Grundmeier, Edwin A 1890-1910

GRUNDMEIER

Posted By: Geo Clinton (email)
Date: 4/26/2016 at 09:38:48

Storm Lake Pilot Tribune - December 23, 1910 - Sorrow and grief has come upon Storm Lake at a time when all are wont to make merry. Edwin Grundmeier, one of our best boys, was drowned in the lake on Tuesday morning about 8:30 as he was skating across the lake from home to attend school, as has been his custom ever since he lake froze over.

The terrible accident occurred just off Chautauqua point about 40 feet to the west of the bar which runs out from the point and between 50 and 75 yards from the shore. Edwin was skating across alone and all is conjecture as to how so careful a young fellow as he could have met with the accident.

Mrs W.I. Crowell happened to be looking towards the lake and saw someone fall and disappear in the water. First giving the alarm, she then went to the lake at once armed with a rake and a rope. She also sent the little boys to spread the alarm to some men who were cutting wood near.

When she reached the lake, Edwin yelled for help once and disappeared from view under the ice. She was entirely unable to get to him as the lake is open where he went down and what ice surrounds the opening was thin and unable to support her weight.

Her alarm sent by phone up town immediately brought automobiles from both garages and other rigs from uptown. The men who were cutting down trees had gone to the lake armed with a long pole but they were unable to do anything.

A.R. Riddle, who went down immediately brought pike poles down with him and with these used the aid of hands Oscar Bitler, C.H. R?, and W.W. Cattermole finally succeeded in reaching the body which had sank in 9 feet of water.

The body is believed to have been in the water for 45 minutes. The apparently lifeless boy was placed in an automobile and immediately taken to the hospital were physicians tried every known method to bring back the spark of life but to no avail and the terrible grief stricken parents arrived from home from where they had been summoned by telephone to be told that there was no hopes of reviving their son. The body was removed to the undertaking establishment of H.W. Kruse Co.

It is all conjecture as to how the accident happened. Edwin had skated in for several weeks from home. He knew of the opening in the ice there. But you will remember that about 8:30 on Tuesday morning when the accident happened it was snowing heavily and some think he must have been skating backward to protect his face. Others that he was skating with his head low to avoid the storm but the truth will never be known.

The thing we do know is that Superintendent Nevrin characterized him as one of the best boys in the entire school and he has gone from us. It was a terrible shock to the schools and high school closed in the middle of the opening exercises for the day and teachers and students are in deep sorrow.

Edwin was a quiet, hard working, likeable boy and was a general favorite. He was in his junior year and always made his grades. He played right guard on the football team the past season and was greatly beloved by his team mates.

One of the strange things concerning the affair is the fact that his father, Anton Grundmeier recently sold his farm and in two weeks would have moved to Minnesota, largely because he feared that some day one of his boys would be drowned in the lake. The grief of his father, mother, brothers and sister, was indeed pitiful as he was a particularly dutiful and thoughtful son and brother and was a good boy in all that the term signifies.

Edwin was really one of our own boys as he was born in Hayes township on Sept 14, 1890 and was therefore a few months older than 20 years. Besides his broken hearted parents, he leaves 5 brothers and one sister, of whom he was the oldest.

Funeral services were held in English from the pilgrim church on Thursday morning. The members of his class and faculty of the high school attended.

Old residents say that this is the 4th drowning which has occurred on the ice. Years ago John Russell, a son of J.B. Russell now of Los Angeles and a nephew of J.M. Russell of this city was drowned. Later Henry Hill was drowned when he went out on the ice after a wild goose he had shot. Later Babe Durstine was downed while skating towards his home southwest of town. This makes the second drowning this year, the other one being George E Bernard on the evening of July 4, which sent such a gloom over the closing hours of the celebration.