Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1916-08-02
Harold Meyer, Sixteen Year Old Son
Of Mrs. Carrie Meyer, Lost Life
in Little Turkey River
Near Ft. Atkinson.
BODY RECOVERED WITH
HAY RAKE SHORTLY AFTER
Several DecCrahians Have Narrow
Escape From Drowning on Sum
day Evening Near Tavenir
Dam.


test days of the season, and about
every bathing place in the county
had it's quota of bathers. A Calmar
boy, Harold Meyer, the sixteen year
old SON of Mrs. Carrie A. Meyer,
went bathing with party of friends
in the Little Turkey river near the
railroad bridge at Fort Atkinson,
and about three o'clock in the after
noon was seized with cramps and was
drowned. Friends who were with
him tried to save him. A Vessel
man boy got hold of Harold and they
went down twice, when the Vessel
man boy was compelled to release his
hold, and he managed to get TO shore
but the Meyer boy went down for the
third time and drowned. A force of
men were Immediately on the scene
and started searching for the body.
The water was not very deep, and
hay rake was procured and driven
across the river couple of times and
tue UOuy Was IecONeT6u.
Harold was fine young boy, and
was brother of Edward Meyer, for
mer deputy auditor of Winneshiek
county, under w. R. Shea. Mrs.
Meyer Is daughter of Fred Hitler,
|of Decorah. and her many friends
here extend sincere sympathy to her
in her sorrow. Harold is survived
by his mother, two brothers and
three sisters. The funeral services
were held yesterday at Calmar, ana
the following officials at the court
house here were in attendance at the
funeral, Auditor Oscar Winger,
Treasurer Lloyd Christen. Superin-
tendent H. E. Miller, Recorder Allen
Wise and Custodian Dennis Horan.
Sunday evening about 1880 excite
ment reigned supreme on the streets
here when the report was circulated
that three bathers had lost their
lives in the river a short distance
south Of the Tavenir dam on the
West Side. A police call was sent
in and officers Albert Hammersness
and Geo. Daniels, who were on extra,
hurried to the West Side in an auto
mobile. When they arrived the dan
ger was all over and the bathers who
had nearly lost their lives had been
rescued. The 5athers in the river
at the time were Mr.. and Mrs. Geo.
Johnson, County Engineer Will Nj.
Lee, Ben Olson, of the Winneshiek
County State Bank, Mrs. Edward
Peterson, Of Minneapolis, who is
guest at the home Of Mr.. and Mrs.
lathers was Jimmie Hardesty, form
er employe of the American Express
Co., who proved himself hero, as
oid Herman Tavenir, who was not in
bathing, but was watching the bath
ers from the big bridge.
Mrs. Peterson, who can swim but
very little got out about forty fee.
from shore, and stepped into very
deep water. Ben Olson was very
close by and Mrs. Peterson grabbed
hold of him, with the result that
both were soon struggling, and went
under and Ben called for help. Will
Lee got to them Immediately and in
the struggle Will was pushed under
both of them. Herman Tavenir saw
the predica1nent they were in and
he didn't wait to remove his clothes
but jumped in and got out to them
very quickly and grabbed hold OF
Ben Olson and pulled him to shore.
Jimmie Hardesty reached them about
the same time as Mr.. Tavenir and
he rescued Mrs. Peterson and got
her safely to shore. Mr.. Lee is a good
without any assistance. Mrs. Peter
son and Mr.. Olson were both practi-
Ically unconscious and it was several
hours before they recovered their
Icomposure.
On Friday evening II. e. McLain
of the Star Vulcanizing Works had a
narrow escape from drowning while
bathing in the river east OF the Rob
Schwartz home. Several boys who
were with him managed to get hold
OF him and pulled him out, after he
had gone under couple of times.
-O-