The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-02-27
CORMAN CAUGHT
Under q Pile Of Drift Wood and
Game Near Drowning in
Spring Fork.
His Team Drowned and tho Goods
He had Purchased
Were Lost.

Mr.. Jacob German, q farmer who lives
some Is miles south oi Srdsiia, in the edge
of Benton county, hsG an experience, FRI
day afternoon last, which came near cost
ing him his life. On Thursday he came
70 Sedaiis, driving = team hitched TO .
heavy farm wagon. At that time Spring
Fork creek was almost out of it's banks,
but Mr.. Cormsn managed TO cross in safe.
ty. The day following, on returning home
when be reached the stresm, he found il
still fu,t Their swollen, and was fearful tina,
he would not be able to cross.
While he was cugitating ON the subject,
VI. Meng came along. and Mr.. German
Intercepted him rs 10 the possibility Of
crossing. The doctor told him he had
forded The creek the evening before at a
point further down, and German conclude
he would make the attempt also.
de rode to the spot indicated by DR..
Meng, aud drove in, but il seems he mis-
ed the ford proper, and in an instant his
horses were compelled to swim. There
was nothing to 40 but push ahead, how
ever, and Is the cRrrent was remarkably
swift, the team WAS carried down the
stream, TO point where there was 4
high enbAnkment By this time the horses
were nearly exhausted, and were scarcely
able to keep their heads above water.
10 add to the unpleassntness of the sit
uatiOn, MIR. German was thrown from LIS
wagon at this stsse, and went down into
the water depth Of several feet. When
he arose. or came ri least partially to the
surface, he found himself held by either
the wagon or pile OF drift, and he was
thus held Tor few seconds He was, he
says, peri: city composed, and knew that he
was certain TO drown unless he exerted
himself To The utmost. Thoroughly under.
standing the situation, he concluded TO
dive down, and, if possible, come out be.
low what was imprisoniDg him. He did
SO. and on coming up found himself freed.
but still IN an unpleasant situation.
he then swan down the stream, and.
fortunately, caught hold of large piece OF
DRIFT wood which was floating by has side,
and which, minnie later, caught on some.
thing and stopped in The center OF the
stream.
Although Mr.. German was benumbed
with cold. and thus prevented from exert
ing himself as ne would o,n-
erwIse have done, he managed to
attract the attention of two Men at dis.
lance. They went to his rescue, but before
they could render him any assistance, j,
was necessary to fell a tree, which was per
mitted to fall into the creek, reaching al
most to the sPot where Mr.. German vas
holding TO the piece of driftwood.
No sooner had the tree fallen than Mr.
German made for it,and was thus permitted
to reach the shore, almost frozen. His
horses, in the meantime, had drowned, and
had been carried down the stream. where,
With the wagon, they were landed ON the
shore.
Mr.. German was taken to the nearest
house. where he was made as comfortable
rs possible, and it was not until Saturday
that he reached his home
His loss is about $500, as the animals
drowned were good ones, and he had, in
addition, several dollars worth of goods
which be had purchased here, and wss
taking home