Hiram Augustus Balch, Jr.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=46803839

A. Balch, a well known and highly respected rancher of Oakville and a former resident of Olympia, was drowned while crossing the Chehalis River at the mouth of Black River, Monday afternoon. Mr Balch, in company with Mrs. Balch and their sons Steve and George, were in a small dugout canoe, which struck a snag and threw the occupants into the current. They succeeded in catching hold of the overturned canoe, with the exception of little George, who was carried down stream. Mr. Balch swam after the drowning boy, and just as he caught him and was about to get back to the canoe, he was caught by an eddy and carried under a heavy drift of logs, from which escape was almost impossible. He held to the boy as he went down. Mrs. Balch had an infant in her arms and was thoroughly wet and chilled.