It was during the summer vacation of 1916 that the first tragedy came into the Glade home. Since Will was given a week’s vacation every summer, many enjoyable times were anticipated for this week, as well as much work around the household planned for. It was on August 16th of the vacation that Will, in company with six younger children, chose to spend a day in City Creek Canyon. Annie did not attend the party. Edwin, age 4, was the youngest to take the trip, and because of his age, was allowed to ride in a small go-cart, when the trail availed such darting in and out among the shrubs along the river banks. After the family had hiked about five miles up the canyon, just beyond the large reservoir, an ideal camping spot was located and they had lunch.
Will, in company with the children, hiked around and found great enjoyment in watching the minnows in the large reservoir. Will took all of the children back to the camping site and sat down to read. The children, however, were too interested in the minnows to contend themselves with just reading at camp. Therefore the children returned to the reservoir and made themselves comfortable by sitting on the cement wall, at the south end of the reservoir, which extended about fifteen inches above the water line. Suddenly Will stopped reading and realized the danger of one of the children falling into the water. Simultaneously, with the thought Elizabeth was heard screaming to father that Edwin had fallen in. Running down the road, Will came, threw off his coat and leaped into the water. The children were crying and offered little help to Will who was enduring the cold, piercing water in the pursuit of Edwin. Will got out, jerked off his trousers, then with the aid of a large pole held by the girls dove in again to search for his child. The bowl shaped reservoir contributed to the struggle and Will had to emerge a second time from the water without his son. He managed to get out of the water by grabbing the pole held by his children.
Terrified and worried Will ran to the road where he spotted a surveying party and told them of his distress. In the party were two expert swimmers who stripped off their clothes and dove to the bottom of the reservoir, but could not locate the body. In the meantime, Will had paged a ride down to the city, and notified the police of the tragedy. They responded by sending up grappling irons and the patrol wagon. These men, aided with their grappling irons were successful in locating the body.
The frightened children ran screaming down the canyon; dragging the old cart; and raced up the hill on the east side to reach home first to tell Annie the sad news. Annie had become very worried about the safety of the children due to being suddenly seized during the afternoon with the thought of an accident to one of them. The news seemed to come to her as the climax to the fear she had cultivated that afternoon.
Edwin’s funeral was held in the Glade family’s home. Bishop Orson F. Whitney was the speaker and consoled the family by saying that no doubt the time had come for Edwin to be taken back into the presence of God. (Being the 10th child-he was their tithing child.) The family will ever remember the kindness shown them at their hour of bereavement. He was buried in the City Cemetery.
To be continued...
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