The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1915-02-03
TWO LITTLE BOYS LOSE LIFE
While Playing In a Sand Hill
Near Experiment Farm Sum-
day Afternoon.

The lives of Belmar Leavell, aged
IL years, son of Mrs. Belle Leavell,
of the government experimental
farm, and James Peeler, aged 10
years, son of Mr.. and Mrs. A. r.
Peeler, were snuffed out in the
twinkling of an eye Sunday after
noon at about 3 o'clock as the
bright, manly little fellows were en-
gagged in building a tunnel into the
side of sand hill about one-fourth
of mile east of the government
experimental farm. Though within
few feet of safety the fall of from
two to three tons of sand and dirt
bore them down and death followed
almost instantaneously. Two older
brothers Of the two boys, Frank Pei
Ter, aged 16 years, and Leonard Lea
veil, aged 13 years. had gone to the
experimental farm for shovels and
boards to prosecute their Juvenile
work and had left the unfortunate
little fellows in the tunnel. Return
ing about half an hour later, they
had no inkling of the awful happen
ing that had occurred duriag their
absence until after they had set
about to remove the dirt that had
fallen in their absence, when the
body of little James Peller WAS
found about three feet from the en-
trance to the tunnel. Still warm
from the life that had left it, It was
tenderly taken from the tunnel and
assistance secured, but every effort
to induce the functions Of life was
to no avail. The body of Belmar
Leavell was found further in the
tunnel some seven or eight feet from
the tunnel entrance. Likewise In his
instance. all efforts to bring about
animation failed.
Both were exceedingly bright
children, beloved of all who knew
them. They we're constant COM
panions and had played to-
gether continuously since the
coming of the six children of
Mr. and Mrs. A. r. Peeler,
which occurred on December 18th,
their former home being in Alberta
province of Canada. Mr.. and Mrs.
Peeler, their parents, came here
some weeks later, the trip to this
section being brought about by Mrs.
Peeler's condition. Suffering from
nervous prostration in hospital In
the section of former residence, her
physicians advised the change of cli-
mate, the children coming here in
advance and making their homes
with Mr.. and Mrs. Spence Peeler,
who reside at the government ex-
perimental farm, Mr.. Peeler being
an uncle of the children.
Never in the history of this pro-
ject has SO dreadful an accident be-
fallen children and never has the
community been SO profoundly shak-
en- by grief over happening to
childhood or have hearts gone out
to parents in such measure, for such
Affections, always hard to bear, are
doubly hard when happy, healthy,
buoyant childhood is thus taken
without warning.
The funeral of little James Peeler
occurred Monday afternoon and was
held from the Spence Peeler home.
lnterment occurred in the Fallon
cemetery. Little Delmer Leavell
was buried from the undertaking
parlors yesterday afternoon after
short services had been held. The
first services were conducted by
Pastor C. s. Prout, the local Seventh
Day Adventist minister, who spoke
in tender strain of the promises held
out by each little victim of fine ex-
ampled manhood, and of their many
virtues unusual in children of their
tender years.
Rev. A. r. Merritt conducted the
services over the body of the second
victim of this dI eadful happening
and he too paid tribute to unde-
filed childhood and comforted the
sorrowing relatives and friends with
an assurance that He who doeth all
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