Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-10-29
Buried Alive.

During the past summer we have
frequently been shocked with accounts of
persons being buried alive. That such
things have occurred we have no doubt,
but that all the accounts that reach US CT
such circumstances are true we very much
doubt, in fact we should consider ourselves
too credulous if we believed one-tenih OF
those frlg hlful reports. In most cases the
buried party has been supposed to be dead,
and has accordingly received at the hands
Of friends the last sad offices in the power
of friendship 10 bestow, but in the case to
which We briefly alluded last week, the
circumstances were altogether different.
The entombed was regularly alive, and,
although for eight hours buried beneath ten
feet of earth, is still rejoicing in The consci-
business cf existence. The circumstances
are as follows: A Scotchmon by the name
of Mcintosh was engaged in this village in
walling up well for Mr. Grute-the we'll
was thirty feet deep-the wall had been
| raised ten feet-when, in removing the
lower tier of cribbing preparatory to rals,ng
tSwall still higher, Mr.. NJ. discovered the
sand and gravel moving: Thinking it only
slight quantity that had commenced
sliding, he adjusted the shor, plonks ever
the walled part to prevent the dirt from
falling into it. While doing this The crib.
bing above gave way with crash, and was
followed by general caving in from all
sides, when in an instant he was covered
with slabs, plank and dirt to the depth OF
ten feet, he being about twenty feet from
the surface. 1t was very reasonably
supposed by those present and those who
Immediately collected, that he was instantly
killed; but lest the life Of fellow being
might be sacrificed by neglect. operations
were Immediately commenced for getting
him out The earth in that place being
composed Of quicksand and gravel, it was
necessary to commence by curbing. In
few moments two or three hundred persons
were collected, all anxious TO assist, but
from the narrow limits of The curbing only
three or four could work.
Alter the mos: untiring exertions for
about four hours, and alter descending
| fifteen feet, voice as from the grave was
heard to say. ''be careful, the dirt is slip
ping in around mel" Ii was ascerlained
| that he was outside the new cribbng, aid
that the whole body Of the loose earth
above him was arrested by the Diagonal
position assumed by the old curbing in TALL
ing, leaving him room to stand crest, being
i,nbedted to the hips in the sand Thai hau
run in around him. The greatest excite.
ment now prevailed with those who could
appreciate his situation. Tons Of quick
sand and gravel being supported above him
by the accidental position OF s abs and
plnnks resting themselves on loose sliding
earth, every precaution wns necessary 10
avoid disturbing them, rs the least move
ment in the lrail roof ,ha, sheltered him
would be fatal. In this perilous situation
his life not hanging upon hair, but rest
ing upon the stability of sliding sand, Le
was doomed TO suffer four hours more, til
by handfulls the dirt was carefully cleared
so as to get him within the curb, from which
he was lifted into the free, open air anit
the deafening cheers of the ANXIOUS spect:
tors. Mr. NJ is indebted for his life to the
perseverance, Of our citizens, which ciusee
thea to even ''hope against hope" That he
nigh, be found alive, and is if pus,ible sill
more indebted to Messrs. Thomas anc
Edward Perry, without whose skill and
labor his rescue woulJ hardly have been
ELECTED In his outward mrn Mr. NJ was
entirely uuho rmed, and before the rext
evening he gave glorious evidence that the
appetltes of the inn man for crafter comforts
bad in no whit abated. The cave-in oc.
Cured al about half past three p. NJ; he
was rescued about half pnst eleven al ghl.
-Youngstoaon Republican.