Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-02-08
A Il SITUATION.

A sleiyh-load Of Passengers Break
lhro1Eh the Ice late the Misstssippt
River-NRrrow Escape from Drown
Ing ~ Freezing.
On Wednesday morning, about half
past four, a load Of passengers, consisting
Of eight or ten gentlemen and two ladies,
attempted to cross the river at Dubuque,
to take the early Eastern tiain. The
sleigh was drawn by one horse, attached
some distance from the vehicle, which also
contained the baggage Of the passengers.
It was the public conveyance running
from Dubuque to Dunleith, and the agent
accompanying it carried a lantern, for it
was yet dark. The sleigh had proceeded
but a short distance when the ice gave a
lurch to the north, and the passengers
were precipitated into the river. Colonel
W. H. Sessions and his daughter Mary,
Of this city, were among the passengers.
The Colonel went over backwards and
passengers and trunks came on top OF him.
The agent had jumped from the sleigh as
be saw it going down, and in seeking to
rescue those in the water, had broken in
and lost his light. 1t was SO dark now
that nothing could be distinguished. and
the situation was terrible. The Colonel
was perfectly self-possessed, and repeat
edly cautioned those around him not to
| get 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 a lady whom he supposed 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 without her bonnet.
She was finally helped out by a stranger,
who told the Colonel that it didn't matter
what his name was. Aladder 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 almost insensible. Her
clothes were soon frozen stiff, and she was
unable to walk. Her father, who was the
last OF all out Of the water, having forgot
ten his W safety in the peril Of others,
was still active, and carried her to the ON
n,bus on shore, which drove rapidly to
the Julien House. Here Miss Sessions
was kindly cared for by Mrs. Ross, the
landlady, and was soon quite comfortable.
The Colonel took the western train of that
day for home. to inform his family and
allay any fears they might have from the
circulation Of false reports. He received
two dispatches from his daughter yester-
day, and she was quite well, not having
even taken cold. The Colonel came home
in the same clothes he had on when he
went into the river, and we can only &C.
count for the man being alive and well in
consideration of the excitement which
must have attended one Of his disposition.
The other passengers all got out safely.
The baggage was also saved. The horse
and sleigh did not get into the river. The
space Of open water made by the break
was about twenty feet square. 1t was q
perilous situation and narrow escape
Cedar Falls (Eo,od) Gazette.