The Van Buren press., 1873-06-10
NO. 7
Hsw it Feels to be Drowned.
An Incident Of the Diron Disastr

The correspondent Of the Chicsgo Tr'.
bune interviewed DR.. Hoffman, one OF
participants in the recent bridge disaster
at Dixon, in reference to his sensations
while under the water, and learucd. from
him what Is subjencd;
My wife and I went TO see the baptism
Of the converts, and took up position
on the bridge about thirty feet from the
first pier. and between it and the abut-
ment We were surrounded BY people
men, women and children. Suddenly,
whil0 Mr. Pratt was entering the water
with female, heard report similar to
that made by small cannon. and in an
instant the water closed over me, and ]
folt that something was pressing me down
A heavy weight appeared to be over me.
| did not sink TO the bottom. | was per-
fectly conscious and Immediately thought
of getting out if possible. My hand
came in contact with the tressle work,
and crawling up as if ascending a ladder,
| was fortunate in finding an opening
through which crawlcd and immediate
ly arose to the surface. l was then, as
near rs can judge, about seventy or
eighty feet from the shore. swan to-
ward the bank, but when near it my
strength gave out and ] sank. While
swimming some person, who must have
been under the water, caught hold Of my
left leg and grasped tight fer minute.
preventing me from going forward. The
person let go as suddenly as he had TAX
en- hold, and gave stroke or two, when
l encountered dress. = Thinking It was
my wife, who was standing beside me
when the span fell, I grabbed it, but hav-
ing become onervatsd, | was obliged to
let it 60 was almost exhausted at the
time, and do not know that the dress was
that Of my wife did not notice 1t
particularly. My thoughts were almost
solely confined to her, and ! imagined,
when l saw the dress, it was hers When
| sank l was still sensible Of the sur
roundings. went apparently very
close to the bottom The current rolled
me over and over, and my hands fire.
| atently came in contact with the gravel.
could feel the water running down my
throat and in my ears, and all at once sx-
perienced the most delightful sensation.
seemed to be at peace with everything.
and perfectly happy. My whole life pass
ed before me like a fash Of lightning,
the events appearing in sequence, the
most prominent appearing to be indcli-
bly, impressed upon my mind. Circum'
stances l had forgotten appeared wildly.
and did not want to be disturbed.
should have preferred to remain whore l
was. While in the midst Of bsatHic
rovcric, thinking what my wife would do
il she werc. saved and drowned, ] felt
hand Oh my shoulder. l was pulled cut
and placed on rock ! was almost in
sensible, but gradually came to myself
Oh, how sick and wretched felt ] was
greatly astonishcd at the number Of
events that passed through my mind while
under the water Nothing that occurred
during childhood was evident, but every
thing since was 10 years old appeared
before me as II photographed The
sensation experienced while the water
was going down my throat was not un.
pleasant. 1t seemed as il ] was going
on q journey, and was surrounded by all
sorts of beautiful things. While on the
rock felt very bad and desired to be let
alone. The sudden transition from the
beatiGc state in the water to the dry land
seemed to have bad effect and made me
indifferent to what was going on around
me- Several people came to me and
wanted to take me home, but told them
to lot me aloae, was 80 miserable. The
corpse Of my wife; was found after she
had been in the water about three hours.
1t is said that Mrs. Hof'man's counto-
was lighted up with tlfe- like smile, SO
peaceful and suggestive OF such pleasant
thoughts when dying that sverybody's
attention was attracted to her.