Evening star., 1943-04-01
Two Brothers Drown
In Abandoned Pool
On District Property
Older Boy Died Trying
To Rescue Younger;
Resuscitution Fails

Two small colored boys were
drowned yesterday in rainwater
which had collected in an unguarded,
abandoned swimming pool on prop
erty owned by the District at Fiji
tieth and Hayes streets NE.
The dead were enjamin Ellis, 13,
and his younger brother William, II ,
sons OF Mrs. Ernell Ellis, 5118 B
street Sc.
Unable to swim, the older boy
lost his life when he dived fully clad
into the pool in an effort to rescue
his brother, who was calling for
help. The younger boy had gone
swimming in the pool, which con-
tanned about II feet of rainwater
at one point, and apparently had
been struck on the head by one of
many pieces of floating water soaked
wood.
The boys were still living when
Pvts. Stanley Thomas and Ralph
Collins of the Fire Rescue Squad
arrived and pulled them from the
water.
Revival Efforts Fail.
Adrenalin was administered and
for nearly two hours, members Of
the rescue squad, aided by Mrs. A.
S. Hewitt and Mrs. Bennett Green
of the American Womans Voluntary
Service, gave the boys artificial
respiration.
DR.. Edwin L. Williams and Dr.
George w. Karelas, a Casualty Hos
pital ambulance physician. pro-
nounced the brothers dead at 6:0l
pm, about two and one half hours
after the accident.
Last night. after the drowning.
the No. 8 Engine Co. spent several
hours pumping the abandoned pool
dry. According to Leroy Forgy, 742
Fiftieth street NE, it was to his
knowledge the first time the pool
has been drained since the Suburb
an Gardens, an amusement park
operated on the site several years
ago, was closed
Site Bought by District.
The property was purchased by
the District several months ago, as
site for the projected Merritt
Elementary Junior High School.
Bids for construction of the school
are to be asked within the next few
weeks
The pool was abandoned five
years ago, according to Howard D.
Woodson, 4918 Fitch place NE. for
mer president of the Northeast
Boundary Civic Association.
Mr.. Woodson said that about two
years ago the association adopted
resolutions asking District officials
to take some steps to prevent small
boys from using the pool, in which
rain water had gathered. AS a re-
suit, watchmen were placed at the
pool. The property was then un-
der private ownership.
Mr.. Forgy said Watchman also
was posted at the pool last year,
when the property still was pri-
vately owned.
Prof. Charles M. Thomas, presi-
cent of the Northeast Boundary
Citizens Association, expressing re-
gret over the tragedy, declared in
adequate playground space and lin
tied personnel and equipment at
Burrville, Deanwood and Smothers
Schools induces young
boys to seek adventure on vacant
lots and in abandoned buildings" +"
Capitol View and Marshall Heights
have no recreational facilities, he
said.
Mr.. Thomas called attention to
recent increases in the number of
families with children in the area.
Guard Posted at Pool.
The Commissioners today ordered
a guard posted at the pool and also
ordered city-Wide survey of all
District-owned properties to see if
there are any similar hazards to
life or menaces to health or santa
ton.
Bids are to be opened April for
the construction of temporary
school building on the Hays street
area to be used while construction
of a permanent building is awaited
Engineer Commissioner Charles w.
Kutz said it had not yet been de-
termined whether the temporary
school or the permanent building
would cover the site of the old swim
ming pool.