River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-06-24
A HEROIC RESCUE.
Thrilling Incident at Old Springs
The Brave SON OF n Brave Father,
Go 1

and boys were tshlng on the bank of
the creek at Old Springs, having beacon
lights for attracting the fish, and a
scene of considerable activity and
amusement was the result. The cry
that a boy named Lancey had fallen
into a deep well close by caused a sud
den abandonment of the sport and a
rush for the spot where the unfortu-
nate lad was battling for his life. The
well was fully fifty feet deep and about
one-third filled with water, and by the
glare of the torches brought by the fish
ers the boy Lancey could be seen swim
ming on the surface of the water
over thirty feet below ]. Francis, of
Sarina, and others present at once set
to work to devise means for the boys
rescue. A rope was speedily procured
from neighboring house and lowered
to the boy, who grasped it with his
hands, hanging on with all the strength
he could command until he was hauled
up about half way to the top, when his
grip relaxed and he fell back into the
water, fortunately without sustaining
any injury rs he was seen again strug-
CLING upon its surface The rope was
lowered to the boy, and he was directed
to hold on until further help could be
furnished him. At this juncture Dali
las Slsk, at the earnest request of Mr..
Francis, volunteered to 90 down the
well to the assistance "a the drowning
boy. Lowering himself hand over hand
by the rope to which the boy was hang
ing, he was soon by the lads side and
in moment more the boy was astride
IN l..ao Il lI.t. T.. D
neck. Those above began to draw up
the rope with its precious burden, and
all went well until within few feet of
the top, when it was found that no
provision had been made for drawing
them clear of the mouth of the we'll
One of the men assisting in drawing
them up, by lying prone on the ground
was able to reach down far enough to
reach Sisk by the wrist but all his eff
forts to raise him up were fruitless.
Meanwhile Sisk's strength was giving
way, and as his weight fell more and
more upon the man who was endeavor-
ing to help him out, the latter was be-
ing slowly drawn into the well, and in
another instant he, with Sisk and the
boy, would have been precipitated to
trait in Sisk's character showed itself.
Feeling that he was surely drawing his
friend into the we'll and without the
possibility of any other mode of release
from his perilous position presenting
itself, he called to the men to let 90.
His request was reluctantly obeyed, and
to the horror of the onlOokers Sisk and
the boy, as soon as the mans hand was
relaxed dropped out ofsight, the heavy
dull splash that followed telling only too
plainly that both had sunk beneath the
water In Their exhausted condition it
was feared that death by drowning was
their inevitable fate The anguish and
anxiety of the onlookers was for the
moment intense. Their hopes were
however, revived and their fears tenn
pOrarily relieved by the temperance
of Sisk and young Lancey on the surface
of the water.
The rope was once more lowered, and
Sisk and the boy again grasped it, but
the former finding his strength much
weakened told the boy it was impossible
for him to bear the weight in any at
tempt to get out of the we'll 1t was
his own life against that of the boys
and it seemed as if he would have to
leave the latter to his fate. But Ian
cey's piteous appeals not to be left alone
to die in the bottom of the well touched
the mans great heart, and once more
he told the lad to Chamber on his shout
ders and secure himself, while he made
another attempt for their lives. Shout
ing to those above to haul away, the
upward journey was again attempted,
Sisk bearing his own and the boys
weight by his grasp on the rope. Slow
~ the precious burden of two human
lives approached the surface, the death
like silence being broken only by an oc-
casional word of encouragement to the
pair clinging to the rope for existence.
Better arrangements for their with
drawal from the mouth of the well had
this time been made, and as Sisk and
his companion came within reach they
were successfully landed amid the con-
gratulatiOns of those who had worked
so hard for their rescue. The boy was
unframed, but the mental and ply
steal strain which Sisk had undergone
proved too much for his system, and it
was found when he was brought to the
surface that he was writhing in a fit,
unconscious and oblivious to all around
him. The noble fellows grasp upon
the rope was death-like, and it required
the united exertions of two or three
men to free it from his vise-like grip
Nothing but the superhuman strength
which despair lends to the strong man
in his extremity could have enabled
him to sustain his own and the boys
weight by the power of his hands and
arms for so prolonged period, as con-
siderably over an hour had elapsed
from the time he entered the well until
he was released from what appeared
certain death.