Joseph Holbrook Falls Into the Mississippi River With 200 Lbs of Luggage and Walks Out Unharmed

In late January 1846, Joseph Holbrook arrived at the wharf at St. Louis after a long journey from Ohio. While carrying an enormous load — a trunk weighing about 200 pounds, saddlebags on one arm, and a scythe in his hand — the plank leading from the steamboat to the shore slipped off the boat.

He recorded what happened:

'The plank leading to the shore slipped off the boat and let us both into the river where the water was much over my head. I immediately walked to the shore bringing my trunk with all the rest of my luggage with me. Then there was a general shout on the levee at so singular an accident.'

This was deep winter, in freezing water, over his head, burdened with hundreds of pounds of cargo — yet he walked calmly to the shore, luggage and all, unharmed. The crowd on the levee erupted in shouts at the singular nature of what they had just witnessed.