlon Purcell, at 415 Flori-
da avenue. He was we'll known as a high
school athlete. having played several sea
sons on the foot ball and base ball teams
of the Central High School. He was about
twenty-five years OF age.
Inquest Unnecessary.
The body of Mr.. Saalbach was removed
in an ambulance to the morgue. It is I'M
derstood that the coroner regards an in
quest as unnecessary. Bruises were dis
covered on the head and side Of the body.
Inquest Unnecessary.
Whenever the water Is high in the river
as the result Of the melting of snow on the
upper stretches in the early spring or after
continued heavy rains, as at present, the
spot just above Dixie Landing where Mr..
and Mrs. Saalback were drowned yester-
day Is one of the most dangerous In this
vicinity. barring, Of course. places where
the water actually falls over the rocks as 1t
does above Chain bridge.
After tumbling over Little Falls the wa
ters Of the river rush onward In a narrow
bed Of extreme depth, which does not
widen to any considerable extent until
Dixie Landing is reached. Near the exact
point at which Mr.. Saalbach's canoe was
upset ledge of rocks projects from the
bottom without reaching the surface. This
is practically at the foot Of the gorge re-
ferred to and the effect Is to cast the
swiftly flowing water into many swirls and
increase the velocity Of the current for a
short distance.
At low water such as was noted only a
few weeks ago. this condition practically
disappears, and at times any sort Of boat
Falls without the slightest danger. The
Potomac is one Of those rivers that rise
and fall very suddenly. and on such occa-
siOns the entire chart OF the currents Is
perienced IN the waters at one time may
find himself an entire stranger to them at
another.
It is because Of these facts. 1t is believed.
that a number Of fatal accidents have oc-
CURED in the portion Of the river In ques-
ton. Recognising that the spot, 30 fire.
Quently devoid Of danger. was very treach-
ers as a result of the recent heavy and
ington Canoe Club. from whose house Mr..
and Mrs. Saalbach started yesterday had
posted q notice warming its members from
venturins beyond Dixie Landing.
Where Current Is Always Strong.
Canoeists frequently paddle at low wa
ter on "the Broadwater' above High Is
land and venture with safety very close
to the edge Of the feeder dam over which
Purcell and Bears upturned canoe drifted.
The dam Is about a mile above Chain
bridge. and between 1t and Little Falls,
farther down the river. the current Is al
ways quit strong. and on occasions excep-
tionaIly So 1.-THE Broadwater." upon which
the annual regatta Of the Interclub Canoe
Association was held a few weeks ago, is
also transformed into q dangerous stretch
when the waters are high
Being in the water with an upturned ca
noe. which at the best is hard to move,
the two young men probably found them
selves swept relentlessly over the dam and
into the lower stretches before they could
do anything to prevent it. Only an effort
OF almost superhuman strength could pre-
vent a headlong rush over Little falls from
the place in question when the river Is
swollen.