Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-04-01
! Mining Experts Terrible Expe,;
euce.

ence.
Nearly week since Louis Blanain,
one of the best known miring experts
on the coast, passed through this cit1
on his way from San Francisco to eI.
anime the Santa Anita quartz mine
which is situated near Washingtnn
twenty. one miles above here. Day be'
fore yesterday lie returned here. bav.
ing accomplished his object. His er.
periences on the trip were of an inter.
estine nature. and ii is By mere chance
that he was enabled TO live and relate
them. After tedious journey through
the snow he reached the home of ono
of the owners OF the claim, and togethc,
they forced their way for three mile.
iutih n 10 The mine. Lighting candle.
they entered the tunnel. which has been
pushed toward the heart Of the NOM.
tain distance Of $50 feet. Twenty.fivs
feet from the head Of IL they came to ,
Wine fifty-six feet deep. Over tbi.
Wine is "A windlass. Mr. Blanding or.
amined it carefully. and observing n,
weak spots in It's construction, had Ma
companion let him TO the bottom. Ue
inspected the ledge, made measure.
ments, secured "A sack of specimens. and
putting one foot in the blight Of ,Ie
rope, shouted TO the man above 70 boig
away. After ascending thirty fee. be
ceased to rise.
What's the mattcr?' he asked.
The windlass is broken" was The
reply.
81 can't The support at one side, !,
broken down. One end ui The ,lrur
has dropped To the ground My shoulds,
is under il, and IL stir the whole thin
1 -. IL
that camesback The candle al The to.
had been extinguighed. Mr.. Blandjng
recognized the urgency Of having cof.
head in such an emergency. and tod
| the other party 10 take things easy. II,
| dropped the candlestick, sack OF sueri.
mems and the hammer to the bottom :,
/ the Wine. Then bracing ,onc OF his
| shoulders against one side Of the hoe
and his feet against the other. workas
| his way up inch by inch, the oyrsr
| taking In the slack OF the rope with o,s
hand. Thus he assembled ten feet. The
/ the sides Of the Wine grew so far apa-
that this plan could no longer be nm,
/ sued. There was but one salyatio,
! The remaining ten feet must bc climby
"hand over hand" Releasing his Eg
| from the knot, he put the idea inn
practice. Exhausted by his previor,
| efforts in walking TO the mine and er.
/ ploring il, il seemed 10 him be b,g
climbed a mile, and stopping 10 res
! found by the voice that he had vet ir.
feet to go. With another supernumr
effort, another start was made. Attr
what seemed an age, one of his hand,
struck the edge of the covering on or
side OF the mouth. His body and limbs
were suffering the agonies OF cran!,s
and soreness, and his brain began 10
reel. All sorts of frightful phantom,
| filled his mind. With n fnal effort BE-
reached up and found he could get The
ends of one hands fingers over the edR,
| of n board that answered for part Of
the covering With the despair Of mw
who faces a fearful death and know,
IL. he let 90 the rope altogether. ant
raising the other hand obtained a pr.
carious hold. His body swung back and
forth over the dark abyss an instant
and rs he felt that bis hands were iO-
| ing their hold. he criec. Save M
| quick. am goingf"
just then his companion. who is
man of great strength. dropped the enc
of the drum, and grasping bis coE
collar, drew him out on the floor o.
/ the tunnel.
The mining expert was utterly pros
trated as his rescue was effected H
was carried out Of the tunnel. ibis cloths
wet with perspiration. and laid in th
snow. When partially recovered b.
was assisted TO a house three mis-
away. His whole frame was so ractE
with the physical and mental torture
that for several hours he had no use q
some of his limbs. Two days afterh
returned TO the mine and with an irr
bar broke the windlass into OO0 pieces.
then fished the sack of specimens ouid
the winze. During a whole lifetime Of
mining adventures in some Of the depP
est claims of the world, he says he hst
never been SO near the door of death IS
he was at the Santa Anita, and he hops
never 10 pass through the like again
1 hgs...,T. T-s...n~..-F