The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1921-08-11

Mr.. and Mrs. Sever o. Lonberg, 445
First Ave. N. w., was drowned in
Mouse river, at the p. Peterson farm,
three miles west of Minot Sunday
afternoon at 3 o'clock in an effort to
save her younger sister, Lille, aged
Is, whom she believed to be in danger
of drowning. The body was recov-
cred three hours later in Is feet Of
water.
Four other young women, all men,
bers Of picnic party, would undoubt-
edly have been drowned, but for the
presence of mind and timely help
from Miss Helga Kvalstad, who is
employed as bookkeeper at the Jacob
son & Fugelso hardware store, who
secured long pole with which she
was instrumental in their rescue.
Nine young women; all members Of
the Zion Lutheran Sunday school, left
for the Peterson farm Sunday imme-
diately after Sunday school for pic
mic long planned. Those in the party
were the Misses Helga and Laura
Kvalstad, Lille and Esther Lonberg,
Mae Balerud and Tile, Elsie, Aman-
da and Nettie Peterson. The party
had finished their picnic dinner and
WV VI VIIC IlcIIlUClS, ANdC 1talSI
who is an expert swimmer and Lille
Lonberg, who cannot swim, donned
their bathing suits and went into the
Mouse river. The other young lad
les had taken off their shoes and
stockings and were preparing to go
into the river to wade, none OF them
being able to swim. Miss Balerud
had ventured out into the deeper
water, accompanied by Lille Lonberg.
Miss Balerud had hold Of Miss Lon
berg and declares she was in no dan
ger of drowning. Lilies sister, Es-
ther, sat on the bank and when she
saw her sister taken off her feet by
the water, became frightened and
cried out: "Lillie, Lille, save Lille.
At that she plunged into the stream
followed closely by Tillie and Elsie
Peterson. From then on what hap
pened is not clearly recorded in the
minds of those who remained on the
bank. At one time all five of the
young ladies in the river were under
water. The current seemed to carry
them around and around in the river
and Miss Helga Kvalstad states that
all she saw was the tops Of their
heads out of the water. Miss Helga
Kvalstad and Miss Amanda Peterson
grew frantic and screamed for help,
knowing it would be useless to try
to get to the Peterson home, quite a
distance away in time. Little Nettie
Peterson started for the water and
would have jumped in, but was held
back. It is fortunate that Miss
Helga Kvalstad remained on the bank
for thru her presence of mind she was
able to save four of the young wo-
men. With long pole, Miss Kval.
stad pulled Miss Mae Balerud and
Miss Tillie Peterson to shore. Miss
Balerud had attempted to save the
others and she was held under the
water until she was nearly drowned.
She clung to Tillie Peterson, and was
thus able to save her and Miss Kval-
stad pulled Miss Balerud in. When
out on the bank, Tillie Peterson took
the pole and saved her sister Elsie,
by dragging her to shore. Elsie had
gone down for the last time when
Tllie reached her just in time to save
her. Elsie had turned blue about
the body and was unconscious when
pulled out, but those on shore gave her
first aid treatment, rubbing her body
and she was revived.
Esther and Lille Lonberg drifted
to the opposite side Of the river and
both went down. Lille clung to
Esther until she realized that it was
useless, then came to the surface. She
came up close to the branches Of a