Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-12-22

vi wafer per Gay, aQu which answered
all our requirements for drainage. so
that we were able to reach that long
sought "bed rock at depth of ninety
feet below the present bed OF the creek.
will mention here that our pump was
twelve inches square inside, and had a
stroke of four feet, raising the water
twenty nine feet into our drain tunnel.
whence it flowed out to the surface 900
yards down the canon.
We had reached "bed rock" but had
not Struck it very rich, and were run
ming drift or tunnel on bed rock across
and up the gulch in search of the "pay
streak which we were hoping every day
to find, when the announcement of a
startling accident was made. Here was
the ruin of our hopes and the death of
our friend for there was little room TO
hope for any other result.
1t must not be supposed that much
time was wasted in such reflections Tor.
telling Bill to rouse the entire camp. /
rushed off to the mine. Such OF the
men as had heard of the occurrence
hurried from their work, bringing with
them their picks and shovels rs likely to
be needed, and the miners from wet
dlgglngs came clad in coats, high boots
and helmet-shaped caps of India-rubber,
and looking like knights IN armor.
Knights they were, too, for that matter.
for, though armed only with shoy Is and
picks, they were as daring and as gem
erous as ever belted Prince who rode
with lance at rest to right imaginary
wrongs and they were ready now to
risk every danger to save the poor fellow
buried in the mine beneath.
On reaching the scene I found our
machinery apparently uninjurcd, but
looking more closely / discovered that
the pump was raising not a drop of
water, and it would not be long before
the entire mine would be flooded. The
pump must be relieved at once or we
could not hope to save the mine, much
less to rescue our friend. Calling Bob
Piper, tall, black bearded miner, who
had worked at his trade in every mining
country from the English channel to the
Pacific ocean, and who, in skill, courage
and experience, was the mining oracle
OF our campI pointed him to the
pump, which was wearing itself out in
vain, for it lifted no water.
Bob, said /, "we must fix that
pump 1t is our only hope to save
Little Jimmy"
"Well fix it." replied Bob, quietly.
=" The pump is starved-choked up at
the bottom. Well fix it; and as for the
poor lad Well git un out"
Bob was West of England man, and
his dialect stuck to him.
Well get un out, Benny; l think he
bean't dead. I've helped dig men out
in the old country and this, too; an God
will help us we'll get I'm out now; won't
us, Benny?"
Benny; thus appealed to, answered
with an emphatic "You bet" and the
next moment he and Bob, followed by
two others, were clamberlng down the
steep and slippery flight of ladders that
led into the mine, until their candles,
gllmmcring like stars, were one by one
swallowed up in the black shaft. Axes
had been sent down in the bucket, and
in a few moments were heard blows
ringing on the mass of wood and iron
that composed the barrel of the pump.
They were cutting holes to let water into
the pump below 1t had already risen
above their waists, and the mouth of the
lowest drift was nearly submerged.
The machinery was creaking and
grooming, and the wheel dashing round,
and it was idle show, and the mine was
filling up. and soon the men would be
driven out but meantime We could
hear the blows of the axes. Presently
the clumsy walking beam quit grooming,
stood still and began to tremble. The
wheel had stopped for moment, then
began to move slowly, and went round
with surge. There was a great rush
of water through the pump, and it was
all right. Our old wooden pump was
equal to the occasion. The flood gates
were opened to the great overshot
wheel, and it was required to do its
best. 1t rushed round steadily, aud in
an hour the mine was freed from water
so that men could press into the drift.
1t was arranged that il Little Jimmy
was found alive the fact should be tele-
graphed aloft by two strokes of the sig.
nal bell but if dead, one tap should
announce it. Men were working under
ground as only such men would work.
They had been told off into gangs of four
each, which spelled or relieved each
other every fifteen minutes; and, as they
advanced into the avalanche of rock
and earth that filed the drift, every inch
had to be prOpped with heavy timbers,
for the vast mass above them had been
shaken and had lost its cohesion, and
at every moment might crash down like
q mountain.
Presently, to those who waited above,
there came a sharp peal Of the bell
4, - I. .fT
shout went up from the men assembled
there. Out of the depths OF that canon,
above it's cliffs and craes, and over the
trees that waved on their submits, and
above the mountains that lowered
beyond-far above them all it rose like
incense. 1t assembled into heaven, for 1t
was prayer-a prayer OF Thanksgiving
and of praise. Not formed in speech,
not framed in language, but the over
flowing of the heart that can not he ut
tered in words.
Ny story is done. Little jimmy had
been overwhelmed with an avalanche.
his candies extinguished, and he dashed
down with his face to the carte: but the
rocks and timbers had formed an arch
over him, and, resting his elbows on the
ground, he was just able to support his
head above it. In little while hewould
have drowned where he lay, but he was
safe now. Strong hands had dragged
him out of this grave They had ban
messed themselves to the "horse wliu.
and had hoisted him into the glorious
sunshine. They bore him to his cabin,
and placed him in the tender c4rc d
"Dac. Here we viii leave hin
The three drinking saloons in our
camp proclaimed open doors and free
whisky for the rest Of that day, and. as
the boys were about TO take drink, Bob
Piper asked leave to offer sentiment.
Genulmen, said he, II told You
we'd sit nm out, if SO be as God would
help us. Genelmen. He did lesxJ Us
You bet :" was the appfaudIa3 and
emphatic response.
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