Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-05-29
Sensations i'll Drowning.

THE follOwingi is the story Of Dr. Hoffman
who was in an unconscious state and full
Of water when taken out of the river after
the recent bridge accident at Dixon, Hi
nOis
My wife and [ went to see the baptism
Of the converts, and took up a position on
the bridge about thirty feet from the first
pier, and between it and the abument
We were surrounded by people-men,
women and children. Suddenly, while
Mr.. Pratt was entering the water with a
female, | heard report similar to that
made by a small cannon, and in an instant
the water closed over me, and | felt 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 hands
came in contact with the trestle-WOrk, and
crawling up as if ascending ladder, |
was fortunate in finding an opening
through which | craWled and Immediate
" arose to the surface. | was then, as
near as | can judge, about seventy or
eighty feet from the shore. [ swan to-
ward the bank, but when near it my
sire eth gave out, and / sank. While
swimming, some person, who must have
been under the water, caught hold of my
left leg, and grasped tight for a minute,
preventing me from going forward. The
person let go as suddenly as he had taken
hold, and gave stroke or two, when I
encountered a dress. Thinking it
was my wife, who was standing be
side me when the span fell, [
| was obliged to let it go. | was almost
Of 40 do
that the dress was that of my wife. | did
not notice it particularly. My thoughts
were almost solely confined to her, and [
imagined, when | saw the dress, it was hers.
When | sank | was still sensible of the
surroundings. | went apparently very
close to the bottom. The current rolled
me over and over, and my hands frequent
ly came in contact with the gravel. |
could feel the water running down my
throat and in my ears, and all at once ex-
perienced the most delightful sensation. |
seemed to be at peace with everything,
and perfectly happy. My whole life pass
ed before me like a flash of lightning, the
events appearing in sequence, the most
prominent appearing to be indelibly i'm
pressed upon my mind. Circumstances |
had forgotten appeared wildly, and | did
not want to be disturbed. | should have
preferred to remain where | was. While
in the midst of beatific reverie, thinking
what my wife would do if she were saved,
and | drowned, felt hand on my Shout
der. | was pulled out and placed on a
rock. l was almost insensible, but grad
nally came to myself. Oh, how sick and
wretched | felt!
After remaining on the rock about an
hour, | was taken to my home Here |
commenced vomiting, and frequently
elected water and partially digested food
until four O'Clock in the afternoon. | was
taken out Of the water about 600 feet be
low the bridge. | was very thirsty after
vomiting, and tried to drink some water,
but the taste was so disagreeable that
could not bear it. The only way | could
quench my thirst was by putting vinegar
into the water, about an ounce and a half
to a quarter Of pint That struck me as
rather curious circumstance. | was
greatly astonished at the number of events
that passed through my mind while under
the water. Nothing that occurred during
childhood was evident, but everything
since was about nineteen years old ap,
peared before me as if photographed. The
sensation l experienced while the
water was going down my throat
was not unpleasant. 1t seemed as if |
was going on journey, and was sur
rounded by all kinds of beautiful things
While on the rock l felt very bad and de
sired to be let alone. The sudden transi-
ton from the beatifc state in the water to
the dry land seemed to have bad effect,
and made me indifferent to what was 90
ing on around me. Several people came
to me and wanted to take me home, but ]
told them to let me alone / was so mis-
cradle. The corpse of my wife was found
after she had been in the water about three
hours
1t is said that Mrs. Hoffman's counte-
nance was lighted up with life-like
smile, so peaceful and suggestive of such
pleasant thoughts when dying, that every
body's attention was attracted to her.
A PASSENGER on an unusually slow rail