Burs Alexander, 16, Drowns in Steele Creek, June 13, 1921

Catawba River Claims Burs Alexander. . . Ventured Into Deeper Water While Wading in Creek

Burs Alexander, 16-year-old son of J.F. Alexander of Steele Creek, was drowned in the Catawba river at a point near the Steele Creek school house Sunday afternoon about 4 o’clock. His body had not been recovered Monday at noon.

Young Alexander, who could not swim, had been wading in a creek near its mouth. He was alone at the time. At the point where he entered the water, as indicated by footprints, the water is only about knee-deep. Going towards the mouth, however, the water gradually becomes deeper, the depth reaching 10 or 12 feet at the point it empties into the Catawba.

It was believed that the boy sought to get his body beneath the water, owing to the hot weather, and ventured into deeper water. The force of the swift stream caused him to drift into water that was over his head. His parents had not known him to go into the river before, and they were unable to account for his decision to bathe in the creek Sunday afternoon.

The youth had taken his uncle across the river in a boat, the uncle getting out on the Gaston side, and he tied the boat in the creek upon his return to the Mecklenburg side.

His father and friends found his clothes lying on the bank at the creek about 5 o’clock Sunday afternoon as they were walking along the riverbank, unsuspecting that the boy had drowned. Efforts were made by people of the neighborhood to locate the body but it could not be found.

A call came to the city for aid Monday morning, and Firemen Bob Barnes, Banks and Gribble, of the Fifth Street station, went out. Drag hooks were expected to be used during the day if divers and swimmers could not locate the body.

Fireman Barns only Sunday found the body of Homer Reynolds, a 15-year-old youth, who was drowned in the Catawba river last Thursday while bathing. Friends of young Alexander were surprised that he went into the creek as he had not gone into water before owning to his inability to swim. The shallowness of the water at the point where he undressed probably lured him into the stream, it was believed, and once in he risked wading into deeper water, unexpectedly finding himself in water where he could not control himself.

From the front page of The Charlotte News, Monday, June 13, 1921