Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-12-05

Lake at eight O'Clock.
Miss Elgeross had planned a skating
party with Miss Jonette Thorpe, who
teaches the school near the Axness
place. She arrived at G. G. Birke-
lands place, which had been appointed
as the meeting place, at about se-ra
o'clock. She was in high spirits in
anticipation Of the pleasure on the ice
and was eager to start. A little be-
fore eight O'Clock party consisting
of Miss Elgeross, AlbertJ. Johnson
another teacher, Tinius Ii, young
man employed at Birkeland's, and
Theodore Birkeland went down to the
lake, where they were joined by Julius
Holland, a youth of about twenty
years. After the skates had been ad-
justed, the party set out towards the
southern part of the lake to join q
large number of skaters who were on
the ice near Rykken's place. Coming
near an island, Miss Elgeross and
Julius Holland became separated from
the other three members of the party.
The first named two took the south
passage thru the narrows and the
others passed to the north of the
island. Coming to the narrow part of
the lake, they discovered open water
not fifty-feet ahead. The girl was for
turning about and going back to take
the same route as that taken by the
others, but the young man assured
her that he had recently skated thru
safely. So they turned towards shore,
probably expecting that the ice would
be safe there. When within thirty
feet of shore they went thru the ice.
Both went under water. The young
man says that he was helpless to aid
Miss Elgeross in the condition he was
in although he had heard her cries
when she rose to the surface. The
other parties at once saw what had
happened, although they were a quar-
ter of mile away. Mr.. Ii was the
feetest skater and was the first to
Elgeross come to the surface once as
he neared the place. Owing TO the
thin ice it was extremely difficult to
come to the rescue. A branch of
tree was thrown to the young man who
was holding on to the edge of the ice
with uncertain hold but this proved of
uncertain benefit to him. Other skat-
ers on the lake were coming to the
rescue, a boat was hastily secured and
when the unlucky boy was rolled into
the same he was unconscious. He was
taken to Skaftedahl's place where he
was soon restored. Meanwhile the
search for the missing girl was on, and
Z with the aid of garden rake used by
! Mr.. Skaftedahl to drag the bottom,
the body of the young lady was found.
The water was about eight or ten feet
deep in the place. She was taken to
G.. G. Birkeland's place and for an
hour or more the body was worked
over in the hope of restoring life, but
in vain. DR.. Peterson was summoned
from Willmar but could do nothing.
: The grief and sadness of the awful
event then burst upon them. It was
about nine o'clock when the body was
taken into Birkeland's residence: The
watch carried by the young lady had
stopped at SOL o'clock, which is as
f su1ned to be the time when the acci-
dent occurred.
& The unhappy young man who was
the innocent cause of the tragedy,
states to the TRIBUNE that the reason
why he took the southern route by the
island was because he thought he was
more familiar with the condition Of
/ the:ice there, having .skated <overe the
spot twhere the accident occurred on
the previous Wednesday. 4 Not know
ing how to swim, he.Was not able to
assist his companion III the least, and
: he went under the water himself sever
al times. ss. . = * =. = .sz:s; sz:s;
s> Christine Elgeross was born on her
\ father's farm in town: of w illmar
=
June 10, 1879. She grew up there,
B and after finishing her education be-:
gan teaching nine years ago. II She
has taught in various parts Of the
county with God success: Wherever.
she has been she has won; the esteem
and regard Of al who became ac.
uainted with her and she leaves a
Very large circle ct !. friends to whom
{ the news of her sad death N Il come as
. very painful shock
;sSa She leaves her aged parents, MI
Ii#and Mrs OleE El gero IS, one bro
ther les, and l'l,. !. m three sisters, n artha,