The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1921-04-27
Caught in Snowstorm.

It was his love for animals that re-
suited Indirectly in the loss of his
hands. Having by this time lost all
track Of his father the boy lavished all
his affections on the pony he had pur-
chased. Being desirous of gaining
more education he arranged to board
his pony at farmers nine miles away
and one December day arrived to visit
the pony before starting to school.
Two farmers were to make the trip,
and he arranged to accompany them
in their lumber wagon. When the
party had gone several miles storm
overlook them. Knowing their danger
they whipped the team up and raced
for shelter. They were enveloped in
the whipping maelstrom and the wag-
on struck bump which threw young
Bowling out.
His absence was not known, and he
was left to make his way as best he
could. Soon he found a weodpile.
he climbed to the top and threw stick
circle trying to hit the house. Failing
in this, he took an armful of wood
and walked about SO PAGES from the
pile and repeated the process. Then
he lost the woodpile. Wandering blind
ly, he pumped into straw pile and
realizing this was his last chance,
crawled into it. There he remained
battling against the fatal sleep of chill
until the next day. He crawled out
and discovered his legs and arms were
frozen, and crawled half a mile to
the farmhouse.
Legs and One Arm Amputated.
A physician was hastily called and
after treatment had been given it was
found necessary to amputate both legs
below the knee and one arm below the
elbow. The fingers and part of the
thumb on the right had were also re-
moved.
A few weeks later he celebrated
his 18th birthday.
After he had spent all his hard won
money on doctor bills the county took
charge of him.
The boy refused to become county
charge. He barganied with the county
commissioners, promising that if they
would send him two terms to Carleton
college he would relieve them of fur
ther responsibility. The bargain was
kept. They furnished artificial limbs
and sent him. After leaving school,
Bowling became country school
teacher at the end of the agreed two
terms. In quick succession he painted
fences, ran roller skating rink, acted
as principal of the East Granite Falls
school and still later as superintendent
of schools, wrote insurance, edited a
newspaper, was secretary of the West
aprn oyofI hn
came a real estate dealer, banker and
finally entered politics.
Becomes President of Bank.
He founded and published the Rem
vile Star-Farmer, became president
of the Renville State Bank, and later
attained the same position in the State
Bank of Olivia, with which he was as
sociated when he died.
In 1895 he married Jennie Leonora
Bordewich of Atlanta, Ga, the same
year in which he was made secretary
of the National Republican league.
This marked his debut into state and
the Minnesota house of representatives
national politics. He was elected to
and served as speaker in 1901. In
1900 he represented the governor of
Minnesota on an educational mission
to the Philippine islands.
During the World war Mr. Dowl-
ing's reputation as an optimist and
his achievements in overcoming his
own physical handicaps won him an
opportunity to do distinctive service
to the wounded Allied soldiers in AM
erica and abroad. He was appointed by
the surgeon generals department OF
the army to tour reconstruction hos
pitals in America to cheer up the dis
abled veterans, a mission which, he
said, made him "the happiest man on
earth, because feel that at last
am going to do something useful for
my fellow men and my country"
Funeral Services Thursday.
He is survived by Mrs. Bowling and
their three children, Dorothy, Marjorie
and Kathleen.
Funeral services will take place at
Olivia Thursday. The Bowling family
will motor to Olivia tonight.