Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-12-29
A FEARFUL SITUATION.
a Sleigh Load Of Passengers Break Through
the Ice into the Mississippi River
Narrow Escapes from Drown
ing and Freezing,

lug ann treezlnG,
On Wednesday morning about hall
past four, load of passengers, consist.
ing of eight or ten gentlemen and two
ladies, attempted to cross the river a,
Dubuque to take the early eastern train
The sleigh was drawn by ore horse, at.
tached some distance from the vehicle
which also contained the baggage of the
passengers. It was the public convey.
ance running from Dubuque to Dun.
leith, and the Agent accompanying /,
carried lantern, for it was yet dark
The sleigh had proceeded but short
distance when the ice gave way, and
the sleigh gave lurch to the north and
the passengers were precipitated into
the river. Col. w. II. Sessions and his
daughterMary, of this city, were among
the passengers. The Colonel went owe,
backwards and passengers and trunks
came on top of him. The Agent had
jumped from the sleigh as he saw it GO
Ing down, and in seeking to rescue
those in the water had broken in and
lost his light. It was so dark now that
nothing could be distinguished, and the
situation was terrible. The Colonel was
perfectly self possessed, and repeatedly
cautioned those around him not to be
frightened and they would all get out.
He knew his daughter was in the water,
but where she was he could not tell
He got hold of lady whom he suppos.
ed to be her, but soon discovered it was
not. He held her up, however, and
finally got her out. His daughter had
gone entirely under, and came up with
out her bonnet. She was finally helped
out by stranger, who told the Colonel
that it didn't matter what his name
was. A ladder was brought and put
down into the water. This the Colonel
grappled, and he says it seemed to him
he could hold on to it forever. But his
muscles relaxed in spite of him and he
went down. He came up and ran his
arm through the rounds of the ladder
and held on by his forearm. He went
under the water three times before he
got out. Miss Sessions went under twice
and when taken out was all but insen-
sible. Her clothes were soon frozen
stiff, and she was unable to walk. Her
father, who was the last ofall out of the
water, having forgotten his own safety
in the peril of others, was still active,
and carried her to the omnibus on shore
which drove rapidly TO the Julien
House. Here Miss Sessions was kindly
cared for by Mrs. Russ, the landlady,
and was soon quite comfortable. The
Colonel took the western train of that
day for home to inform his family.
and cllay any fears they might have
from the circulation OF false reports
He received two dispatches from his
daughter yesterday, and she was quit
well, not even having taken cold. The
Colonel came home in the same clothes
he had on when lie went into the river,
and we can only account for the man
being alive and well in consideration of
the excitement which must have atten-
ded one Of his disposition. The other
passengers all got out safely. The bag
gage was also saved. The horse and
sleigh did not go into the river. The
space Of open water made bv The break
was about twenty feet square. It was
psriious situation and narrow escape
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