CROMWELL GOULD DROWNED
IN RIVER LAST SATURDAY
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WHILE SWIMMING IN CEDAR RIVER AT THE POWER HOUSE ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR YOUNG MEN WENT OVER THE DAM AND WAS DROWNED
He Was Just Twenty Years of Age and Was a Student at the State University at Iowa City
Saturday afternoon, Cromwell Gould, while swimming in the
mill pond by the Light and Power House, went over the dam and was drowned
in the turbulent waters below. The terrible tragedy happened a few minutes
before four o'clock. He, in company with Luverne Moeller, had just gone
into the pond above the dam to swim. They had been swimming there before
when the water was not so high. However, the recent rains had raised the
water till there was a powerful current two feet deep sweeping over the dam.
They did not appreciate the added danger of a few extra inches of water.
Luverne swam to within about a rod above the dam and there
the water was just swift enough so, as he says, he could just barely hold
his own. Cromwell, following close behind, went past him with a smile,
indicating that, even that close to the falling waters and the seething
whirlpool below, he was not in danger, that he could stop at the dam as he
had done when the water was lower, and that, if he did go over, he could get
out. But instantly the rapids caught him and carried him over.
Charles Bernstein, engineer in charge of the power house,
ran on the planks along the north side of the building and reached the west
end in time to see Cromwell's shoulders out of the water and hear him cry
"help me." Mr. Bernstein rushed for the pole that laid there and when he
returned Cromwell had gone never to rise.
H.A. Groth and Alex McCulla, who had just come up to the
power house were standing a few feet further up the stream, and, while they
heard Cromwell's cry for help, did not see him. Mr. Groth reached out with
a rod and helped Luverne out of the water, and they and Alton Gilbertson,
who was just ready to go in swimming also, rushed to the lower side of the
dam to see if they could save him there. But they were unable to see
anything of him at all. The boys both wanted to jump into the roaring
waters and help him out but the men saw that nothing but a miracle could
save anyone who once got into that mass of churning water, and persuaded the
boys to stay out and not add to the already awful tragedy.
The news was phoned to town and soon the river was lined
with men and a search was organized. The men continued to search the best
they could until dark, without avail.
Immediately after daybreak on Sunday a search was organized
on a more extensive scale which included dragging all the portion of the
river just below the dam and a less intensive search for several miles down
the river. Not being successful, they sent for Baldwin Brothers of Waterloo,
professional divers, who arrived in the early part of the afternoon. They
took charge of the work just below the dam and there the river was very
thoroughly dragged again, still without results. At twenty-five minutes
after four
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Ewald Wiegner, in crossing the river about 150 feet below
the dam and about 20 feet from the east shore, accidently found the body by
stepping onto it. At this point the water was about three feet deep. This
was a place that had been thoroughly searched before and many believe that
the body had just floated to this position and that earlier it had been
swept into the race above.
The plant was shut down for a while during the afternoon
and only a few minutes before had again been started up so that the water
just being turned into the race from above there had carried the body down
to this point where it was found. This seems to be the most plausible
theory that has been advanced.
People were coming and going all day Sunday. At four
o'clock a count was taken and at that time there were four hundred cars in
the tourist park and at points adjacent to the river in the road and in the
fields. At that time many had started for home. As cars were coming and
going all the time, it is certain that between eight hundred and a thousand
cars visited the scene with between three thousand and five thousand people,
such was the interest manifested, by people from near and far.
As Eye Witnesses Saw It
Mr. H.A. Groth, who was one of the eye witnesses says:
"Alex McCulla and myself had been up looking at the new
sand pit on the west side of the river, and as the water was so high, when we
came back we drove around to the power house to look at it. Just before we
reached it we passed Cromwell Gould and Luverne Moeller, carrying a canoe
which they had been using lower down the river. Soon after they reached the
pond above the power house they went into the river and swam out towards the
dam. Luverne was ahead, but Cromwell followed a short distance behind and
almost immediately was swept over the dam. We heard his cry for help, but
we were powerless to help. But I helped Luverne out of the water, and then
hurried to the lower side of the dam, but we could see nothing of Cromwell.
It is awful to see such a tragedy when you can't do a thing."
Charles Bernstein, engineer at the electric plant, was
another who saw the tragedy. He was standing on the north side of the power
house, not far from where Mr. Groth and Mr. McCulla were standing. He says:
"I saw the boys go into the river and swim out near the
dam, and saw Cromwell Gould go over the dam feet first. I rushed over the
planks and looked down past the falling water and saw Cromwell's head and
shoulders above the water, and he called 'help me.' I rushed for the long
pole with a hook on the end of it which is kept there and for the rope in my
car. The rope wasn't there and I ran with the pole and hook, but when I got
back he had disappeared. When I saw him he was just below the dam and right
on the apron. The water was at that time running a good strong two feet
over the dam. Earlier in the day it had been 26 inches deep there, but had
commenced to go down a little. I can tell you I never want to see anything
like that again as long as I live. You just can't get your mind off of it."
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THE OBITUARY OF
CROMWELL GOULD
Cromwell Merle Gould, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Gould, was
born at St. Ansgar, Iowa, on June 27, 1904. He and his twin brother, Kermit,
were baptized on September 4, 1904, Mrs. M. E. Waldeland and Mr. K. Williams
acting as sponsors for Cromwell. He was confirmed October 24, 1920.
Cromwell was a member of the First Lutheran Sunday School
at St. Ansgar until his confirmation and a member of the Bible Class of the
same Sunday School after his confirmation. He was also a member of the First
Lutheran Church Junior Choir which sang before 15,000 people at Story City,
2,000 people at Jewell, and 6,000 people at Mason City, Iowa. He was a
member of the Boy Scouts of St. Ansgar.
Cromwell was born on the old Knud Williams homestead, north
of St. Ansgar. In early childhood his parents moved to Osage, where the
family lived about two years, after which they lived for a short time at
Mason City. He also lived with his parents for shorter periods of time at
Austin and at Missoula, Montana. Most of Cromwell's life however has been
spent at St. Ansgar and he obtained almost his entire education at our
public schools. After graduation from the high school in the spring of
1923 he continued his studies at the Iowa State University [SIC], Iowa
City, Iowa.
He returned from Iowa City on June 2nd and for the first
time this summer attended church at the First Lutheran Church on the 8th of
June. The brothers celebrated their twentieth birthday on Friday the 27th
of June. On Saturday, the 28th, he went to the river to swim. The story
of this trip and its sad ending have been placed before our community by the
St. Ansgar Enterprise in such detail that a mere mention of it is sufficient
for this occasion. His death ocurred at about 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon,
the 28th of June, and his body was found at about 4 o'clock Sunday afternoon,
the 29th of June.
The funeral was conducted at the home and at the First
Lutheran Church of St. Ansgar by his pastor, Rev. M.E. Waldeland, on
Wednesday the 2nd of July, and was very largely attended, being one of the
largest funerals ever held in St. Ansgar, not half the people being able to
get into the church. Rev. Waldeland preached a very impressive sermon from
Romans 1:16, "For I am Not Ashamed of The Gospel of Christ, for It Is the
Power of God unto Salvation to Everyone That Believeth."
His remains were laid to rest at the Pleasant Hill Lutheran
Cemetery south of Mona, Iowa, where he rests beside his uncle, John Gould,
and his grandfather, Collin Gould.
The most beautiful wreath placed upon the casket of Cromwell
Gould was that which was given by the members of his confirmation class.
Instead of buying flowers that would wilt within a few days, they have
donated a sum of money to be sent to the Foreign Mission field of the church
and there to be used in keeping one of the Foreign Missionary children in a
Mission school. These children always assume new names when, after
instruction, they are baptized, and it has been suggested to the Foreign
Mission Board of the Church that they suggest to our missionaries to have
the child that will be supported by this money given the name of Cromwell
Gould. In this way, Cromwell's memory will have a blessed influence abroad
and the action of the confirmation class it is hoped will bring beautiful flowers
of Christianity to bloom in the heart and life of some little heathen child.
Present at the funeral from away were: Mr. S.M. Gould,
New Lexington, Ohio; Dr. and Mrs. George Gould, Conrad, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs.
E. Tostenson and son, Vernell, Jackson, Minnesota; Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Frank,
Rudd, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Springer, Charles City, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs.
James Palmer, Lyle, Minnesota; Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Hofland, Star Prairie,
Wisconsin; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Frank and family, Carpenter, Iowa.
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