PEACH - ARDEN - Northeast Harbor

Bar Harbor Record
December 29, 1909

ARDEN PEACH DROWNED AT EAGLE LAKE

Fell Through Ice While Skating On Christmas Day - Others Had Narrow Escape

Arden L. Peach, the nine year old son of Mrs. Arden L. Peach of Northeast Harbor was drown while skating at Eagle Lake on the afternoon of Christmas Day, and three other boys and one young married man went through the ice in the middle of the lake and narrowly escaped losing their lives.  The little Peach boy was visiting his aunt, Mrs. Lewis Suminsby of Forest Street and early Christmas afternoon he and his cousin, Clarence Suminsby, age 12, took their skates and started out for the lake for an afternoon pleasure..  The two boys skated around on the northern end of the lake for a while and then, according to the story of the Suminsby boy, he started for the other end of the pond, going along the Western shore, while Arden Peach skated up the Eastern side.  When the Suminsby boy got about three fourths of the distance up the lake he turned and skated across to meet his cousin.
Before he got to him he saw some boys go through the ice quite a distance away and started towards them, but before he reached them he heard his cousin cry for help and when he turned in the direction in which he had seen the boy a few minutes before he had disappeared.  Knowing that he must of broken through the ice the Suminsby boy skated with all his might towards the point where he had last seen Arden and soon saw him in the water.  Clarence skated as near to him as he dared and then got down on his stomach and crawled towards the hole in the ice.  The little lad in the water was making a brave struggle for his life but was unable to get on the firm ice.  With his Polo stick advanced in front of him Clarence was crawling to the aid of his cousin when the ice gave way and he was plunged into the lake.  After a hard struggle he managed to get back onto the ice but was unable to do anything in aid of Arden and was compelled to see him drown while he was helpless to render any assistance.
At about the same time two other boys and a young man were making a fight for their lives in the icy waters of the lake only a quarter of a mile away.
After their Christmas dinner, Joseph Walls, a young married man who is in the employment of Nickerson Spratt & Greeley and two boys, Carl Johnson, age 12, and Norman Johnson, age 14, sons of Everett Johnson of Bar Harbor started for the lake with their skates.  They skated in the Southern end and started back down near the middle of the lake.  They had gone about half a mile on the return and were skating nearly abreast with Norman Johnson a little ahead and Carl slightly in the rear of Mr. Walls.  Suddenly the ice cracked and Norman went through and out of sight.  An instant later Mr. Walls plunged into the water and Carl followed immediately.  Carl was the first to get a firm hold on the ice and get out in two or three minutes.
Mr. Walls told him to go to the assistance of his brother which he did and after hard work Norman was safe on solid ice.  With some assistance from the two boys Mr. Walls then got out of the water.  Norman was nearly exhausted by his struggle and it was several minutes before he could stand.  They were just getting ready to start for the Northern end of the lake and home when they saw a boy, who proved to be Clarence Suminsby skating rapidly towards them and a moment later Mr. Walls says he heard a cry and saw a boy almost a quarter of a mile away, struggling in the water.  The Suminsby boy was much nearer the boy than they were and Mr. Walls yelled to Clarence to go to the boy and try to help him.  Mr. Walls and his two companions started along slowly and soon saw Clarence go through the ice and after two or three minutes they saw that he got out safely.  Clarence got out safely and they were all starting for home when Dr. E.J. Morrison came out across the ice towards them.
Dr. Morrison and his brother Mark than drove up the road to W.M. Roberts camp heard the outcry on the lake and Dr. Morrison went out to see if he could be of any assistance.  He offered to send them all home in his team, but they preferred to walk as they were afraid of freezing.  Dr. Morrison over took them on the road and took Norman Johnson home as he was nearly exhausted.
The accident happened about 3;30 and Clarence returned home about 4;30 and his mother immediately telephoned to Chief of Police Jellison who notified John E. Bunker, chairman of the board of selectmen.  Mr. Bunker and Mr. Jillison at once got together a number of men and at 5 o'clock started for the lake to search for the body of the little Peach boy.
At Roberts camp the men got another boat and two crews with lanterns started out at some distance apart to hunt for the spot where the boy broke through.  After some time one of the crews found the place and with axes and picks the men broke up the ice for quite a distance around the hole where the boys fell in.  Then they launched the two boats and began to sweep the bottom for the body.  About half an hour after they launched the boats the body was brought to the surface.  The skates, new ones, which he was trying for the first time Christmas Day, were on his feet and his mittens were still on his hands.  It was 8;16 when the body was found and it was taken to the undertaking rooms of F.E. Sherman on Main Street and removed Sunday morning to the home of Lewis Suminsby on Forest Street.
The body was found in 60 feet of water, and the ice at that point was only about one fourth of an inch thick and the ice where Mr. Walls and the other two boys went through was of about the same thickness.
This is said to be the first drowning accident that has occurred at the lake.