Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-10-07
A Heroic Rescue.

THE vicinity of Dearborn and South Water
streets during the early hours of last evening
was the scene of an exciting struggle between
life and DEATH and the heroic members of
Engine Company No. IL can with pride point
to their work last night, whereby u father and
son were rescued from horrible death by
suffOcation. The feeling in the large crowd
which had gathered was intense while the
struggle was uncertain, and when success
came the feeling burst forth into "three
cheers for the brave firemen."
At the foot of Dearborn street, between
South Water street and the river, is shaft
about sixty feet deep, where the gas-main is
carried under the river. 1t was the duty OF
Alexander Cow, an old man employed by the
Gas Company, to descend this shaft every
second day and pump the water from the
main. Yesterday about four o'clock he
went down into the dark shaft as usual,
but did not wait long enough for the
accumulated gas to escape. While engaged
at work he was overcome by the gas
and fell half suffOcated on the bottom.
1t WIGS fully T:30 before his absence was
noticed, and then the alarm was sent to the
house of No. Ii near by. The firemen turned
out with long ropes and lanterns. The cond1-
ton of the shaft was easily seen by the lam
tern which went out when about thirty feet
down. Meanwhile a son of the Old man, James
William Cow, young man OF nineteen. had
arrived st the shaft. A rope was tied around
his body, and, with a foreman named Shay,
he was lowered into the shaft. When the two
were a3out twenty feet from the bottom
piercing cry was heard, and ora pulling up, it
was found that the boy had fallen from The
rope, and that Shay was overcome with the kas.
By this time u large crowd had gathered, and
intense excitement prevailed.
A daughter and two more sons had arrived
and were nearly crazy with grief. Meanwhile
the suffocating groanS of the father anil son
could be heard from the shaft. No light could
live in the shaft, and the men were too weak
ened to grasp the ropes let down into tn aw-
full darkness. 1t seemed as if they musi per-
ish, with hundreds of willing hands aho"e to
help them, but not knowing how. The ahaft
on the other side of the river was opened, and
this created a slight current of air. Tb. Ian
terms went down a little further, but the gr 'ans
were almost dying out. Another son attetbpt-
cd to rescue his father and brother, but he,
too was brought up stihed.
Finally some one had good idea. A calcium
light was procured from the Olympic Theater
and its strong light was directed down the
shaft. Then the crowd could see tine father
lying on his face, and his son with his face
turned upward-both apparently dead. Max
ms another test with the lanterns developed
the fact that the shaft was being cleared OF tbs
deadly escaping gas. Then the time for
volunteers. mere was u snort silence, ara
then Lieutenant Thomas Pumphry, of Cone
paIy No. Ii. said: III CO." A rope WIS
fastened about him, and, putting silk han'l-
ketchief in his mouth, he rapidly descended
the ladder leading down the shaft. His mo-
tons were watched eagerly. He fastened the
rope about the boy. The crowd pulled eager
ly, and the unconscious boy was brought to
the upper world. Then the hero Pumphry
made another trip and similarly brought up
,I,-
and was found to have sustained but few in
juries. comparatively. The case of the father
was more difficult. He had been four hours in
the shaft and was absolutely filled with gas.
For long time it was struggle between life
and death. The firemen chafed his hands,
slapped his bare feet, and partially restored
him with cold water. DIR. Arndt finally ar
rived, and succeeded in reviving him suffi-
GENTLY to allow of the removal of the two to
their home. No. To- Kinzie street.
Engine Company No. u has a hero.-Chicdoo
Tribune.