Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-10-11
s. Wonderful Escanp

Last Friday at poon we'll at the fair grounds
oa7td 10 Al tho bottom. after it had reached a
depth Of ll6 feet, bursug VIM. Selves work.
man, under about thirteen feet Of sand. This
we'll had reached the depth Of 100 foet, when a
stratum Of locso while sand was reached, which
made curblOg necessary. An upright curbiug
10 sections four feet locg was used. While
putting in the fourth section the caYing took
place, Fist crushing ia the lower section not
yet tiaishaJ, anl pinnisg Selves 10 solid SAID
ard nearly 10 hla srmpis. 1t was Instantly
followed by The three sectiors above, which
We're crushed ia TO the oentra, leaving vacuum
there. On seeing It start Selves had iusiro.-
lively raised section Of the curbng over his
head, bending backward face up, with his arm
supporting the piece Of curling stretched over
his head. In this position tho sand settled
about him, completely binding him, except his
head ant one arm, which he could move at that
time. The section Of curling which he had
raised above his head created an open space,
which tGr shor!Imo communicated with tie
| open space through the ca1t:r Of the we'll maie
by the coming together OF tho bsme.ke curb
lug.
AZ soon as possible a gus pipe. for tho pur-
pose eli pumping air 10 him. was inserted
through the oponiDg-Sclyes, who then had
one arm ct liberty, placing ii as near his mouth
! as tho boards over him would permit. Soon
| at,cr this was accomplished the sand settled
scdly above him. leaving only the space under
| the board, which 5000 filled so c'ose as 10 i'm
prison tho ann that had been at liberty, and to
| also render his head immovabe. In this silu-
| alton. plainly depicted by himself in sepulohral
nh ha t,,ba n.l II.
bic at the top OF the we'll, Selves. then six hours
without food. aud cramped and chilled by the
cold sand, sald he wouid bold on to life If there
were bravo hearts enough above him to under.
take his release, kn owing full we'll the danger of
those who might attempt 1t hastily. The task
was to remove fcom thirteen to eighteen feet
OIL sand irtm tho bottom of q we'll ITO feet deem
by Iu:tlng ID new curling, while taking out
the sand, debris Of the old curbiug, and d. it all
carefully as cot to Gil the little space above his
face. Coupled with this task was the appalling
dagger 10 the w0rkmen Of fresh Gazing of the
we'll, nov more imminent than the first, for above
the omluous spac, made by the c1ving OF the
SAID hung the hundred feet Of clay wall, With DO
support but Its own adhesion. It's natural foun-
dailou OF sard being gone.
q the face of tAese disbursements there
were brave hearts enough found to work night
and day, never Stacking, except fer short time
on Saturday morning, when for time further
attempts seemed suicide by reason of the cav.
ing in of G small part of the clay wall. But
soon now precautions were devised. and the oil.
most Hopeless work went on to its practical
conclusion at o'clock this Sunday morning,
when friendly baud raised the plank and
brushed the sand from tho f4cs Of tho now
nearly unconscious man. He had retained his
mind perfectly UP to within few moments be.
lore, when tho tcnderly cautious hands above
him, in spite Of their care. had soldsturbed the
saro as TO cover his luce and to interrupt tho
supply Of air from the tube. He returned TO
consclousnessin few moments, and, his hands
released, the VOL k Went rapidly en-. be himself
himself materially.
At $3.50 o'clock. nearly forty hours af!er lis
incarceration, Selves stepped firmly from the
mouth OF his living grave, and was received iu
the arms of bis young wife amid the glad shouts
OF the throne who hsd so long shared his sus. !
pense. -Nashu,lle, Hiss, Republican.