The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-12-29
Nineteen Days Buried.

The women of little French hamlet
of busy and industrious people in the
Department of Eure grew weary OF the
long journeys they had from time i'm
memorial compelled to make for water
They wanted a we'll.
The men at last yielded to the pres
sure. and a we'll was decided upon
The spot selected was near the commu.
nal house. beside the rear wall of an
n1oned church
Water is not easily reached there.
and the shaft was excayated to the
depth of scventy-fivc feet. It was
then deemed best to begin the mas n
work. and the two men employed to
do the work looked about for an assist
ant
Henry Provost, young fellow Of
seventeen. who had just left wig MA
kcr. To whom he was apprenticed. Of
fercd his services. He had begun work
on the I'd of October aud was alone in
the we'll ut two o'clock in the afternoon
when a terrible cry Of agony smote the
ears Of the others.
One cry and all was still. They
rushed to the we'll. 1t was caved in on
young Provost. They called, but no
response came.
A district officer was summoned aud
miners and engineers called IN. They
decided to sink shaft f6r rescue ut
some distance from tho we'll. All the
able bodied men formed in gangs to
push the work. Night and day, by
sunlight and by torch, the spade and
pick did their work.
As the shaft went down an iron bar
was thrust through from time to time
to the well. At last on the llth Of Co.
tober. man named Nabourel, after
driving il in, jerked the rope and was
raised to the surface.
He Was drawn up and staggered to
the p-ound in deep emotion. Provost
had spoken to him. He was still alive.
The channel Of communication was en-
largcd. Provost was in kind of .
cage formed by the rustic lining of
branches. which in France is placed in
wells rs they are dug. These had fall
len 80 as to form roof above him. 81
lowing him narrow place for move
ment; but fear of bringing all down
on him had kept him quiet.
He had merely tried to get his feet
free from the rubbish, and kill the fiess
that lighted on his face. He had
counted forty.nine of these. He had
heard the men at work. but the air be.
came rarer, drowsiness overlook him.
and he slept most of the time.
He no longer felt hunger, thirst or
fear
But when the miner called to him
hope revived and he displayed the
greatest coolness and presence Of mind.
He, in fact, directed their operations.
They wished to cut the sheathing and
reach him. but he insisted that the only
way to rescue him was to sink another
shaft and open gallery to his back.
as on the side they were all would cave
in.
l. took eleven days to sink the new
shaft. During this time coffee WAS sent
through . lead pipe in the opening.
then Malaga wine. tspioca and egg
were passed. The opening was eau
tiously enlarged and . woolen cap and
drawers passed to him. He could not
put the latter on. but wound them
round his neck.
He was always cheerful in disposi-
tion aud all his French gaisty revived
A taper was passed in to him. and he
was aLle to read and write and play
solitaire.
On the seventeenth day he sang.
At last. on Sunday. Oct. 2ist, at mid-
night. the third shaft was large enough
to extrioate him. He got out alone.
feet foremost. but fell on n mattrass
rasdy to receive him. His feet were
swollen and his toes doubled under him
He was rubbed ard well wrapped up
then placed in the bucket and drawn 10
the surface. where a thousand people
had gathered TO welcome one risen from
the dead.
He was taken to the Marie and re-
stored 20 his parents. sister and brother
Who had all been anxious watchers of
the long labor for rescue.
Pain soon set in and he suffered ter
ribly for several days. but under pro-
per treatment soon recovered from the
effects OF his subterAnean existence.
THG mast valus ble mart of \ M an'e