Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-06
THREE DROWNED,
Hawser Causes Disaster
to Party Of Ca1oeists.
Others Have Narrow Escape
Sunday at Medford, Mass.
All the Bodies Are Recovered BY
Aid Of Graphing Irons.

AculOIu, MASS, July D. HIee per =
sons We're drowned and Is others came
near losing their lives as the result of
hawser stretched across the Mystic
river above the Craddock bridge which
late today caused the capsizing Of a
canoe and two row boats filled with a
party of relatives and friends bound
for the Mystic lakes on an outing.
Those drowned were: Mrs. John j.
Burns, aged %, and her son John j.,
Jr., aged years, and Miss Reta Coop
er. aged years, a sister of Mrs. Burns
all of No. 10 Union street. Medford.
The body of Mrs Burns. with her
baby clasped in her arms. was recov-
cred by the police boat with graphing
irons a mile above the accident two
hours later and the third body that of
Reta Cooper, was recovered in SINH
lar manner nearer the scene of the
accident.
The picnicing party started out
about 3 O'Clock this afternoon. 1t was
made up of the families of John j,
Burns, of 10 Union street, Medford,
members of the Bowen family of II
Union street, Medford, young people
of the Cooper family of Roxbury and
others.
Six young men started off first in
the canoe to lead the way. Close be-
hind came a boat in charge of John J.
Burns with party Of six and behind
that another boat containing Arthur
H. Cooper and his sister of Roxbury,
and Leo B. Bowen and sister of Med
ford.
All went we'll until the canoe had
passed under Craddock bridge. Above
the bridge q Golfer dam cuts off about
half the river and on the other side a
dredger fioated out into the river held
by a hawser which laid along the sur
face of the water.
The canoe had barely passed under
the bridge when it was seized by the
swift current of the incoming tide and
rapidly forced over towards the dredg-
err 1t was swept against the haWser
and overturned and the young men
were thrown into the water. All We're
good swimmers. but I was only after
hard battle with the swift current
that they were able to make the dredg-
err and pull themselves out of the
water.
Within few moments the boat COLI
tanning Mr.. Burns and his family came
in sight under the bridge and the fate
of the canoe unknown to Mr. Burns
his craft was likewise swept against
the hawser and overturned. Mrs.
Burns and her infant son sank i'm
mediately and We're swept under the
dredger and were not seen. Neither
did the body of Reta Cooper rise to
the surface. Mr.. Burns who was a
good swimmer came to the surface
and seized his mother, Mrs Mary
Burns, aged IS who with his help
grasped the hawser and held on until
both were rescued by those on shore.
Little Sadie Bowen aged Z years the
sixth member of the boatload was res
cued by some men who had rushed
down to the shore upon seeing the ac-
cident.
While the Burns family We're in the
water and being rescued the second
boat came along in which We're seated
Arthur Cooper, aged 10. and his sister,
Lillian C. Cooper. aged %. of Roxbury,
and Leo b. Bowen. aged 19 and Mary
G.. Bowen, aged IS, of II Union street,
Medford Before warning could be
given, this boat also swept against
the hawser and overturned and the
four young people thrown into the
river. Each of the young men grasped
their sister and struck out for tho
shore. They made heroic struggle
and when most exhausted finally
reached a footing on the bank of the
river and were drawn to safety.