C. S. McLean

Hartford Herald

March 29, 1893

DEATH IN THE WAVE

Caught in the Current and Drawn Under the Dam

Young C. S. McLean, a Student of

Hartford College, Drowned at the Mill.

The town was shocked Sunday after noon at 2:30 o'clock, by the intelligence that a boat had just capsized and a young man been drowned near the Water Mill. Many people who heard the news, hurried to the scene, only to have the sad intelligence confirmed.

At a point where the large mills of J. W. Ford & Co. stand, a dam spans the creek, and over this dam a largo volume of water pours a distance of four to six feet. It is the custom of many of the boys to go boating on the creek below the dam, and shortly after noon on Sunday young McLean, in company with a friend, Mr. W. A. Stewart, of Hawesville, got into a skiff and rowed up near the dam. A fish trap is situated near the middle of the dam and extends ten feet below it. The young men undertook to approach this trap and when within a few feet of it, their skiff was caught by a current and thrown immediately beneath the huge stream which pours over the dam. The skiff was capsized, and both young men thrown beneath the icy water. Both could swim and upon rising to the surface, caught hold of the boat, but were again thrown into the waves by the sinking of the now overturned craft. Both then started on a race for life against the powerful current, which forced them toward the fearful waterfall. They battled side by side until they had made a distance of fifty yards down stream, when Stewart succeeded in reaching the bank. He was almost frozen and was exhausted from his fearful effort against the current. Turning to look for McLean, he saw him floating on the water, where he lingered for a moment and then sank, to rise no more. Stewart had reached the bank on the far side from town and was obliged to travel half a mile down stream before reaching the bridge. He called to parties across the creek, however, and the alarm was given. Search was at once begun for the body, which was recovered near the scene of the drowning, after two hours of grappling in the creek.

The remains were brought to Mr. G. B. Williams', where every effort was made to resuscitate the body, but in vain. Young McLean was a splendid student and very popular here. His home was at Rome, Daviess county, to which place the remains were taken Monday by President Alexander and the following young gentlemen, who were selected from the Adelphian Society as pall-bearers: Messrs. Wallace Stewart, H. L. White, Henry Osborne, Floyd Crafton, R. Nelson and Silas Griffin.