The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-01-04
Ube Gimes, New BLOOMFIELD, 1]d.
Singular Accident.

A singular accident and one that
caused the gr latest excitement in the quiet
town OF Winchester, Mass, occurred,re-
Gently. A man named Wing has BEEN en-
pioyed few days past in repairing or re-
building well upon the premises Of Mr.
Cameron. Monday he was at work
about thirty feet below the surface, at the
bottom of the well, laying brick, with
which the we'll was to be built. He is a
man weighing over two hundred pounds,
of large frame.
He was standing in the water and sand
at the bottom, and insensibly to himself
gradually sank until he discovered that
his feet and legs, nearly to the knee,
were embedded in quick sand. He made
repeated attempts to move, but found that
he stuck fast. Those at work at the
mouth of the well were informed of the
fact, and the rope was fastened about him.
and an attempt made to pull him out by
the aid of a windlass at the top. They
were unable to move him at all, and
the pain to him was so acute that
they were compelled to desist. Ropes
were then arranged so that he should
not sink any deeper, and attempts were
made to dig him out. The well being small
and Mr. Wing very large, no one could
get inside the brick work to assist him,
and he had been compelled to do all
the digging himself with pals or cups,
passing them as he filled them to some
one above.
The sand constantly filled in as he dug
it out, and in this condition he remained
all the night. Refreshments and stm-
ulants were sent down to him, and he
was alive and in as good spirits next morn
ing as man could be expected to be
under such circumstances. A colored
man worked in the we'll eight hours
Monday night, assisting the unfortunate
man to extricate himself. At about
three o'clock the fire bells of the town
were rung, and in that way a relief was
obtained for the men during the night.
The first train to Boston bore a gentle
man in quest of some professional miners,
who might possibly suggest some quick
method of release. On their arrival at
the scene Of operation, these gentlemen
Immediately ordered some piles to be
driven about him, in order that the
adhesive and contracting properties of
the sediment might meet with some
resistance. This was partially accom-
plished, when it was found that one leg of
Mr.. Wing was getting loose, and after
some boring with long augurs, and
constant pulling upward OF the entire body
by means of the windlass above, the limb
was cleared, amid much cheering from
the crowd who surrounded the we'll at
the imminent risk not only of meeting
fate similar to that of the man whom
they were endeavoring to rescue, but
also of breaking their necks.
This was at eleven o'clock. The wood
driven into the clay 80 relieved the press
ure upon Mr.. Wings body that one
hour and half later he was pulled up
and placed on terra irma, though in u
very exhausted condition.
He was instantly conveyed to Mr.. Cam
cron's house, and DR.. Windsor and Mr..
Cameron endeavored to restore the be-
numbed limbs. Fortunately the well
water, though intensely cold had not
the slightest particle of frost in it, else very
serious consequences would have follow
ed-even short confinement. He is
now doing well, and the physicians ap-
prehend no serious injury from his in
carceration of twenty-one and a half
hours.