New Ulm review., 1922-08-23
TWO GIRLS DROWN
NEAR ST. PETER : ] |, j !.
TRAVERSE DEs SIOUX CROSS
ING SCENE OF ACCIDENT
WEDNESDAY.
SLIPPED FROM PITcH-OFF5 IN
MINNESOTA RIVER WHILE
IN WADING.

MISS fedTl NdSlAuSScu VI ASCWAAAoAA
Grove, Nebraska, age 20, and Miss
Mildred Carlson of Traverse des Sioux,
age Is, slipped from steep pitch-of.
and were drowned at the historic cross
ing Of Traverse des Sioux, north OF St.
Peter; late last Wednesday, afternoon,
says the St. Peter Herald.
The two girls, together with Miss
Carlson's brother, Wallis; age 12;; had
gone wading in the Minnesota to
escape the sweltering heat. Miss Cor
della Carlson, an older sister Of the
drowned Miss Carlson and a chum Of
Miss Rasmussen, with Dorothy and
Ruth Carlson, little tots, remained on
the shore and watched the waders.
Slipped Off Pitch-of. .
1 Where the young folks were wading,
the river is only knee deep. Wallis,
who knew the river, having gone in
wading and swimming at numerous
times, was showing his sister the drop
off. The girls had not been in the
river. before. The drop-of could be-
plainly seen and the two girls were
standing on the edge Of it when the
sand suddenly gave way and Mildred
Carlson slid into the deep water: AS
she did so, she clutched her companion,
Miss Rasmussen, who was standing at
her side, and both went down. They
plunged Immediately into the swir,ing
5blackness of the submerged pitt locked
in each others arms.
Unable To Effect Rescue.
Wallis, who is a good swimmer,
plunged for them and succeeded in
clutching their garments. Both girls
tore at his Jumper in their fright and
clung madly to his overalls, pulling
him beneath the surface also. He
managed, however, to break their
holds on his wet garments and swan
for shallow water, realizing that an
attempt to save them would only re-
suit in his own death. The poor lad
was forced to stand powerless in the
middle of the stream and listen to-
their hea:rt-rending screams as they
f1oated into the depths.
4 Out of View Of Sister.
When the waders went to the pitch
off, they rounded a bend and were out
of view of Miss Cordelia who was on
the bank taking care Of the little tots.
She could hear their laughter and their,
screams when they we're playing in the
water, and when she heard the screams
when the girls fell over the pitch-off,
she thought they were screaming for
fun. It was not till her brother came
running and with terror in his face told
what had happened that she realized
the situation. She hurried the little
tots home to tell the folks and went
Immediately to the place of the drown
ing, but nothing could then be seen but
the muddy waters. ~@
Bodies Found.
When help arrived Miss Ras1nussen's
body was found within fifteen minutes
by the use Of grapple hooks. The
search for Miss Carlson's body con-
tinued for "a hours, when she was
found about quarter of the mile from
the place of drowning, lying with her
face down in about a foot OF water:
She had evidently managed to swim to
the east shore and then run along the
shallow edge of the river, looking for a
shallow place to cross, till she came to
this spot where she fell exhausted. She
must have gotten away uno bserved
at the time that her brother went to
notify the older sister and in this way
was not seen by any body.
Miss Rasmussen was visiting with
the Carlsons, farmers, at Traverse des
Sioux. The Carlsons also formerly
lived in Nebraska.