Beckham County, OK - Deaths: Smith Children, 1905
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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SMITH, CHILDREN
(13 Sep 1905, Roger Mills Democrat, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
MET DEATH IN A SWOLLEN STREAM.
Three Children Drowned and Three Other Person Had a Narrow Escape.
Friday last, as the hack which carries the mail and passengers between
Sayre and Cheyenne, was nearing the last named place, the driver undertook
to cross a small stream which was greatly swollen by a terrific down pour
of rain which had lasted for two hours, had the hack dashed to pieces by
the force of the raging waters and he and his passengers were left to the
mercy of the stream.  The driver and two women passengers succeeded in
getting to shore, but three children, one a boy of six years, another a
girl of two years and a young baby of two months, all the children of Mrs.
Ed Smith of Colorado who was enroute to Day county.
When Mrs. Smith was drawn to the shore, she was holding with all her
strength to a cloak, which, when she was safe to land reported that she
supposed it was her babe, which had been forced by the waters from the
wrap in which the mother had securely placed it to keep it comfortable
during the storm.
One of the horses which was attached to the hack broke loose and succeeded
in getting to shore, the other was drowned.  Two of the bodies of the
drowned children were recovered the evening of the accident, the other,
the babe, the next morning.
It is strange the driver who was well acquainted with the stream and knew
it to be overflowing should have the hardihood to venture into such
danger.  The stream is only one fourth of a mile south of Cheyenne and is
a small one, not often so full as to retard travel.
(8 Sep 1905, Sayre Standard, Sayre, Beckham Co, OK):
A most distressing accident occurred yesterday, Sept. 7, the Cheyenne mail
hack being overturned in a stream when nearly to Cheyenne, and drowning
three children, one the child of Mrs. Ed Smith of Colorado, who was on her
way to Day county.
The small stream just this side of Cheyenne was out of its banks and over
the road, a raging torrent.
There were three ladies in the hack, four children and the driver.
Only one of the four children was saved, and the adult passengers had a
narrow escape from death.
The hack was torn to pieces by the raging water, and one of the horses was
drowned.
The children drowned were a boy six years old, a girl of two, and a baby
about two months old.
Two of the bodies were recovered yesterday evening, and the third was
found this morning.

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