The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1920-04-08
FLAT TURNS OVER
TEN LIVES L0SE
TRAGEDY NEAR Nc
CORNIACk SUNDAY.
Ferry Boat Cable Gives Way WheR
Auto Party Attempts TO
Cross River.

Mccormick. April 5-While on L.
pleasure trip yesterday afternoons
travelling in two automobiles and
crossing Savannah river at Harper:E
ferry, six miles west of Lowndesvill.s.
10 out of II persons in the party Yesx4
drowned in the waters of the SavaIs-
nah river.
The young people were On their
way from South Carolina to ElbeE1
county, Georgia, and had starteE
across Savannah river on the flat. The:
post holding the cable by which the
flat was operated gave way and tbs.
flat drifted down the river until N
struck rock and capsized. Those
reported drowned are: Albert Suther
land, about 1S years old; Miss Alice
Meschine, about Is years of age, aDE'
her brother, Charlie Meschine, abou;1
19 years old; Lester Waters and hnE
wife, young couple who had beer
married only six weeks; Inez Manning
aged 9 and her sister, Miss ADnis.
Manning, 16 years of age, and the -
brother, Robert Manning, age zz---
Miss Allie Bradshaw, aged 1S, ans
her sister, Miss Lucy Bradshaw agea
Is. The only person in the party WHY
was saved was Thomas Bradshaw, q
brother of Misses Allie Bradshaw anR.
Lucy Bradshaw.
1t is thought that the high waterfE
of the Savannah river and the stron$~
current rushing against the flat load
ed with the party and two autom0-
biles, in which they We're travelling
caused the cable post to give way
All of the drowned are from promh-
inent families residing in and arourhl
the town of Lowndesville, Abbeviu9
county, and as soon as the matfes
was reported the whole country tern
ed into a searching party trying to re-.
cover the bodies of those drowned. Ora
account of the swollen river none os
the bodies had been recovered latF
this afternoon.
The tragedy has caused glourr'
over the entire community.
Abbeville, April 5-Ten peoPlss
were drowned at Harper's ferry, near
lLowndesville, yesterday afternoe0
when the ferry cable snapped and the
| flat capsized in Savannah river. Ele.-
ven persons were making the tri4i
across but Thomas Bradshaw manas:-
ed to get to the shore, according To-
information here. Those who drownsd
were: Lester Waters, ferryman, ami
Mrs Waters. Albert Sutherland, Lncy
Bradshaw, Allie May Bradshaw, Alice
Meschine, Charles Meschine and thress.
cbiIdren of WHlter Manning
The Waters were young coupts'
who had been married only about 4
month. Mr. Waters was an exsoldier..
having seen overseas service; MFs-
Waters was a public school teacher
aid some of those on the flat veIe.
her pupils and the party is SAID >
/ have been crossing over TO her home ;
Albert Sutherland was IS years oT
and was the son of one of the jurors
to have been here today for thc
sett trial.. He had taken his father t%'
! the train at Lowndesville earlier az
the afternoon.
The continuous rains have cauSe&
something of a freShet in the Wate~
courses in this section and the
annah river was said to have beSrf
up seven or eight feet when the traE-
edy occurred.
! Harper's Ferry is about six miles
from Lowndesville and about 80 mile
from here.
! From Lowndeville this afternoon *
/ is learned that the flat at Harper
ferry turned over directly after fhf
steel cable broke. This was cauSei
il is said by wind sheet or b0arc
which was dropped along side 10"
flat TO relieve the pressure on 10"
cable during high water. When thf
cable gave way, the undertow OF th'
current is said to have turned the fla'
completely over on the occupants. TN
flat was near enough the Georgia SIC
for one boy to jump and get TO th"
Ia nj