Ida was the daughter of Julius Metzner and Pauline Albright. She drowned.

August 25, 1905 - Humboldt County Republican - Wednesday evening Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hubbard, Misses Pauline and Ada Metzner and Charles Nelson went up the river to the south bank of Lake Nokomis to enjoy the evening picnicing.

The heavy thunder storm caught them and drenched them thoroughly, but during a quiet moment they launched their boats and crossed to the north shore from where the ladies in company with Mr. Hubbard were to walk to the boat house. While crossing the river the wind began to rise, and while they had intended to land at the spring, which is just below the ledges of dock, they decided that it would be more safe to land on the ledges.

Accordingly a landing was made and all made the shore safely. Charles Nelson returned to the boats, intending to row down the shore to the boat house, towing the extra boat behind. Miss Pauline Metzner objected and said that she would accompany him. To get in the boat, she had to descend from the ledge of rock which rose some three or four feet perpendicularly from the water.

Mr. Nelson stood with one foot in a hole in the rocks, and the other on the end of the boat. Miss Metzner jumped from the bank, and her weigh pushed him backwards into the water, she going with him. The force of the fall also shoved the boat out of reach, and the two were left struggling in the water.

Miss Metzner threw her arms about Mr. Nelson's neck from the rear, which prevented his swimming, but he managed to tread water and maintain the double weight until they reached the bank. With her still clinging to his neck, he climbed the perpendicular bank until the two were head and shoulders out of water, when the crumbling stones gave way, and they were both thrown back under water.

Again he struggled to the surface and made the bank. The stones cut his hands and tore his nails, but with Miss Metzner still clinging to his neck he again endeavored to climb the cliff, only to be again thrown back into the water.

By this time his strength was so completely exhausted that he was unable to rise for some time, but remembers vaguely feeling for the rocky ledge and finally finding it. Running his hand along it, he found a small limb to which he clung and finally managed to get his head above water. With a full return of consciousness he sought Miss Metzner, only to find that she had disappeared, probably having become unconscious when they went under the third time. Relieved of the added weight he managed to make the shore.

In the meantime Miss Ida Metzner had seen her sister sink, and looked over the ledge. She also fell in the water, probably having fainted, she never rose to the surface. When strength returned Mr. Nelson hurried for assistance, and in in short time willing hands were dragging the water for the bodies.

Miss Ida Metzner was found in a few minutes, her body having been in the water only about twenty minutes. All efforts possible were made to revive the unfortunate girl, but they were in vain. Little or no water was found in her lungs and she probably died from heart failure, from which she was a sufferer. The body of her sister Pauline was not recovered for a couple of hours, when life was extinct.

This double tragedy came as a great shock to Humboldt, where the unfortunate girls have grown to womanhood and where their friends are only limited to their acquaintances.

Miss Ida Metzner was a young woman of excellent qualities, and for several years had been a school teacher, in which vocation she displayed exceptional ability. She was also employed some time in the store of D.A. Ray, and was a most capable saleswoman.

Miss Pauline's death was extremely sad. The day was her birthday, which she had celebrated at a party in her honor given at the home of Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Wilson, and which she was further celebrating by a picnic on the shady banks of Lake Nokomas. She was even more popular than her sister, and for several years had been the efficient clerk in the post office at Humboldt. She was a graduate of the Humboldt high schools, a member of many prominent societies, and a young lady of exceptional worth and honor.


August 31, 1905 - Humboldt Independent - Ida Metzner was born at Versellies, Illinois, September 18, 1875. Died at Humboldt, Iowa, August 23, 1905.

Pauline Metzner was born at Chicago, Illinois, August 23, 1880. Died at Humboldt, Iowa, August 23, 1905. They came to Humboldt with their parents in 1883, where they have since resided. The sad taking away of these two young ladies is too well known to need any farther explanation.

There is no doubt but that this was the largest funeral ever held in this part of the country. As early as ten o'clock In the morning teams from all directions began to arrive and by the time set for the services at the church the streets for blocks in each direction from the church were nearly completely blocked and nearly every hitching post on main street was occupied.

At a few minutes after two o'clock in the afternoon, after a short service at the home, the funeral party composed of the relatives and a few intimate friends of the family headed by the two funeral cars each drawn by a span of gray horses, and the twelve pall bearers, all escorted by a line of about one hundred members of Humboldt Rebekah Lodge No. 200, of which lodge Miss Pauline was a prominent member, and some who were members elsewhere, proceeded east to the corner of Taft's Park, thence south to the Congregational church where they in open order formed an opening through which the party passed into the church.

People had began filling the church as early as one o'clock and by the time set for the services many hundreds of people were refused admission as every seat not reserved for the funeral party had been taken by outsiders, while on the outside the crowd was many times larger than the audience in the church.

The services were conducted by Rev. M.D. Reed, their pastor, assisted by Rev's. Alexander Bennett of the M.E. church and A.A. Ostrich of the Baptist church and the singing numbers were given by Mrs. Strong, Miss Nichols, Dr. Doan and Mr. Spayde, with Mrs. Rev. Reed at the organ. At the close of the services the caskets were placed near the main entrance to the church and along the north side and the remains were viewed by fully two thousand people, those on the outside being admitted through the north entrance.

The procession was preceded from the church to the cemetery by the Rebekahs in carriages, who formed lines inside of the main gate and escorted the party to the family lot and formed a circle around them while the last sad rites were performed over the remains. The Rebekahs marching in one solemn circle dropped a floral tribute of pink and green, the colors of the order, into the grave of each. The procession then proceeded back to the main gate and departed for their homes.

An effort was made to get an accurate count of the teams at the cemetery but a complete count was not made but it is certain that over 1,125 carriages went to the cemetery. The passing away of these two young ladles leaves a vacant space in the hearts of a very large circle of friends and in the different societies to which they belonged and it would be difficult to imagine of an occasion which would call forth a more generally sympathetic response from every one for miles around than the one which brought together this very large gathering.

Sorrow and sympathy were plainly visible on every countenance and all unconsciously became mourners and vied with each other as one person in paying a fitting respect to the departed. Words cannot adequately express the sorrow and gloom that is cast over the bereaved family.

All that was possible for any community to do to alleviate the sorrow of the family was done. The floral tributes given by the various societies and sympathizing friends was very large and of the choicest selections. Even at the graves the deft touch of loving and sympathizing hands was plainly visible.