The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-12-06

from the Cleveland Plaindealer.l
A Plaindealer reporter met Henry
Rauch, the hero of the gainesville well
burial, ON Friday afternoon at the resi-
dence of his brother-in-law, Louis Haus-
cheer, of this city. Mr.. Rauch is rapidly
recovering from the comparatively slight
injuries he suffered from his exploit, al
though he still has to exercise consider
able care as to exposing himself to wealth
er, etc.
"You were in the well Is hours, l un-
derstand, :" said the reporter.
g Yes, sir, although the time seemed
to me much shorter than that"
ssShorterp" repeated the reporter In
surprise.
Eyes, sir, shorter. It's a peculiar
fact, but it didn't seem to me so long as
it actually was by great deal: My
mind was pretty well occupied all the
time; that probably accounts for it,"
"Your sensations while in the well
must have been peculiar, and would
doubtless be interesting if they could be
put on paper. Could you describe them
to me?''
"Well, sir, if you have patience to
listen I'll tell you the whole story from
first, to last, was his courteous answer.
This was Just what the reporter had
been longing for, and, with a sigh OF
satisfaction, he lighted cigarette and
leaning back in his chair, prepared to
listen. The story will be given as near
ly as possible in Mr.. Rauch's words:
"Well, you see, this man came to me
to fix his well two weeks before the &C
cident, and when heard how deep the
well was I didn't want to 60 down, and
put him off until I had finished a job l
was at. was then in hopes he would
get some one else to; do it for him. But
he did not. He came around for me
again. By this time was at work on
another Job which could not leave, and
I told him so, at the same time telling
him that he had better get some one else
to fix his well. I didn't want to 60
down that well, it was SO deep, and he
said there was one or two stones out,
and when that's the case you can't tell
how soon the whole thing will come
down.
"Well, in few days we ran out of
stone for the job was at and [ had to
take few days rest. I was at home
doing nothing and he came to me and
wanted to know l if I wouldn't fix his
well. told him I didn't want to.
"sBut you promised me you would
"sYes, didn't say wouldn' It do it be-
cause didn't like to refuse you. But
was in hopes you would find some one
else to do it for you,' said l..
hot To h
afraid Of said he.
ssWell, the result was I promised to
come the next day and look at it. So
went over with my tools the next morn
ing and, as he was at breakfast, had
to wait q long time before he was ready
There was. a young man there to help
me and his wife was with him. She said
to him, / wouldn't let you go dowr
there %
"When they came to let me dowr
they dropped nae the first few feet very
fast and l called up to them to go slow
er. They stopped short then and after
that they let me down with sort of jerks
Whether it was that | struck the loose
stones with my foot, or the buckle
struck them, or whether the sudden jal
of the bucket striking the ground mis-
placed them, don't know, but the min
ute reached the bottom the first ston,
came down and struck me on the head
cutting me there Che displayed a sea
on the left side of his forehead). TIL,
blood streamed from the wound ant
seemed as hot boiling water. Immedi
ately other stones and dirt came rainin.
down on ME. When the first struck M
cried out Oh, God, I'm killed!
Then commenced to pray and attempt
ed to raise myself, the stone havin;
thrown me against the other side of tn
well and bent my head over. The 9th
er stones then came down and one
weighing about one hundred pounds
lodged partially on my back, my RICH
shoulder and my neck. My mouth wa
pressed alongside of the rope and abou
two inches from it. My left hand he'll
the rope; that, is the thumb and tire
fingers were elapsed around it and tn
little finger was Strengthened out an
.jammed in between two small stone
that held is as though in wise. Tn
blood poured from my wound an
STRAINED down my face into my mouth
Some / swallowed and some I manage
to spit out, until the sand clogged tn
wound and stopped the bleeding. j
current Of air seemed to come down tn
rope, which T breathed, and kept m
from suffocating.
"Iprayed all the time except when
stopped to call out to them. 1t seeme
about five minutes before I heard tn
first stone moved. Then in anothe
minute heard them working hard an
stones and dirt flying every way.
"One of the men at the top placed hi
ear to the rope and said that he hear
me call. The others wouldn't believ
- L. - =. -. Al.