This is the area of Milwaukee in which I live. I'm sorry to say that children (and others) still drown in the river all to often. Just last year we lost two young sisters who drowned when the river was swollen. The younger one fell in and the older one jumped in to save her, even though neither could swim and the water was higher and rougher than usual. It was weeks and weeks before both bodies were found. mrf Tom & Karen Duffy wrote: >Perhaps check old newspapers like the Milwaukee Journal. Here's part of my >family's Milwaukee River story. John was my grandmother's oldest brother. >July 27, 1914: >"Mother Sees Her Boy Drown > While swimming in the river at the foot of Wright Street Sunday, John >Orzechowski, 11, 915 Bolton St., was seized with cramps and drowned. The >boy's mother and five smaller brothers and sisters stood upon the bank, >unable to assist. > The mother, with her six children, walked to the river to spend Sunday >afternoon and John begged permission to go in swimming. When this was >granted he joined other boys and dived off a springboard. His body did not >come to the surface. Police began dragging the river Monday. > Several of the youth's swimming companions risked their own lives in >efforts to recover the body." > > "The body of John Orzechowski, 11, 915 Bolton St., who drowned while >swimming in the Milwaukee river at the foot of Wright St, was recovered >Tuesday. The police dragged the river throughout Monday, but were unable to >find the body. The body, discovered floating down the river by John >Padjewski, 916 Dousman St., was taken to the home of the parents." > >Karen Duffy > > >