The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-18
SEEING AGAIN AFTER go YEARA
Has tho Electric Light Anything to DO with
Tho Restoration OF his Sight

From the Courier. Journal
After cropping In darkness for over O QUAR-
ter Of a century Capt. William P. DuRan Of
Jefrersonville. formerly one of the best-knoWn
pilots on the Ohio River, now by almost a mir
acle. finds his sight being slowly restored.
On January IA. 1865. the Jacob 6trader ply.
ing between Louisville and Cincinnati was
considered the finest and fastest steamboat ON
Western waters, and Capt. Dugan stood at the
wheel in her pilot house. On one occasion she
came into tho Louisville harbor and was made
fast to the land. Hardly were her moorinRS
secured before there was an accident to her
machinery. and an immense cloud Of steam
rushed M through the pilot house. 1t lasted
only moment. but when the air was again
clear Capt. Dugan was blind man. and for
been be shut out from nm. He Visited
tune In an endeavor to regain his sight, but IL
proved al IN van Still tho river retained q
where he could hear the Whistles of the pass-
ing boats. Every ono q them he knew tho
who were toddln2 children 4, the limo OF, his
misfortune grew To- manhood and attained
promiRence rs river mon without his having
head waters Of the ONO to its mouth knows
the old CAPTAIN. and will rejoice with him at
When the electric Eight COMPANY secured the
contract with the city af JeherT2u}i.,e ono OF
whore lis rays poured directly irro tho beds
room Of the blind CAPTAIN. Blind reop!e are
sensitive in many cases 20 NaratiOns IN the in
tenslty OF the light ana the glare Of tho eleo-
NiCity was very pain al 10 the OLD man. Az
unusual pain came int Ms heAd and II could
mo- he drvep away white he light WIS shining.
ono night not long s.are lie lay on his couch.
when suddenly tho an affected his eyes. In.
stinc'Nely lifting his arm 10 shleld HI blinded
orts, the cloud that had ohscurGd Ills vision
for n moment vari-h d and he iudIstnctly
saw his white ShiH slice q. AImOD. AFRAID to
b. licve tho rNidcn,e II his senses. lie raised
his hand III ~ NJ Ui hiS face anI moved Tho
fingers. IN b : Joy lie saw them, though very
dimly. Then lie roapsed into blindness again,
but upon several OccRSluus s nee his sight has
returned, md each lniorNal LAST longer than
tho prece tim, on" II may bo, amt I is not at
all imprObnbla, that he will ut mately regain
the entire use OF ous eye, the other having been
destroyed yours ago s. m alleged orulist. In
every Other particular CHIt Dugau IN enJoYinR
tia rcst Of h attn, an, although - Yeas OF
age, he BIDS ar TO 1--we many Yeats yet
To u tUurtrr-JOuHhl reporter who called
upon him at his residence on Front. bo;wceu
walnut and Watt Str1plS, last o, entnE lie aid:
- a.. 1t Is true that haYo hri occa- H. nal
gnnses OF lI%nt 10 eIiY, hu' tEAt & Will yet
iii' 10 ~ Hh.e 10 80" '~ almost Too 100 IT, ns-
llcN". iAlnE -uH"l,u - however. that lhoro
IL slight 'neniE& In NO lllGI uynr tho ul!il oi
my ego through wulcu the lieii peuetratos
j TINS II III" case. even 1t can DO removed and
my OLD ~" will yet b" happ,.
apt. Dugan H. Of tho rather queer opinion
that the electric light on the corner NAV have
hlS elRht