Alexandria Gazette

A PAINFUL LEAP AND NARROW ESCAPE.—The Northampton (Mass.) Democrat of June 4th, contains an account of a curious, but perilous accident which occurred a few days since in that vicinity. On Friday morning last, at the silk Factory of the Northampton Association, building four stories in height, George W. Sullivan, a young man connected with that association, went out on the roof for the purpose of picking up a mineral which he had accidentally dropped there while standing in the belfry. To secure himself from falling, he took off his shoes— Notwithstanding this precaution, after descending the roof a few steps, finding himself slipping he took off one of his stockings, but whilst attempting to take off the other, his motion became so much accelerated, that farther efforts to save himself from the fall were useless.

He then, with remarkable presence of mind rolled himself over upon the roof whilst he was sliding, in order to prevent falling upon the platform, and when he reached the eaves, having first drawn in and held his breath, clenched his teeth and hands and contracted his muscles, leaped to the ground, a distance of 40 or 50 feet. The concussion was so great as temporarily to deprive him of the power of standing. He was carried into the house and placed in bed, and was soon after examined by a surgeon, who decided that no bones were broken and no joints dislocated, although there was reason to apprehend serious injury to the muscles about the spine where there appeared to be great soreness. The young man's friends then wrapped him in sheets wet in cold water, after the manner prescribed by the "water cure" system, which soon produced perspiration. A cold bath was afterwards administered. In the afternoon of the same day, he walked out without assistance, and the next day was running about with his usual hilarity excepting a slight lameness in one of his feet and complaining of no unpleasant effects from his fall.

A remarkable fact connected with this occurrence is, that symptoms of serious disease with which he was previously suffering, have since in a great measure disappeared. It seems as if the shock of action which was produced in so unusual accident might be expected, it has been a means of restoring him to health.