Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-05-29
Fifteen DAYS in the Earth.

1HLSSu Lays III the 6drtn.
We have chronicled the release of the fou
I men who were intombed at Blue Rock Goa
/ Mines, and now give. from the Ohio Statesman
the scene before and at the time of their release
The work of rescue was herculean work
but bravey undertaken and heroically consum
ated. 1t was the more difficult, as but about
! men could work at time. There were 80 mel
constantly laboring day and night, relieving
each other in gangs The progress was slow
l and became slower the farther they went into
the bank; so that since Sabbath last not more
! than foot an hour has been realized And this
process was interrupted by the rock falling in,
and by the impure air, which put out the lights
Let 1T be known that these heroic workmen
were in constant peril of their lives, in all the
fortnight's work. Of course they had propped
up with timber they worked in; but at times
the timber bent like a reed under the immense
pressure, and, at times, gave way. The frag-
mentary condition of the rock prevented the
workmen from making themselves secure. -
They could not work without light, and when
on Sunday they had cut in 236 feet, and were
about to despair. owing to the bad atmosphere
ana the counsels of some who thought it too late
to save the men-they took new vigor and new
hope and still pressed on until Friday, when
the attention of the workmen was arrested by
knocking within. They paused and halloed--
again and again halloed; when the voice of the
entombed was heard family in a responsive
Hurrah!
The crowd without on the river bank soon
caught the cheering news, and 'Hurrah ! Hur-
ray ~ rent the air with such Joy as never
awoke the echoes of that beautiful valley before.
The scene just then was most thrilling. How
differently it affects different men, this rapture
ofJoy. Some ran aside, in silence and tears
Some laughed wildly, as lunatics. Some whoop-
ed like Aborigines. Some capered and cavor-
ted like dancing Dervishes in their inspiration.
1t was rare scene, and not discreditable to our
fallen human nature.
J The next thing in order was to hold CONVEX
sation with the entombed The first intelligi-
bic question propounded by the insiders was,
''Was anybody killed by the caving!"
None" said the workmen.
"Hurrah hurrah ~ was heard from within
This jubilee of the entombed was reported
outside to the crowd, who respond to it by a
| spontaneous hurrah of their own
1t seemed that the men had picked their way
some twenty feet within the rocky assure, and
were enabled TO converse pretty freely. The
workmen warned them to retire within. as they
were IN eminent danger. Edgin said he wod
mt bulge till they told them what was the day
and hour, and how long they had been shut in.
The workmen told him that he had only been in
week, that it was Friday-deceiving him, as
they supposed, for his own good and that of his
companions. Edgin then told them to sayto their
families and friends, that if they didn't get out,
NCie ready 10 ul0 happily, having maze
their peace with God. Edgin then retired, ex-
claiming to the workmen most cheerfully,
"Well go in. Work on, boys. May God
bless you.
This dialogue gave new hope to the workmen,
and they labored on till the bad air put out the
lights again, when the work was suspended for
four hours until they sent to GAINESVILLE for some
hose, bellows, and some pipe; by which they
sent fresh air in; and the lights were resumed,
and the work went on till Friday night when
it was SAID they were within twenty minutes of
the rescue. Arrangements were all made to re-
ceive them, and expectation was again banked
by another caving in, of the earth and rock.
Friday night the work continued. Some six
hundred people remained till one o'clock Satur-
day morning, when the rescued were brought
out to the crowd with their faces covered and
their bodies very much emaciated and exhaust
Ell. Their families were not permitted ilnmedi-
ately to meet them. Physicians were present
to look after their well being and everything
done to make sure of the result of the long la
Dor, VIZ: the preservation of their lives. Pier
son the older man, had huttering at the heart;
the others seemed to be "as well as could be ex-
pected." Their faces were covered to protect
their eyes. The boy, Savage, it is said made
enquiry the first thing after "chew of tobacco"
the rest after their families and friends. They
had taken some sleep on some dry dirt which
they had piled up for that purpose, but had no
idea of the time that had elapsed.
Notwithstanding these men were thus imbed-
ded IN the earth, perhaps their preservation
from death by hunger was prevented by that very
tact. In the English mines, men have lived
even sixteen days without food. The very
want OF Ggh: and free circulation of air, the
moisture or their tomb, together with the lack
OF oxygen to carry off the particles eliminated
from the body, may have had some effect in pre-
venting that exhaustion which has accompanied
hunger in the open air, in arid plains, or on the
salt ocean
! The GAINESVILLE Courier of Saturday saws:
Last night about ] o'clock, the four men who
were entombed i'll the Blue Rock Coal Bank
were released after having been confined four
teen days and fourteen hours. They were all
able to walk, and with one exception appeared
still to have considerable strength.
Last evening, another fall of rock and car tn
took place, and the hopes of the workmen were
nearly given up; but still determined on effect
ing the release of their comrades, they decided
upon making an archway over the fallen earth
| to effect an entrance. Several were willing to en-
ter this dangerous place, but failed owing to the
falling rocks. At length r. Lyons succeeded in
climbing over and with his assistance the men
escaped. 1t is supposed that the length of the
entrance dug out, is over four hundred yards or
nearly quarter of a mile.
1t appears that they did not suffer much from
! hunger. The first day after the catastrophe
they made bed of soft earth and slept together
| turing thelr sleep the lamps went out, and
were again lighted. There was only a dinner
for one man in the mines, this was soon exaust-
| ed. They then used fresh water, three Jugs of
which were with them, and after exhaustinp
this they drank sulphur water. One of the men
got sore throat from the use of this, and took
a swallow of oil for relief. This was all of the
latter article used by them. When getting out,
the boy was asked if he was hungry; he said not
/ but was anxious for chew oftobacco
he audience ca v1,A
ing around the entrance of the mine, exhibiting
any undue. degree of satisfaction upon the APP
pearance of the men, and the advice was strict
ly followed
Up to an early hour this morning, the men
were doing WELL and it is supposed will not be
materially affected by the change of atmosphere
or mental excitement. Every care will be TAX
en- of them by, competent physicians.
! A CHILD'S REASoN.-A little boy asked his
mother which of the characters of Pilgrim 5
Progress she liked the best. She replied, Chris
tan, of course; he is the hero of the story. -
But like Christiana best" said he, because
when Christian set out on his pilgrimage he