Published as it appeared on April 17, 1916, in the Corvallis Gazette-Times, Page 1, Column 3.
MARY’S RIVER
CLAIMS VICTIM
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SIX YEAR OLD CHILD AT PHILO-
MATH DROWNED SATURDAY
AFTERNOON.
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Corvallis Firemen Went With Pulmo-
tor and Helped in Search for
Body. Found Today.
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Philomath, Ore., April 17. — (Special) — After a search that had continued since Saturday afternoon, the body of little six year old Helen Newton, who was drowned in Mary’s river Saturday, was found at 1:20 this afternoon. The body was found by Roy Scott and H.C. Tatom about 250 yards below the place where she fell into the water.
The accident occurred at a foot bridge across Mary’s river at a point south of the public school building in West Philomath. The only eye witness of the tragedy was eight year old Richard Pugh, little brother of the victim’s mother. The two children had been picking flowers and according to the boy, Helen ventured on the foot bridge and when near the middle of the stream stepped off into the swift current.
Went Picking “Dish-Rags”
Mrs. Ben Newton, mother of the drowned child, was employed at A.L. Burr’s general merchandise store at Philomath and had last seen her daughter at the noon hour Saturday when at home for lunch. At her home were her other child, Everett, aged 8, and Rich Pugh, her little brother, who lives next door. After the noon meal little Helen told her mother that she knew where there were lots of “dish rags,” the child’s name for a peculiar greenish colored lily with brown spots, known locally as coffee lilies, and suggested she would pick some, saying, “Mamma, I know where there are lots of pretty ones and I’ll get them for you.” Whether the search for the flowers or to follow the older boys who had already gone down the river was the childish whim that prompted the venture is not known, but in a few moments all had disappeared. Before they went to the river Richard and Helen called at a neighbor’s back porch, the little girl robed in a skirt and coat and a long scarf of her mother’s.
News Spreads Like Fire
Within about half an hour Richard, screaming at the top of his voice, ran to the back porch of the same neighbor and gave the news that the little child had been drowned. He was excited and told the story in an incoherent manner, but enough was obtained to learn that he had tried to save her. Both telephone centrals were called and the news spread from these agencies like fire. In a short time a large part of the population had congregated at the river where the child had fallen in. The Corvallis Fire Chief was notified and he rushed to the scene with the pulmotor, so that if the body was removed in a reasonable length of time there might be a chance to resuscitate it.
In the meantime the little boy was taken to the water’s edge to determine if possible where the child had disappeared. Going to the foot bridge he explained that Helen had declared in a playful mood, that she was going across the bridge. The little boy said he warned her not to go and when she persisted and started for the bridge he tried to prevent her but she playfully ran out on the boards and stepped off into the middle of the current. He screamed and told her to grab hold of something and when her body was sweeping toward a small island in mid-stream he thought that she would stop. He followed in a run along the bank and opposite the island point ran into the water to the depth of his waist in an attempt to rescue her but she swept past on the opposite side of the island and once more he caught a glimpse of her face and her little uplifted arms and then ran to town screaming for help.
The search Saturday night continued until 10 o’clock with every apparatus available. Women prepared hot coffee and sandwiches and served them to the workers. Sunday morning the search was renewed with vigor and continued all day. In the afternoon the river was thoroughly dynamited for almost a mile but to no purpose.
Sunday morning a bouquet of wild flowers was found floating down the stream and it was thought that Helen had loosened her grasp on them but when they were shown to Richard he shook his head and said “No,” that he would get them the bouquet that Helen had and he led them to a footlong and picked up the bunch of “dish-rags.”
The child’s full name was Helen Orena Newton, and she was born at Oregon City, April 1, 1910. Two months later the family moved to Philomath, which has since been their home. She entered the first grade in the public school last fall and a pupil of Miss Marie Shrepel.
Four generations, all of whom live in this vicinity, are affected by the accident. Ben Newton, father of the child, is employed at the farm of his aunt, Mrs. Orena Dunn, in the Plymouth neighborhood. The grand-parents are Mr. and Mrs. R.E. Pugh, and Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Newton. The great grand-mother is Mrs. N.P. Newton. Grand parents and great grand-mother and a number of aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives of the victim reside in Philomath.
The firemen from Corvallis were the most ready and willing of all the searchers for the body. They entered the cold deep water and directed the search with zeal and courage through the entire time and will always be appreciated by all the residents of this vicinity.
Published as it appeared on April 18, 1916, in the Corvallis Gazette-Times, Page 3, Column 5.
The funeral of little Helen Newton, the six-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Newton of Philomath who was drowned Saturday in Mary’s river, was held at Philomath this afternoon, with interment at Newton cemetery. A number of relatives from the vicinity of Corvallis went to Philomath for the funeral.
Published as it appeared on April 20, 1916, in the Corvallis Gazette-Times, Page 4, Column 3.
On last Tuesday afternoon the body of little Helen Newton who was drowned in Mary’s river last Saturday and whose body was recovered on Monday afternoon, was laid to rest. A very large concourse of friends and relatives met at the Brick chapel where Rev. Guy F. Phelps conducted the funeral services. Interment was at Mt. Union cemetery. The grave was mounded with many floral offerings from sympathizing friends, one of especial mention being from the little ones of her grade in school who marched to the chapel in a body with the mourners.