The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-07-29

| 10y the inner door of the afr lock- calling to
| his men to come to the caisson. His quick
order to work had come too late. and he
| called the retreat as promptly as he had or
| dered the advance. Quick boys, get into
| the lock, - he shouted, and instead of pass
ing in among the first he stood by the door
helping one after another in.
Eight men passed. They were not yet
safe. If the others could get III and the
inner door of the lock could be closed be-
fore the falling debris (for everything
around them was falling by that time)
should block the way they would be almost
safe. But as the ninth man was entering
the lock the awful weight of the mud and
water fell against the door, pinniEg him so
fast that nothing could have freed HIM in
time
The door was fast. One man was fasten
tened in the doorway between the other
nineteen and their last chance of life. The
eight in the lock were thus almost lost, for
there was no longer chance to close the
inner door, and the food was closing on
them Swiftly the water rushed into the
lock, the flood rose knee deep where they
stood and the air was compressed by all
the pressure OF the rise above them IN the
little chamber, the door of which was
curely fastened against them. They could
not open this door nor could they break it
from the inside. But in the lock were two
dead lights Of massive glass, eight inches in
diameter, and these the men knew were to
be broken as last resort.
A HEROIC SACRIFICE.
My God the water is gaining on US"
said one; what shall we dos''
Keep cool, men; keep cool" answered
a voice from the river side of the tunnel.
- Il,
BULBS eye and saw Woodland standing qui-
etIy at the door. Keep cool, he repeated
nothing can be gained by excitement"
But the water is gaining on us more
and more, and we can't open the door into
the working shaft
''Yes, and the water is covering me up, -
moaned poor Anderson, who was crushed
by the door. Can't you get me out of this"
Three of the men caught him by the hair
and neck and pulled; but every movement
was agony to the man, and he walled pit
eously to be let alone.
The water got higher and higher, and
presently Superintendent Woodland said:
Take off your clothes men, and St p the
crack of the door. :"
Some one said that that would cut off
what communication there was between
them.
Never mind that" replied Woodland
''it is your only chance.
But then"
''Do as l tell you," sharply said Wood
land.
The men went to work with will, and
in moment had packed the crack OF the
door with their clothes. Thus the portion
that Andersons body did not fit was closed
and the rapid increase of the water was
checked.
Presently noise came from the inside
One of the men peeped out through the
bulls eye and saw Woodland peeplng IN at
them. His face was very pale and was only
few feet above the water that was gurg-
ling about him. Behind him, in the dim
plimmer, were seen a number OF shad0Wy,
indistinct forms, whom the men knew to oe
their fellow -workmen. None of them NOV
ed. and beyond an occasional moan, which
MIGHT have been prayer or a curse, there
was no sound Woodlands voice sounded
strange as he shouted to them:
ssBIeak open the outside bulls-eye.
The men in the air-lock knew that TO
obey this order meant sudden ana sure
death to Woodland and their companions
Burns means had ceased, for the water
had covered him before their eyes. Wood
lands order meant that he was willing to
sacrifice his own chal.ces of escape TO IN
sure those of the eight men in the lock. tie
knew that there was a chance Tor them
then. but that it might pass away in mo-
ment The men knew this, too, out hesl-
tated to obey the order. Again it came.
"Knock out the bulbs seye; knock IL OUT
| saw" and then the stern voice faitered
IittIe as it added, ''and do what you can
for the rest of u.s." ,,.-,
Blow upon blow fell upon the thick g.ass
and was answered from the outsloe ny wv