Harrison, Virgil Jr.

Picher Oklahoma, Dec 23 Double funeral services will be held tomorrow for Virgil Harrison, 7 years old and Richard Harrison, 5, brothers who were drowned yesterday then they fell through the ice into 10 feet of water, while playing on a mill pond near their home in the northwest part of Picher. The bodies were recovered by men of a drill rig nearby after 40 minutes of diligent work. The two boys, in company with an older brother, Paul Harrison, 10, were playing in the vicinity of the Gordon Mine. The younger boys ran on the ice to recover a fishing pole lying near the center of the pond. Suddenly the ice gave way and both boys sank into 10 feet of water. Cries of the older brother were heard by workmen drilling nearby, and they rushed to the scene.

The bodies were rushed in an ambulance of the Todd undertaking company, of Picher to the Picher hospital where physicians worked for 45 minutes to revive the youths, but without success. Virgil Harrison, Sr., father of the boys, is a hard rock lead and zinc miner and an ex-service man. The family is said to be in straitened circumstances and a fund is being raised by donations of friends and sympathetic citizens to meet the funeral expenses.

Funeral services will be held at the Baptist church in Cardin Oklahoma at 10 o'clock Saturday morning. The Rev. Savage will officiate. Burial will be in G.A.R. cemetery, Miami Oklahoma. under direction of Todd undertaking company, of Picher Oklahoma.

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Picher Oklahoma, Dec 24 During the winter months, when mill ponds at mines of the Picher district are frozen over, parents should be especially cautious about allowing their children to play near the ponds. Police Chief Noland emphasized today. The drowning Thursday of the two Harrison boys in the Gordon mill pond should cause parents to repeatedly warn their children against playing on the ice covered ponds, he said. In commenting on this tragedy Riley Clark, deputy state mine inspector, said he had been informed many children during the last week were seen carelessly running and jumping on the ice-covered ponds. Clark emphasized that mining companies are unable to prevent children from playing about the ponds as it is impossible to keep a special watchman constantly on guard.

Funeral services for Virgil Harrison and Richard Harrison, young sons of Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Harrison, residing near the Howe Mine, who met death in the Thursday afternoon tragedy at the Gordon Mine, were held at the Baptist church in Cardin Oklahoma at 10 o'clock this morning. Burial was in the G.A.R. cemetery, Miami, under direction of the Todd undertaking company, of Picher Oklahoma.