Idaho Guardsman Drowns Near Pasco
Ben Treadwell, age 20, dies after suffering a suspected cramp or heart attack while swimming in the Columbia.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Ben Treadwell, age 20, of Company F, Second Idaho National Guard, was drowned in the Columbia River near the Pasco docks Monday afternoon. Despite a quick recovery of the body, resuscitation efforts failed. Treadwell, an excellent swimmer, likely suffered a cramp or heart failure. He had enlisted at Lewiston, but his parents recently moved to Brady, Montana.
“Treadwell, who with other guardsmen, were in swimming, was an excellent swimmer and his death was due to cramps or a sudden attack of heart failure.”
The Columbia River was the lifeblood of the Tri-Cities, but as this tragedy shows, it was also a dangerous environment for untrained swimmers. Recreational access to the river remains a major focal point for modern Kennewick and Pasco development.
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