Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-12-15
ENTOMBED ALIVE,
A Father and Son-Prempf Kescue OF
the Latter The Fathers Life
Despaired Of
Axonizinx Suspense of the Wife and
Children An AWfaI Scene-A
EE-ss s< 1xorr0r.

correspondent al OOuu-, tcleSTdPuS
that Edward English and his son james be-
gan digging a we'll on Tuesday last at Great
Plain, two miles distant from there. They
had sunk the we'll twenty-five feet, and on
Friday afternoon last a mass of earth, with
boards, timber and stone, fell upon the two
men, covering them out OF sight. An alarm
was spread among the neighbors and help |
was quickly at the place. james Moore, |
Michael Downey and William Davis descend |
ed into the well by ladder to ascertain the |
condition of the unfortunates, both of whom |
we're completely hemmed in by dirt and tim |
bers and unable to move. Their situation |
was critical. The space about them was |
scarcely more than two feet in diameter. |
1t was impossible to reach the bottom of !
the well. The men were fastened in COM
pletely, and above them was a hanging |
mass of earth ready to fall and smother |
them at any moment. Above, around the |
mouth of the well, was a crowd of men fully |
realizing the peril of the father and son be- |
low A small tin pail was attached 10 a cord |
and let down. There was no room for any |
thing large. The son, who had managed to |
get his hands clear, filled the pail with |
earth well as he could, and it was drawn
up aud emptied. 1twas o terribly slow pro-
cess, but there was no other way to work. |
Mr.. English succeeded in getting his hands
free Also and he passed earth 10 the son, who
put it in the pail. In this way much OF The
tdTtn Was TeuONcQs Out the OtueI, uclQ ldcL
by the timber and stones ing on him,
could not help himself fnrther. Meantime
other means were adopted to release the men.
ONE OF THE PARTIES RESCUED.
On Saturday morning, eighteen hours after
the we'll caved in, rope was attached TO the
son, and fortunately he wac rescued. Friends
passed nourishment TO the men in the pit at
the peril of their lives. The result Of the
release of the son did not facilitate that of
the father as was expected. The earth at
his side was frn and did not yield. He was
penned III, without the power of moving
either body or legs. Efforts were now d.
rected TO removing the dirt about him, for
which purpose q small fire shovel alone
could be used. The earth was after awhile
removed from his shoulders, but the timber
against his breast held him as in vice. 1t
could have been cut in two, but it was feared
its displacement in that manner would prove
fatal. Finally a wind asa WAS erected over
the mouth of the well and an attempt was
made 10 build new curb. This work, and
what little could be done in renewing loose
earth, took the whole of Saturday.
HORRIBLE SITUATION.
Meantime the victim, twenty five feet I'M
der ground, within hearing Of the voices of
his family and friends, and yet bopelessly
beyond their reach, stood fastened in a liv-
ing grave waiting for the culminstion of the
HorIof IN Il IISntiui ueatn. awe TO every
sound, startled by every falling pebble, Mr..
Engli passed through the hours of the day
as he had through the night before-an .
eternity to one thus Imprisoned. Nourish- ;
ment and medicines were passed to him. At :
times his courage gave out, snd he asked ,,
that ali effor. be given up and that he be
left TO his fate. But friends worked on, try
ing their best TO accomplish it. On Satur-
day night there were several hundred peo-
pie on the ground, and a large proportion of :
hem remained till Sunday morning. Still,
IN spite of all that could be done, the suf- |;
ierer was not released, and when the first !;
lawn of the Sabbath broke it seemed as If !
rescue was we'll nigh out of the question.
The same feeling, only intensified, was ex- 7
by Mr.. English, and he begged for !,
! knife, that with it he might end his misery. !
After daybreak of Sunday a project to tun- E
lei by the side of the well was proposed, :
md to carry the same down below where the !"
Unfortunate man lay. The whole of Sunday i
vas occupied ia this work. When Mr.. =
English heard of it hope was revived. r
GREAT EXCITEMENT PREVAILING. [
Up TO Sunday ACKNOWLEDGMENT hours Il
fter the caving in of the well-the sufferer s,
lad partaken OF no solid food and had slept p
ot more than ten minutes. At daylight the p
)anbury fire alarm had been sounded and Il
be hremen detailed to duty at the scene. 8
ervices in St. Peters Roman Catholic L
hurch and in other places of worship were sc
united that the people might go to the well v
nd assist. All through the day, and despite ST
drilling rain, throngs of citizens weuded
heir way 10 the place, and at one time there ii
'ere 1000 persons present watching the work
4 the tunuel. During these hours Mr.. En- So
lish was cheered by frequent news of the z:
rogress made for his release. AT o'clock
unday night the tunnel was far enough adj
anced to enable the head man to hear the
dice of Mr.. English. He cried to them
Dig away, boys" Every little while after -,
rat he was spoken TO and replied. Tired as :,
is helpers were they went at the work with o
esh zeal, caring naught Tor fatigue 30 long r.
he was hopeful. II was wonderful that =.
e was alive after fifty hours in that awful Is
,Ddition. At 10 O'Clock it was thought -,
lat in few minutes he would be - -
zee. At midnight the earth at the ~
cad Of the tunnel broke away 90 fast x
lat The passage was with difficulty adj - :.
anced. AT l o'clock Monday moraing the "a
lnnel had reached the original curb of the -
ell. At / 80 o'clock there was a slide in -
de just 10 the left Of the prisoner. He was ~
llled TO, bu. there was no response. Sew -.
al times sfterwsrd he was spoken to, but .e.
ID not reply. A man descended into the =,
ell as far as he dared, but could see nothing ).
Mr.. English. 1t being believed that he NC
as dead work was begun on top OF the -
-ound between the we'll and the pit in order Ft
recover the body. h.
Shortly after 3 o'clock in the morning the pr
en- had reached within three feet of the rel
and continued their operations DIR
Il 4 O'Clock in The afternoon, when il was dis Al
vered that he was still breathing. There Al
little hope that he can be extricated alive vo
'ork still continues, however, and will be In
.pt up till the object sought for is attained. WI
r. English has wife and eleven children, i 30
hose agonizing suspense in regard to the I
te of the husband and father is beyond Hl
rel