Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-06-01
Buried in q Sewer,
SAN FRANCISCO HUMANITY AROUSED TO
FORT

SAN tRANCISCO HUMANITY AROUSED TO Eff
FORT.
II Il ere is ore genuine and noble attribute
still ii habltng poor, fallen human nature it
IS the godlike instinct of assisting ones fel-
uDlo' ked-fOr physical danger. Upon occa-
sions when human life hangs in the balance.
nothli e is more touching and credtable than
the manner in which personal comfort and
safely is at once forgotten, and friends and
foes join with equal ardor in such vital emer-
genceS. This truth Was illustrated with pc
cuiar force yesterday afternoon, as many of
our readers are already aware. A couple of
children, playing at the corner of Pine and
kea1ny streets. heard proceeding from the
sewer opening faint and evidently much ex-
hauSted voice ca ling for help. Some one ap-
parently child, had evidently fallen down the
trap and was in imminent danger of suffoca
ten. The news was soor communicated to
the passerS by. and in a few moments tools
were brought and the pavement was being
RAPIDLY torn up. In a short time dense and
excited crowd had cOngregated, and the sand
held back, Kids loye ed handles took their
places beside sturdy draymen. AS fast as one
man came up exhausted, another promptly
stepped into his place Gen. McComb's we'll
workers. while Auditor Maynard desperately
tore up the compact soil with his bare fingers.
AT intervals the faint voice from the sewer
and the like. Col. Barnes came by, shouting
some encouraging words down the hideous
opening, and, fiinging aside his coat, seized a
PICK. by sue, WIFI
clenched teeth and dripping brow, his enemy
of the day before, Frank Pixley, worked a
heavy crOwbar. At this juncture the scene
was rendered more intense by the appearance
of a poor woman from a neighbOring alley
She had just missed her little boy, and, with
the unerring intuition of maternity. guessed
it was her Johnny who was slowly SmOthering
down in that frightful hole. With terrified
shrieks she alternately wrung her hands and
covered her face with her apron. The sight
of the poor crushed creature brought tears
sent W6tfiu" f lle Eoa ,Sta MAaaGt man, pEeee
whisper that passed from one pale bystander
to The other. Jasper Mcdonald fell out of the
ranks Of the diggers and lay upon the side
walk, utterly worn out, and Barton Hill, the
actor, stepped into his place. Mayor Bryant
threw his official dignity to the winds, and,
though equipped with nothing but piece of
tin can, did good service. The brokers, COM
ing up from the just closed board, pitched in
with will. Sandy Austin came near being
submerged by the caving earth, as the pit
deepened, and Turnbull in few minutes
look ed as though he had been resurrected by
the last trump. Eren some of the lcOrEing
mems pdrty lent q hand. In just % minutes
from the first alarm the sewer level was
reached. The last spadeful of earth was
thrown aside by Mr.. Scott of Wells s. Fargo,
when, amid the deaftning cheers of the I'M
mense crowd, the little prisoner emerged,
dripping and almost dead, from his critical
position. 1t was parrot, that had left it's
perch in front of a nelghbOring bird-StOre and
had fallen down the trap, anu-but that's all.
[Sun Francisco Ne1CS Letter.