The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-10-16
4 Brave Eirsx,an ReScues Two Aen'as
the Fisk Or His Life.

THE vicinity Of Dearborn and South water
streets during the early hours Of last evening
wis the scene Of an exciting struggle between
life and death, and the heroic members u
Engine COMPANY No. u can with pride point
to their work last night, whereby father ana
son were rescued from horrible death by
sut!Ocation. The feeling in the large crowd
which had gathered was intense while the
str,. gle was uncertain. and when success
came the feeling burst forth into "tnree
cheer, for the brave firemen.'
At the foot Of Dearborn street, between
South Water street and the river, IL Il smart
about sixty feet deep where the gas'ma'n IS
carried under the river. 1t was the duty OK
Alcxand,: low, an old man employed bv the
Gas Company, to descend this shaft every
second day and pump the water from tue
main. Yesterday about four O'Clock ne
went down into the dark shaft as usual
but did not wait long enough for the
accumulated gas to escape. While engaged
ut work he was overcome by the gas
and fell half sutfocatcd on the bottom.
II was fully $50 before his absence was
noticed, and then the alarm was sent to the
house of No. IL near by. The trelnen turned
out with long ropes and lanterns. The condl'
ton Of the shaft was easily seen by the IAN
tern which went out when about thirty feet
down. Meanwhile son of the old man. James
William Cow, a young man Of nineteen. hid
arrived at the shaft. a rope was tied around
his body, and with foreman named shay
he was lowered into the shaft. When the two
were about twenty feet from the bottom
piercing cry was heard, and on pulling up, 1t
was found that the boy had fallen from the
rope, and that Shay was overcome with the gas
by this time large crowd had gathered, ana
intense excitement prevailed.
A daughter and two moro sons had arrived
and were nearly crazy with grief. Meanwhile
the suifocating groans Of the father ana son
could be heard from the shaft. No light could
live in the shaft, and the men were too weak
encd to grasp the ropes let down into the aw.
full darkness. 1t seemed as il they must per-
ish, with hundreds Of willing hands above to
help them, but not knowing how. The shalt
on the other side of the river was opened, and
this created slight current Of air. The Ian.
terms went down n little further, but the groanS
were almost dying out. Another son attcmpt-
ed to rescue his father and brother, but nc,
too, was brought up stitied.
Finally some one had good idea. A calcium
light wa, procured from the Olympic Thcatcr
and its strong light wis directed down tue
shaft. Then the crowd could see the father
lying on his face, and his son with his face
turned upward-both apparently dead. Maxi
ing another test with the lanterns developed
the fact that the shaft was being cleared OF the
deadly escaping gas. Then was the time for
volunteers. There was short silence, and
then Lieutenant Thomas Pumphry, OF Com
pany No. Il, said: "IlI sO." A rope was
fastened about him, and, putting silk hand
kerchicf in his mouth, be rapidly descended
the ladder leading down the shaft. His mo-
lions were watched eagerly. He fastened the
rope about the boy. The crowd pulled eager.
", and the unconscious boy was Brought to
the upper world Then the hero Pumphry
made another trip and similarly brought up
the father. The son was easily brought to,
and was found to have sustained but few in
jurics, 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 firemcn chafel his hands,
slapped his bare feet, and partially restored
him with cold water. Dr. Arndt finally ar'
rived, and succeeded in rcviving him sufi'
sciently to allow Of the removal Of the two to
their home, No. Il. kinzic street.
, Engine Company No. Is has hcro.-Chicdgo
F, Tribune.