Burial Records

WASHOUGAL RIVER IS SCENE OF DROWNING

Harold Petrain, 11, is the First River Victim for the Present Season

BODY AN HOUR IN WATER

Strenous Effort Put Forth to Resuscitate Victim by Means of Pulmotor Failed to Bring Desired Results—Funeral Held Monday Afternoon.

Harold Petrain, aged about 11 years, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Petrain of Second and Oneonta streets, was drowned in the Washougal river shortly after 5 o’clock on last Saturday afternoon.

The Petrain boy, with Alfred Paris, a lad about the same age, had been sporting about the river south of the Washougal wagon road bridge, and were veering towards the bank and it was perhaps about 20 feet off shore that the drowning occurred.

The statement of the Paris boy is that his companion playfully rocked the boat.  The vessel was overturned and both boys were thrown into the stream.  The Paris lad could swim sufficiently well

to reach the shore from which he witnessed the drowning of his companion who knew but little of the art of swimming.

Almost frantic with terror the Paris boy gave the alarm and a crowd soon congregated at the scene.  Several attempts were made by individuals to locate the body by diving, but these efforts proved futile.  A grappling hook was tried out and the body was brought to the surface by that method.  It had been in the water at least 45 minutes, some say for a little longer period.

Methods usually employed in restoring animation to a drowned person were immediately resorted to with Dr. Armstrong, city health officer, in charge.  A pullmotor belonging to the paper mill company was tried out, but without avail.  The most vigorous efforts used in resuscitation failed to show any sign of returning life and the efforts were given up.  The water was extremely cold and the body had been in the stream long enough to become thoroughly chilled and filled with water.

The unfortunate boy was a prime favorite among his playmates of the same age by whom he was generally termed “Freckles.”  He was active and full of vigor, and was one of the best known of the juvenile carriers on one of the Portland daily paper deliveries in this city.

Funeral services were conducted at the parents home on Monday afternoon.  Reverend D. A. Storey of the Methodist church officiating.  Harold belonged in the Fifth grade in the city schools, Miss Knoll’s division, and he was an attendant at the Methodist church Sunday school.  The class to which he belonged in the latter attended the funeral in a body and during the funeral hour there was suspension of sessions of his grade in the day school, the teacher and pupils attending the services in body.  Six of his schoolmates acted as pallbearers.