The Times Record; Waterford, NY; Wednesday Evening, October 3, 1951; page 1 and 13
Waterford Boy Drowned in Canal by James Baar
Transcribed 3/1/17 by Rebecca Wright
Anthony Sorrell, 5, of 58 Fourth Street, Waterford, was drowned last night in the old Champlain Canal that borders Waterford Playground.
The boy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Olan Sorrell, was pulled from the water approximately eight feet deep by members of Waterford Rescue Squad approximately ten minutes after he fell in, but he never regained consciousness.
Rescue workers attempted for over an hour to revive him where he lay along the foggy bank of the canal while about 250 persons looked on.
The boy was pronounced dead by Dr. Marshall W. Quandt of Waterford. Dr. F. A. Mastianni of Mechanicville, Saratoga County coroner, issued a decision of death due to accidental drowning.
Anthony's father, a crane operator at Watervliet Arsenal, said the boy had gone outdoors to play after dinner along with his seven-year-old brother, Keith. Waterford playground, where the children went to play, is directly behind the Sorrell home.
Mr. Sorrell said he did not know what happened next. He said he was at a nearby gas station when he heard the hysterical shouts of his wife and neighbors.
A member of the family, who was sitting with the grief stricken mother as rescue workers tried futilely to revive Anthony, said the boy's older brother, Keith, gave the alarm.
She said Keith told them Anthony was trying to reach something in the canal when he fell in.
Knickerbacker Steamer Co., Waterford, said the alarm was called in at 5:50 p.m. by a neighbor, Mrs. Raymond Rocque, 23 Third Street.
Members of the Rescue Squad dragged the water-soaked body of the drowned boy from the canal with grappling hooks about ten minutes later, according to Lloyd Bull, squad vice president.
Approximately 250 onlookers ringed the spot on the foggy, damp bank where workers labored over the small handsome boy.
Mr. Sorrell, his eyes wide with grief and worry, stood for most of the hour-long vigil just outside the rope that ringed the clearing where his son lay. Crews of men worked on the boy by the light of nearby street lamps and the headlights of the Rescue Squad ambulance.
Several times during the drawn-out hour Mr. Sorrell left the watchers to go to his wife at their nearby home. She remained in the house with her three other children-Keith and two younger daughters-praying through her tears for a miracle.
At about 6:30 rescuers thought the boy's heart fluttered, but the flicker of life never returned.
All hope was given up about a half-hour later. However, as they waited for the coroner, workers still continued to try to pump life into the boy.
The body was removed to the Quandt Funeral Home, Waterford.
A few minutes later only a few small groups still stood near the canal bank.
One oldtimer said: "That's a tough stream. Lot of people drowned in it."
"Yeah," another said: "I swam half way across it and back a long time before I went all the way."
Waterford Boy Drowned in Canal by James Baar
Transcribed 3/1/17 by Rebecca Wright
Anthony Sorrell, 5, of 58 Fourth Street, Waterford, was drowned last night in the old Champlain Canal that borders Waterford Playground.
The boy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Olan Sorrell, was pulled from the water approximately eight feet deep by members of Waterford Rescue Squad approximately ten minutes after he fell in, but he never regained consciousness.
Rescue workers attempted for over an hour to revive him where he lay along the foggy bank of the canal while about 250 persons looked on.
The boy was pronounced dead by Dr. Marshall W. Quandt of Waterford. Dr. F. A. Mastianni of Mechanicville, Saratoga County coroner, issued a decision of death due to accidental drowning.
Anthony's father, a crane operator at Watervliet Arsenal, said the boy had gone outdoors to play after dinner along with his seven-year-old brother, Keith. Waterford playground, where the children went to play, is directly behind the Sorrell home.
Mr. Sorrell said he did not know what happened next. He said he was at a nearby gas station when he heard the hysterical shouts of his wife and neighbors.
A member of the family, who was sitting with the grief stricken mother as rescue workers tried futilely to revive Anthony, said the boy's older brother, Keith, gave the alarm.
She said Keith told them Anthony was trying to reach something in the canal when he fell in.
Knickerbacker Steamer Co., Waterford, said the alarm was called in at 5:50 p.m. by a neighbor, Mrs. Raymond Rocque, 23 Third Street.
Members of the Rescue Squad dragged the water-soaked body of the drowned boy from the canal with grappling hooks about ten minutes later, according to Lloyd Bull, squad vice president.
Approximately 250 onlookers ringed the spot on the foggy, damp bank where workers labored over the small handsome boy.
Mr. Sorrell, his eyes wide with grief and worry, stood for most of the hour-long vigil just outside the rope that ringed the clearing where his son lay. Crews of men worked on the boy by the light of nearby street lamps and the headlights of the Rescue Squad ambulance.
Several times during the drawn-out hour Mr. Sorrell left the watchers to go to his wife at their nearby home. She remained in the house with her three other children-Keith and two younger daughters-praying through her tears for a miracle.
At about 6:30 rescuers thought the boy's heart fluttered, but the flicker of life never returned.
All hope was given up about a half-hour later. However, as they waited for the coroner, workers still continued to try to pump life into the boy.
The body was removed to the Quandt Funeral Home, Waterford.
A few minutes later only a few small groups still stood near the canal bank.
One oldtimer said: "That's a tough stream. Lot of people drowned in it."
"Yeah," another said: "I swam half way across it and back a long time before I went all the way."
The Times Record; Waterford, NY; Wednesday Evening, October 3, 1951; page 1 and 13
Waterford Boy Drowned in Canal by James Baar
Transcribed 3/1/17 by Rebecca Wright
Anthony Sorrell, 5, of 58 Fourth Street, Waterford, was drowned last night in the old Champlain Canal that borders Waterford Playground.
The boy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Olan Sorrell, was pulled from the water approximately eight feet deep by members of Waterford Rescue Squad approximately ten minutes after he fell in, but he never regained consciousness.
Rescue workers attempted for over an hour to revive him where he lay along the foggy bank of the canal while about 250 persons looked on.
The boy was pronounced dead by Dr. Marshall W. Quandt of Waterford. Dr. F. A. Mastianni of Mechanicville, Saratoga County coroner, issued a decision of death due to accidental drowning.
Anthony's father, a crane operator at Watervliet Arsenal, said the boy had gone outdoors to play after dinner along with his seven-year-old brother, Keith. Waterford playground, where the children went to play, is directly behind the Sorrell home.
Mr. Sorrell said he did not know what happened next. He said he was at a nearby gas station when he heard the hysterical shouts of his wife and neighbors.
A member of the family, who was sitting with the grief stricken mother as rescue workers tried futilely to revive Anthony, said the boy's older brother, Keith, gave the alarm.
She said Keith told them Anthony was trying to reach something in the canal when he fell in.
Knickerbacker Steamer Co., Waterford, said the alarm was called in at 5:50 p.m. by a neighbor, Mrs. Raymond Rocque, 23 Third Street.
Members of the Rescue Squad dragged the water-soaked body of the drowned boy from the canal with grappling hooks about ten minutes later, according to Lloyd Bull, squad vice president.
Approximately 250 onlookers ringed the spot on the foggy, damp bank where workers labored over the small handsome boy.
Mr. Sorrell, his eyes wide with grief and worry, stood for most of the hour-long vigil just outside the rope that ringed the clearing where his son lay. Crews of men worked on the boy by the light of nearby street lamps and the headlights of the Rescue Squad ambulance.
Several times during the drawn-out hour Mr. Sorrell left the watchers to go to his wife at their nearby home. She remained in the house with her three other children-Keith and two younger daughters-praying through her tears for a miracle.
At about 6:30 rescuers thought the boy's heart fluttered, but the flicker of life never returned.
All hope was given up about a half-hour later. However, as they waited for the coroner, workers still continued to try to pump life into the boy.
The body was removed to the Quandt Funeral Home, Waterford.
A few minutes later only a few small groups still stood near the canal bank.
One oldtimer said: "That's a tough stream. Lot of people drowned in it."
"Yeah," another said: "I swam half way across it and back a long time before I went all the way."
Waterford Boy Drowned in Canal by James Baar
Transcribed 3/1/17 by Rebecca Wright
Anthony Sorrell, 5, of 58 Fourth Street, Waterford, was drowned last night in the old Champlain Canal that borders Waterford Playground.
The boy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Olan Sorrell, was pulled from the water approximately eight feet deep by members of Waterford Rescue Squad approximately ten minutes after he fell in, but he never regained consciousness.
Rescue workers attempted for over an hour to revive him where he lay along the foggy bank of the canal while about 250 persons looked on.
The boy was pronounced dead by Dr. Marshall W. Quandt of Waterford. Dr. F. A. Mastianni of Mechanicville, Saratoga County coroner, issued a decision of death due to accidental drowning.
Anthony's father, a crane operator at Watervliet Arsenal, said the boy had gone outdoors to play after dinner along with his seven-year-old brother, Keith. Waterford playground, where the children went to play, is directly behind the Sorrell home.
Mr. Sorrell said he did not know what happened next. He said he was at a nearby gas station when he heard the hysterical shouts of his wife and neighbors.
A member of the family, who was sitting with the grief stricken mother as rescue workers tried futilely to revive Anthony, said the boy's older brother, Keith, gave the alarm.
She said Keith told them Anthony was trying to reach something in the canal when he fell in.
Knickerbacker Steamer Co., Waterford, said the alarm was called in at 5:50 p.m. by a neighbor, Mrs. Raymond Rocque, 23 Third Street.
Members of the Rescue Squad dragged the water-soaked body of the drowned boy from the canal with grappling hooks about ten minutes later, according to Lloyd Bull, squad vice president.
Approximately 250 onlookers ringed the spot on the foggy, damp bank where workers labored over the small handsome boy.
Mr. Sorrell, his eyes wide with grief and worry, stood for most of the hour-long vigil just outside the rope that ringed the clearing where his son lay. Crews of men worked on the boy by the light of nearby street lamps and the headlights of the Rescue Squad ambulance.
Several times during the drawn-out hour Mr. Sorrell left the watchers to go to his wife at their nearby home. She remained in the house with her three other children-Keith and two younger daughters-praying through her tears for a miracle.
At about 6:30 rescuers thought the boy's heart fluttered, but the flicker of life never returned.
All hope was given up about a half-hour later. However, as they waited for the coroner, workers still continued to try to pump life into the boy.
The body was removed to the Quandt Funeral Home, Waterford.
A few minutes later only a few small groups still stood near the canal bank.
One oldtimer said: "That's a tough stream. Lot of people drowned in it."
"Yeah," another said: "I swam half way across it and back a long time before I went all the way."
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