Eugene, OR Willamette River Drowning, Jun 1915

Boy, 7, Dies In River

Men Who Can’t Swim See Lad Drowns At Eugene.

Pulmotor on Hand But Useless Because Body Is Not Recovered for Three Hours.

Eugene, Or., June 5.-(Special.)-Irwin Nestle, 7 year-old-son of N.L. Nestle, was drowned in the Willamette River today. The accident occurred within a few feet of his own backdoor, where his mother was at work. Several men saw him slip off the end of the log where he and his 10-year-old brother were playing. They watched the little body, not 50 feet away, just the head on the surface and the little arms struggling as it floated away. None could swim.

The mother stood beside a pulmotor and watched the men searching for the body a moment afterward.

“They say that they can revive them with that if they find them within an hour of the time they go down Oh if they could only find him,” she said, not taking her eyes from the river.

The body was not found for three hours.

Oregonian, Portland, OR 6 Jun 1915

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Transcribed by June. Thanks June!