Mexico weekly ledger., 1885-08-27
NARROW ESCAPE.
A Mexico Man Nearly Drowned-Thrill.
ing Experience Prof. DAVIS Under.
went IN the Water.

=
ing Experience Prof. DAVIS Under.
went IN the Water.
Prof. j. G. Davis, principal of the
Benton school, Kansas City, former
ly of Mexico, No., is still confined to
his bed from his accident Monday,
by which he narrowly escaped drown
ing. His account of the affair is
thrilling in the extreme. He had
driven over to Harlem to inspect the
line of government barges, which are
engaged in reverting the river bank
opposite the foot of Grand avenue.
Hitching his horse he went aboard
the steamer and made his way over
the barges to the dredge boat about
$50 feet above. In attempting to
step from the dredge boat to the next
barge, which was about three feet
distant, the boat he was on gave a
lunge and he was thrown into the
water and instantly carried under the
barge. His experiences under the
water are interestingly told in his
own language. being a good SWIM
mer / was not in the least fright
ened," he said, land at once struck
| out for the shore. An under current
was against me, however, and as fast
as 1 got to the edge of the boat l
| was carried back under it. After
several attempts of this kind l gave
it up and adopted another course.
There was a slight projection from
the keel of the boat, and clutch
ing this with my nails / worked my
| self to the lower end of the boat, only
to be swept back again by the cur
rent, which seemed to form a kind of
whirlpool. By this time I was pretty
we'll exhausted and I began to realize
that my situation was becoming des-
perate. Although I had taken in a
good deal of water 1 had not yet lost
my presence of mind, and l deter
mined to swim the full length of the
boats, when 1 knew L could get out if
my strength lasted. If I had done
this at first, or had l tried the other
side of the boat. l could have sue
ceeded without difficulty. But 1 did
not know of the existence of the
counter current and only found it out
when too late. However, my only
chance was to go under all the boats;
and l started, the water rushing
down my throat despite all my efforts
to prevent it. / had not made q
dozen strokes when l felt conscious
ness leaving me and breathing a short
prayer 1 abandoned myself to my
fate. 1 could feel myself being car.
RED down by the current striking the
bottom of the boats at intervals,
Finally all sensibility left me and
remember nothing more until
opened my eyes on the boat. My
I last thought l had was whether
should wake up in this world or the
next; my first on awaking and seeing
the men about me was that / was il
time, not eternity. They told me
that I had been in the water and hat
had a pretty hard time and that
must keep quiet. 1 closed my eyel
and they fell to chatting me and ap
, plying r~estoratives. 1 was soon abb
to get into my buggy ind be driver
home. On the way they told me tina
having seer me fall they had watched
for me at the sides of the boat, bu
] not seeing me for some time had sta
toned themselves ut the end of tn
steamer. Finally I came to the sur
: face and Pearl Gilkerson sprang il
after me. l was too heavy for hin
and pulled him down with me. H
! came to the surface for air and divin'
. brought mt up and started for tn
shore. Assistance was offered fror
c the shore and we were both pulle'
out, Gilkerson in about as bad a COZ
dition as l."
"What we're your feelings on al
: irving at home"
. "Most peculiar. About an hou
q after being brought home I had
e chill. 1t was the most terrible ser
sation I v e experienced. 1 wa
+ ice cold from center to surface; m
marrow seemed frozen in my bones
. The doctors had irons and bottles @
hot water placed about me. One G
e the irons burnt a blister ON MY foot
0 but 1 was unable even to feel th
heat. In about an hour the chi
left me and q burning fever fol
t lowed, which lasted only a shor
time. I have been improving eve
q = since, but am still very weak. Ho,
3 long vas I under the water? This
e is what I don't know. The men sa
r it was fully ten minutes, but the doc
tors declare it impossible. Howeve
: that may be, l wasted some time i
futile attempts to get out by swim
: ming to the side of the boat and the
swan and loated the greater part q
$50 feet. 1t may not have taken te
minutes to do all this, but it too
long enough. I wouldn't underg
{ such another experience fol q mint
:, The remembrance of it still haunt
e me like a frightful dream."-Kansa
g City Times.
ALMOST 4 wATERY GRAVE
d.. n. XII