, 1841-10-16
From the Columbia Patriot.
SINGULAR AND DISTRESSING
OCCURRENCE,

OCCURRENCE.
On last Monday about one o'clock, GU
town was thrown into the utmost confusion
, by the occurrence of an accident as affect
ing as i, was extraordinary. 1t appears tina
Mr.. G.. ID. Foote, one of the contractors con
cerned in building the University, had dug
well about so feet deep at the new dwell
ing he las in progress. The well had beef
walled about II months, but Of very indit
ferent and unsuitable stone. From the toI
OF the we'll it could be seen that the wall a
the bottom was getting out of fix, and 70
some days past, the father-in-.aw Of Mr.
Foote, Mr.. Stephen ST. John had exprsset
the desire and intention Of going down in
10 the well, TO examine more closely the na
ture OF the breach.
From this purpose Mr.. Foote attempted
TO dissuade hun; pointing out TO him the dan
ger attending such n procedure.
About | O'Clock, however, on Monday
Mr.. 81. John, after letting a candle down
into the well by a bucket, descended himself
A Mr.. Prout was at the top Of the well, rea.
dy to assist him in ascending when he should
wish TO come out.
The old man had scarcely reached the
point he wished to examine, before the rock
at the bottom of the well began to give away
and fall into the water. Observing this he
attempted to escape by climbing the rope to
the top. But alas! he was too slow to avoid
the engulphment which threatened him, and
after he had assembled the rope a few feet the
wall above lin began to fail and soon closed
over him!
1t was all the work Of Il moment. So
quick was the cavinc he had not time to
sound the alarm TO his friend above, and had
he done so, he could have rendered no as
sistance.
The news of the painful accident spread
through town, as if by magic, and in a short
time a large number of persons had collected
around the well. Mr.. Foote unon arriving
at the well, in the paroxism oil his anguish.
called aloud 10 HIM by name, and wonderful
to relate, he answered hinl by 4 rroan!
1t was Immediately resolved 10 make an
effort 10 disinter the body Of the unfortunate
man who was buried alive. 1t was suppo-
sed that the earth and stone in falling. had
formed an arch above him, and were thus pre-
vented from crushing him 10 death.
Inspired by the hope Of getting him out
alive, the work of removing the dirt and rock
was commenced with a speed and energy
never excelled. As the workmen descend
ed they could hear more distinctly the groans
of the Inflated and unfortunate man.
After they had removed about 40 feet Of
earth and stone, a work Of near 10 hours du-
ration, the rock that covered the grey head
OF the old man was removed, and his BODY,
yet possessing life, was exhumed from its
resting place! And what is most u~naccoIn-
table and extraordinary, there was no arch
formed above him as had been supposed. and
with the exception Of the fracture of one
of his shoulders, not a bone in his body was
broken. The rocks were touching him on
all sides, and his body, as it were, formed one
of them.
The well closed in on him about ! o'clock
on Monday, and about 7 O'Clock on Tuesday
morning, he was taken out Of it--having re-
manned there about 10 hours. He was &C.
cuping FATHERS sitting posture in the well,
his right foot was higher than his head; both
hands were above his head, hold Of the rope.
There was a rock pressing against his mouth,
which made it very difficult TO BREATH
This position he occupied the whole time
being able, as he stated after his dis
lnterHlent. 10 move d single muScle! let
he lived! retaining, even up TO his death, his
senses %uninnpaired. Frequently, during the
progress Of the work, he would exhort the
workmen to remove the stone with care and
judgement.
Until about 10 o'clock on Tuesday, there
was every prospect of his surviving. About
hat time, however, a sudden change came
over him and he died at 8 O'Clock. He was
Sc years Of age.