OBIT: Wayne THOMAS, 1930, of interest in Somerset County, PA

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library.
Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer.

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WAYNE THOMAS

Youth Drowned in Yough River

  SOMERFIELD, July 29 - Wayne Thomas, 17-year-old son of Clayton Thomas of 
Elliottsville was drowned while swimming in the Yough River at Somerfield last 
Friday evening.
  The accident happened about a half mile below the bridge.
  According to reports, Thomas and several other boys were bathing in the river.  
The other boys swam to the other side of the river.  When they started to swim 
back to where Thomas was paddling in the water, they noticed him go down twice, 
but thought that he was just diving and did not pay any attention to him.  The 
third time he went down he failed to come up.
  At once the boys commenced to search the water for his body.  About half an 
hour later it was recovered when James Montague, one of the youths, fell over it 
while wading about.
  After hauling it to shore Dr. E. E. McAdoo was called and efforts to revive 
Thomas started at once.  Two members of the West Penn rescue team, S. J. Purgis 
and George Vankirk, both of Washington, Pa., who happened to be there, helped 
the doctor with artifical respiration until the inhalator of the Uniontown Fire 
Company could be rushed to the scene by Fire Chief George Litman.  The men 
worked over the victim for more than two hours.
  Thomas made his home at the Summit Lumber Camp, where he was employed.

Meyersdale Republican, July 31, 1930