The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-07-25
A MARVELLOUS RESCUE.
A GEORGLAws PERIODS FILL 1T
STONE MOUNTAIM
He fs Caught by a Projecting Ledge
Twelve Hundred Feet from theBase.

On Saturday, Major John B. Steward, who
lives on bis farm near the north base Of Stone
Mountain, Atlanta, Georgia, thought he heard
the voice of man In distress on the steep
side of the mountain. Upon looking up he
saw the head ofa man, and saw him waving
bis hands for sucoor. The man called 70 the
Major for q drink of water, aud said that ne
had but little money, but he would give 1t all
to be taken from the place he was. The Majtr
asked him If he was not hosxing him? The
man replied that he was In earnest Caution
ing the man to keep quiet, the gentleman pro
ceeded at once to town and obtaiRed assIs.
tance. =----.---
The news spread like wild.hre over town,
and every heart ran out In anguish for the
condition OF the unfortunate one. Those who
went to the rescue made "quick timer TO get
there. Men were stationed at the base Of the
north, side TO signal the party on top; atWbat,
time to descend. Securing the ropr to cedar
tree firmly imbedded between two massive
rocks, two gentlemen made the psf1iois de-
scent to secure the man. About three hun
dred feet from The top Of the mounlein they
came to him. he was lying In a gulch, Or
water course, furrowed out Of the: rock by
rains. One foot was jammed into crerice,
and the other bent uDd-r;his body. He wsA
huggipg the rock closely, /, ynfie one hand was
grasped In the strap on The collar of
his coat. A small; tablet Of rock, two
wide, was all that was between him
and q fall Of some Twelve hundred feet to the
ground, Had he moved two or three feet, either
TO the right or left, he would have been pre-
cipltated to the bottom, twelve hundred feet,
and only horrible mass would have been
fo1I $ala hol1 1ofn "a
Friday evening late until saturday evening":
His anxleties aud sufsrings were Intense
HIS feet were swollen, lacerated and hlirtered
ny the hot rocks; the sun poured upon him It's
fercest rays, causing the most excruciaitngi
thirst and producing almost entire blindness.
Death seemed to slare him 10 the lace on AZ
sides. Return without friendly aid ne could
not BE was afraid to move either to the
ritht or TO the Left or get up, for that terrible
fall was beneath him. Without euccor; he
must die lingering, torturin9 death OF
thirst and starvation. Ia adjusting the
rope several rocks were In the way, and
tearing that the rope might .dlalodseS 9
Them and bring them down on the pnfortp.
nate man, they we're removed and thrown on
In such direction as not TO strike on the spot;
occupied by the man. With q crashing noise
they rolled TO The brow Of the precipice on
line with him, and then plunged down that
terrible distance, buryiDg themselves IN the
68rL0 6G tu6 Uda6. 1scdCuiDS th0 plo<ES!IuS!
rope was tied around the man and he was con-
Quoted to place Of safety. Upou: reaching
the summit, the rescued man was sothirsty
that he would have emptied bucket or water.
atone or TWO draughts had he been suffered
to do 40. he was carried to a 'nefghborinS
store and cared for. 80 -: q. 13z1''''
On Friday evrniag the man alluded .toIre-
puled 10 be Mr. McOarty, Of Villa 5Rlca. Car
roll County, went 10 the top OF Stonr Noun
tain, taxing with him hottie Of whtakey.
BE drank rather freely, and, perhaps; swss
ight-headed. he started down tH aearch sof;
the "Devil's crossroads" and finding the, de-
scent becoming abrupt, he pulled of his bonus.
He had not pose Tar when be fecollects fal-
ing and scrambling. Hlsl bo ,ts were fonnd,
with an empty bottle. at the foot OF q cedar
tree, some one hundred feet above where he
was found Hence ir Ia anpnnaSd that -hn foll
and scrambled together some forty or afty
| feet. He recolects having mis- boots there,
The accident occurred about nightfall., 1t la
doubtless one of The most miraculous escapes
from death on record. - -.t s.eSr.