American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-10-09
Buried Alive in a WelI-An Awful
Death.

,, Press.
Buried Alive in a WelI-An Awful
Death.
For two days and two nights has tn,
: quiet town of West Springfield beer
thrown into fever of excitement and thi
staid old provincial city not little stirret
by one of the most terrible accidents which
has happened in this vicinity for many
day-namely: the burying alise, in ;
newly dug well, thirty-seven feet below thu
yet unrescued, of Lester Sykes, a plumber
by trade, and a bachelor, living at The
corner of Shad lane and the Cold Spring
}foad. The facts of this shocking acciden
as gathered by a Herald representative are
as follows:
1t seems that Daniel Golden, living or
the Amostown road, about half a mile be
yond the new West Springfield reservoir
and some three miles and a half from this
city, had dug we'll beside his house
thirty-seven feet down without finding the
water to fill it. He then employed Mr.
Sykes, professional well-borer, and the
unfortunate victim of this terrible acct
dent Soon after dinner Mr. Golden him.
self fixed the ladders, and yesterday after
noon Mr.. Sykes descended with his tools.
The bottom of the we'll was of quicksand
tending nearly to the bottom and TO within
twenty-one feet of the top, the rest of the
upper part being gravel and requiring no
curbing. .-
Mr. Sykes had bored about eight feet
down with a small pipe when he struck
q vein of water which Immediately bub-
bled to the surface. As quickly as flash
The doomed man saw his peril and sprang
| for the ladder, but 30 quick was the rush
of the down-coming sand that before he
had assembled half-dozen rounds the
walls of the we'll had entirely closed in
upon him and shut him off from all
chance of escape Singularly enough, in
falling the planking at, the top had so
lodged as to protect and leave Sykes head
entirely free. while the rest of his body,
the sand and planking, and yet without a
bone being broken and but few bruises.
The earth had not packed so closely
above but that he could make himself
heard. and loudly did he call on Golden
| for help; but the latter, transfixed with
| terror, stood mute and helpless. The i'm
prisoned man then directed Golden to
summon help, and he speedily encountered
the Rev. Mr.. POmeroy, who descended
into the well at considerable risk. After
learning from Sykes how he was situated,
and that he was not suffering much from
pain, he assured him that he would soon
bring help, to which Sykes replied: "'Do,
and God bless you.''
Help soon came, for the news of the &C
cideRt, once started, spread like wildfire,
and speedily score of men were ready,
with pick and shovel, to assist in releas-
ing the doomed man. The sun was yet
three hours high in the heavens and it did
seem as though persistent, hard work
might dig him out before dark, but, alasi
the strong, brawny arms of the country
men were as ignorant of the best method
as they were willing to work, and, for
sheer lack of skilltul direction, two days
and two nights of almost continuous dig
ging have failed to rescue the imprisoned
man, who, almost unframed, in the full
possession of his faculties, able to con-
verse with and even in a measure direct
the efforts of his would-be rescuers, has
literally died by inches through thirty-six
and more hours of suffocation and starva-
ton. At first Sykes thought the saving
off of plank would relieve him suf-
ficiently to enable him to free himself. 1t
was an unfortunate move, for no sooner
was it cut than it let the earth in upon
him in larger quantities and necessitated
the forcing of gas-pipe down to the open
space about his head 10 give him air to
breathe. This was successfully done and
then the workers began to dig down on
the outside sufficient distance to throw
the dirt back from the side where the cav
ing in was the greatest, so as to relieve the
pressure of the boards.
Night coming on,Sa huge bonfire was
kindled close by the well, to furnish
light for the toilers. and all night, till
three O'Clock this morning, the work was
continued.
At this time Sykes, either from exhaus-
ton or sleep, ceased to reply to the shouts
above. and the toilers-I blush to record
it of a Western Massachusetts town in this
nineteenth century-discouraged and
thinking him dead, ceased to work and
left him to his fate. Soon after daylight
this morning, however, WAS discovered
that the unfortunate and deserted man was
still alive. His breathing, as though in
slumber, could be plainly heard through
the gaspipe. Then the work of digging
him out was renewed, and as the day wore
on hundreds collected around the spot to
see and assist.
Mr.. Sykes recovered consciousness and
at twelve minutes before noon replied to
question that he had his senses and was
tolerably comfortable, and had occasional
glimpses of light through the apertures
about the ladder, which reached some
feet above the fallen debris. At five min
utes past twelve he spoke again, and asked
the men to be careful to protect him and
get him out and give him some water. He
was assured that every possible thing was
being done for his succOr.
r None but eyewitness of the place
and circumstances can conceive OF the
caution which it was necessary to exercise.
A false stroke or wrong plan would not
only inevitably fill the we'll and bury the
poor man beyond all hope of recovery,
but also greatly endanger the lives of sew
eral of the pioneer workers. Careful,
careful ~ was the cry from the picked few
who worked about the mouth of the we'll,
for an occasional clod fell, and as; it rat
tied on the planking sounded like the
knGll of sods on a coffin. At one p. m. Il
large Landslide occurred and the treach-
erous sides of the we'll threatened to an
initiate the trio of brave men in the I'M
finished curbing, but new curbing was
soon got in and the men again fell to work
with will.
At twenty-five minutes past one Sykes
feebly answered "Yes'' to the question,
care you alive yet?''. and the crowd,
which by this time numbered fully 1000
persons and over 200 teams, gave rous-
ing cheer, while well -dressed men from
this city piled spade and pick till perspira-
ton trickled from their faces. None
stepped for dinner. Huge baskets of
crackers and cheese were passed but few
had either the time or the desire to eat.
The earth was hard and gravelly, and
digging was disceuraging work. During
all these twenty-four hours not Il mouthful
of food or drink had the doomed man re-
ceived; for, although his head was COM
paratively free, he could not move hands
nr mouth tn the iron nine which furnished