The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1908-07-20
Boys Meet Death By Drowning
Morris Leighton and Chester Mcclellan Lose Their Lives While
Bathing at the Sadler Ranch in Diamond Valley

While bathing at the Sulphur Springs
on the Sadler ranch in Diamond Valley,
32 miles north of Eureka, about IL
o'clock Sunday forenoon. July 10, 1908.
two boys lost their lives by drowning.
one OF them being Tom Morris Leighton.
the youngest son of MIR. and Mrs. G.. w.
Leighton of Eureka, and the other,
Chester Arthur Mcclellan. son Of John
B. Mcclellan of Glare, Michigan.
About 10 o'clock that morning the two
boys. accompanied by Oiney Leighton,
a brother of Morris, left the Dlines Of
the Nevada Central Copper Company,
which are being operated by Mr..
Leighton, ST., situated near Oak station
on the Eureka & Palisade Railway, for
the sulphur springs. distant about four
miles, for the purpose Of taking a Lath,
and arrived at their destination about an
hour later.
These springs are situated about a bali
or three quarters of a mile south of the
Sadler Ranch house Oh the east side OF
the main road. The body of water is a
small lake. about 200 yards long and $50
yards wide in places. There is a dam
at the north end which conserves the
water, thus forming the lake, and in
Vulnerable hot springs bubble from the
bottom. some of them very warm.
While the water in places along the east
shore of the springs is shallow the depth
of the water in the lake is from 10 to 20
feet and in some parts even deeper.
How Boys Lost Their Lives
Olney Leighton and young Mcclellan
could swim. but Morris could not; the
after therefore was wading about in the
shallow water and by the aid of a board
or piece Of scantling was able to venture
out breast high. Mcclellan in the mean
time was swimming about the lake i'll
close proximity to Morris, while Olney
was at the opposite side of the lake, to
which point he had swan on first enter
ing the water with the others.
Morris in some way lost his grasp on
the plank to which he had hold and be-
ing then in deep water began crying for
help. Mcclellan Immediately swan
towards Morris for the purpose of bring.
ing him to shore. On Mcclellan reach
ing him the latter threw his arm around
the neck of the former. and, it is sup
posed, with such a firm hold, that it
prevented Mcclellan from breathing.
Olney Leighton from the opposite
81 lie of the lake also hearing the cries OF
help from his brother and seeing the
two boys struggling in the water, swam
towards them as fast as possible. but
owing TO the fact that the distance he
had to swim to reach them was about
200 yards and the weakening effect the
hot sulphur water had on him. he was
nearly exhausted when he arrived
where they were. However. he grasped
hold of his brother, who still held firm
ly on to Mcclellan, and ~endeavored to
pull them both ashore, but being in
such q weakened condition was unable
to do so. and in order to save his own
life was compelled to leave them,
Morris and Mcclellan going to the bot
tom together.
After dressing himself Olney hurried
to the Sadler ranch house and informed
the men there what had happened, and
then proceeded back to the mines to in
form his mother and father. who were
staying there, of the terrible occurrence,
as well as al uncle of young Mcclellan.
Capt. A. II. Swarthout. who was resid.
ing at the Leighton home.
Recovery of the Bodies
John Huffmaster, who is employed at
the Sadler ranch, proceeded to the place