Word has been received here to the effect that Howard W. Bell of this city lost his life while bathing in the surf at Asbury Park, N.J., where he was spending a few weeks of vacation. Very little information concerning the drowning has reached the family and the parents of the young man as well as a host of personal friends are awaiting further details.

Howard D. Bell was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. John T. Bell of 1259 Linden street. He was born at Omaha, Neb., in 1875, and came to Oakland with his parents in 1887. He graduated from the Oakland High school, attended the State university for a few months and later spent two years at Stanford.

Several years ago he went East. He spent two years in London, where he inaugurated the "unit system" of book printing, but for some time had been in New York City, engaged in the same work.

Before he went East the young man engaged in newspaper work in this city, being connected with the reportorial staff of a local paper in which his father was interested financially.