Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-10-09
IN I'VE FACE OF G

Students of mental phenomena neveS
cease to speculate on the cerebral sensa.
tons of a man when in greatly bodily
danger. 1t is true. much has been learn
ed from those who nave been face to face
with death, only to escape that ordeal at
the last moment, yet no definite system
OF impressions can be formulated from
the knowledge thus attained. Some men
are mentally stunned as it We're. by the
immediate presence of DEATH, while others
accept the situation with courageous res
ignation, and still Others in a, beligerent
mental attitude. = 20
Most men, however. who are suddenly
brought in contact With what appears to
be approaching death, while enjoying
good bodily health and a strong love Of
life. do not recall unpleasant sensations
concerning it after what may he termed
the preliminary feeling of fear has been
experienced. 1t is the usual experience
OF all VINO face and escape such dan
gers, that a mental review of ones past
life passes with lightning-like' rapidity
coming UP in the shape Of vivid pictures
before the light Of an awakened con-
science. Then comes the argument of
resignation. then a dreamy sensation OF
repose, then the bottom of the shaft is
reached and unconsciousness i~ntervenes
until the soul is released from it's physical
environments.
The MAI who dies leaves nc contribu-
ton to psychic phenomena. but it is al
ways interesting to note the impressions
of those who recover. and to register their
feelings in the supreme moment of great
danger. 1t is likewise a diversion to spec
ulate on the impressions of a man who,
for instance, falls into a mining shaft
to what seems to be certain death. and
who feels all the sensations peculiar to
that danger, only to be p~rovidentially
rescued.
Last Saturday Mr.. Weed Of the United
States geological survey, fell into a hun-
dred foot winze in the Colusa-Parrot in
~telegraphed to his inner consciousness
that within an Incredibly short space Of
time his career as a ervan of the best
government on earth would be brought
to an abrupt n violent conclusion. The
ladder upon which he was descending
broke, and there was apparently no hope
for him this side of the shining shore.
Fortunately. some planks lay across the
opening down about twelve feet and
upon these the w~ell-known geolosist
landed, somewhat bruised but saved
from DEATH. Doubtless, his mental re-
action was one of intense relief and in
voluntary ~thankfulness, intensified by
the fact that nothing else but those
planks lay between him and physical, de-
struction.
Sometimes, however, dangers of this
kind are more apparent than real, and
the reaction is enough to awaken within
the mind of the man who passes through
nv ~ IN q "DA'Ny " iouSh SoAi
%tinuously for the balance of his natural
life. An instance is related of a Butte
man, some years since, who went out
alone to examine a prospect hole in which
descended a ladder which was supposed
to reach nearly to the bottom of the
shaft, SO when the last rung was reached
he seized it with his hands and let him
upon horrors. his feet failed to touch the
bottom! He tried in vain to find a place
to stand on, ahd then the thought Oc-
Cured to him that possibly it was yet
fifty or more feet to the bottom, as he
failed to recall the depth of the shaft or
the distance he had Travelled On the lad
der. Thereupon he attempted to draw
himself up to the ladder, only to dis
cover his physical inability to do so. For
what seemed to be hours he hung to thai
last rung, reviewing his past life and
yelling for help. Finally, he became ex-
h~austed-he could hang on no longerlso,
breathing a silent prayer for forgiveness,
he let go n fell. He descended Nke
chain lightning for about four inches
and struck bottom. But he will never
repeat the experiment, fearing that the
next time the bottom may not be so near
the top. - -.
A correspondent wants to know how