The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1907-07-17
APPALLING DROWNING ACCIDENT.
Six Persons Find Watery Graves In
COnewangO Creek, Near Warren.

The most appalling accident that has
occurred in northwestern Pennsylvania
in many years took place shortly after
$3.50 o'clock last Friday evening at Rus
sellburg, eight miles above Warren on
the Conewango creek, when six persons
lost their lives by drowning. The dead
are:
John Best, aged 45 years, owner of the
Best machine shops.
Mrs. John Best, aged 3S years.
Miss Violet Best, aged is years, daugh-
ter of Mr.. and Mrs. John Best.
Mrs. Hilda Knox, aged 81 years.
Mrs. George Baker, aged 80 years, all
of Warren.
O. +. Butz, of Philadelphia, travelling
salesman for Strawbridge & Clothier.
A party of twenty or more persons had
left Warren on the five O'Clock trolley car
for an outing at Edgewster, at the Best
cottage located on the banks of Cone
wango creek at the Russellburg dam.
Reaching Russell station part of the
pleasure seekers left the car TO ride the
balance of the way in w. D. Stewards
launch. Proceeding short distance the
boat ran upon spie or post that was
covered with about four inches of water
and it was impossible to proceed farther.
The other members of the party reached
the cottage and we're making prepara-
tions to serve lunch, when it was suggest
ed that some of them go down and meet
Stewart and his party, and accordingly
nine persons with Mr.. Best entered his
launch and proceeded on the downward
course. When they approached the
Stewart party and found it stranded, Mr..
Best stopped the engine of his launch and
drifted toward Stewart telling the latter
to throw him rope and he would pull
his boat off the spile. The rope was short
and Best missed it and drilted on past
towards the dam, where the current was
very rapid, the creek having raised con-
siderably from recent rains. Best tried
to start his engine but something got
wrong aud the boat continued to drift
nearer the breast of the dam, and before he
could get the engine to working the boat
was beyond control. At this point the
occupants came to realize their awful pre-
dicament and were horror-stricken. The
men of the party-there were three be-
sides Best-did all they could to check
the onward drift of the boat, but In vain.
The boat struck the dam broadside and
instantly cspsized, throwing the occu-
pants into the frightful whirlpool below
the dam.
Only three of the party escaped. These
we're George Baker and Miss Elizabeth
Furlough of Warren, and Joseph Gross,
a travelling salesman for the Cleveland
cloak and suit company. How they es-
capped they know not themselves.
The psnic-stricken party in the Stewart
launch were close eye witnesses to the
whole terrible tragedy, but were power
less to render any assistance. In few
moments the banks of the creek were
lined with citizens of the town, and the
excitement was awful as can we'll be i'm
agined.
Efforts were at once made to rescue the
bodies, but only one, that of Mrs. Best,
was recovered that evening. Next day
the body of Mrs. Knox was taken out ol
water nearly mile below the dam. Since
then all the bodies have been recovered,
the last to be taken out being that of Vio-
let Best, Monday evening, five miles be-
low the scene of the awful catastrophe.