Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-03
IN THE HURRY WAGON.
Personal Experience of the Emergency
Ambulance

Were you ever the Man in the Ambu-
lancer" asked Washington correspondent
of some companions, as they were ex-
changing personal experiences in the press
gallery of the House during a lull In the
debate. No? Written about him lots of
times. of course but never exchanged
places with the recumbent form usually
lying SO still on the stretcher In the bot
tom Of the hospital make-haste free car
riage as 1t goes pell NELL through the
crowded streets with changing bell and
steaming horse?
1t Is funny sensation-when you are
susceptible Of sensations at all. 1t was this
way:
One morning not long ago I had depos-
ited IN the outgoing mail receptacle In the
city post office opposite The Star building
my semi-weekly envelope of STUFF for a
northern publication. l hurried down the
steps, intending to catch a green car for
the Capitol. L was late. for 1t was past
the opening hour of the House, and l par
ticularly desired to be in the gallery IN
season to listen to debate upon a meas
ure which L knew was the first on the cal
endar and in which my paper was espe-
clally interested in getting an early report.
Il ran into the center OF Pennsylvania
avenue. l was then conscious Of severe
shock 1t was shortly after the San Fran
cisco earthquake, and l recall that the i'm
mediate impression my mind formed was
that there had been seismic movement
In Washington. l was fully conscious up
to that instant. I saw the huge clock tower
on the Post Office Department tremble top
ple~. and fall over on the Raleigh Hotel
roof. while that structure and the white
facade OF The Star building seemed to dis
integrate in wavy, crumbling lines In that
infinitesimal last second OF consciousness
there was formed a conclusion in my mind
that that moment was my last on earth.
and. as singular as 1t may appear, l Won
dered what death was like and what were
its attending sensations. And then. for the
time being, died, for there came shadow
of darkness apparently over the SKY as
though the whole world and not my life,
had been suddenly snuffed out. AS a mat
ter of fact, OF course, had become simply
unconscious
Il then saw a misty circle of faces around
me. but whether was on earth or in hea-
ven, or elsewhere, did not realize was
conscious that the faces were those OF
strangers and that they all wore panied
and concerned expressions. My next men
tai sensation was that IL / really were IN
heaven, or elsewhere, it seemed incongru-
that should be greeted by strangers
who were looking upon me with pity, as
l had always shared the popular belief that
when we pass beyond we are greeted py
our relatives and friends who have gone
before with joyousness. as 1t were.
THE sounds Of inarticulate words were
then conveyed to my deadened sensibilities,
and a break in the circle OF faces around
me was then apparent, but very family, TO
me. 1 felt myself rise in the air unaided
as though borne on wings, as II seemed 10
very slight as compared with the first, but
nevertheless distinct, and then seemed
to fall again, way way down, but 1t dia
not become dark as night as berore.
II then became conscious Of the possess
sion of sight l saw the big clock In the
post office tower and the white sides OF
The Star building cleaning in the brilliant
sunlight. and then-then there came, with
a suddenness that was fairly terrific, full
consciousness. / realized that the nrse
shock had come from my foolishly trying
conclusions with the front end of rapidly
moving street car, and that the second had
come from being lifted into the ambulance
on the stretcher by the attending surgeon
and driver ...,
up to that moment l had not expert
enced pain. / didn't feel anything else but
pain for the next two weeks until got out
of the Emergency Hospital suffering from
a badly gashed head and a twisted ankle.
The ride to the hospital was not a long
one, but my first experience as the Man IN
the Ambulance l devoutly trust Will De
my only one of the kind