Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-12-14
ETTOMBED ALIVE.

Edward English and his son James began
digging well on Tuesday last at Great
Plain. two miles distant from Danburv,
Conn. They had sunk the well 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 ncghbors and help was quickly at the
place. Two men dccendcd into the well bv
Il ladder 10 ascertain the condition of the
unfortunatcS, both Of whom were COM
plctcly hcmmcd in by dirt and timbers and
unable to move. Their situation was crti-
cal. 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 completely. and
above them was Il hanging mass of earth
ready to fall and smother them at any
moment. Above, around the mouth Of the
well was 4 crowd of men fully realizing
the peril Of the father and son below. 4
small tin pal! was attached 10 cord and
| let down. There was no room for ANYTHING
larger The son, who had managed TO Get
his hands clear, filled the pail with earth as
well as he could, and it was drawn up and
| there was 10 other way TO work
Mr.. English succcededin getting his hands
free also, and he passed earth TO the son.
who put ii III the pail. In this way much
Of the earth was removed: but the father.
held fast by the timber and stones resting
! on him, could not help himself further.
Meantime other means were adopted TO re-
lease the men.
On Saturday morning, eighteen hours af-
| ter the well cavcd in, Il rope was attached
to the son. and fortunately he was rescued.
Friends passed nourishmcnt to the men in
the pit ut the peril Of their lives. The res
ult of the release Of the son did not facilitate
that Of the father, rs was expected. The
earth ut his sideWa firm and did not Weld.
lie was penncdi in without the power ofmo,-
ing either body orlegs. Efforts were now di-
rcctcd to removing the dirt about him. for
which purpose small fire shovel alone
COULD h% used. The earth was after q while
removed from his shoulders. bat the timber
against his breast held him as in Il vice 1t
could have been cut in two, but it was
feared its displacement in that manner
would prove fatal Finalya windlass was
erected over the mouth of the well and an
attempt was made to build new curb
This work and what little could be done in
rcmorn" loose earth took the whole of Sat
urday.
Meantime the victim, twenty-five feet un-
der ground, within hearing OF the voices
Of his family and friends, and yet hopelesslv
beyond their reach, stood fastened in q liv-
ing grave waiting for the elimination of the
horror in Il frightful death. Alive to every
sound, startled by every falling pebble. MI
English passed through the hours of the
day rs he had through the night bcfore-an
eternity to one thus imprisoned. Nourish-
mcnt and medicines We're passed to him.
At times his courage gave out and he asked
that all effort be given up and that he be
left 10 his fate. But friends worked on
trying their best to get him ont. and hoping
every hour 10 accomplish it. On SATURDAY.
night there were several hundred pcoDlc
on the ground. and Il large proportion of
them remained till Sunday morning. Still,
in spite OF all that could be done, the suf-
trrci' WAS not released, and when the first
dawn Of the Sabbath broke it seemed as if
rescue was we'll nigh out Of the question
pericnccd by Mr.. Englsh and he begged
misery. After daybreak Of Sunday a pro-
jcct to tunnel by the side Of the well was
proposed. and to carry the same down be-
low where the unfortunate man lay The
whole of Sunday was occupied in this work
When Mr.. English heard of it hope was re-
Vivcd.
Up to Sunday attcrnoon-lorty-eigh
hours after the caving in Of the well-the
sufferer had partaken of no solid food and
had slept not more than ten minutes. At
daylight the Danbury fire alarm had been
sounded and the liremen detailed to duty at
the scene. Services in st. Peters Roman
Catholic Church and in other places of wor-
ship were omitted that the people might 90
to the we'll and assist. All through the dav,
and despite q drizzlng rain throngs of citi-
zens wended their way to the place, and at
one time, there were Il thousand persons
watching the work in the tunnel. During
these hours Mr.. English was cheered by frc-
quent news of the progress made for his re-
lease. At seven O'Clock at night the tunnel
was far enough advanced to enable the head
man to hear the voice of Mr.. English. He
cried TO them. Dig away. boysm Every
little while after that he was spoken to and
replied Tired as his helpers were they
went at. the work with fresh zeal caring
naught for fatigue so long us he was hope
full II was wonderful that he was alive af-
! ter fifty hours in that awful condition.
At ten o'clock it was thought that in a
few minutes he would be free At mid
night the earth at the head of the tunnel
broke away 50 fast that the passage was
with difficulty advanced. At one o'clock in
the morning the tunnel had reched the orig
inal curb OF the well. At half-past one
there was slide inside just to the left of
the prisoner He was called to but there
was no response, Several times afterward
he was spoken to but did not reply. \ mau
descended into the well as far as he dared
but could see nothing of Mr.. English. 1t
being believed that he was dead work was
| begun on top Of the ground between the
we'll and the pit in order to recover the
i body.
/ Shortly after five o'clock in the morning
the men had reached within three feet of
the unfortunate, and continued their opera
tions till four o'clock in the afternoon, when
/ it was discovered that he was still breathing
He was finally extricated but upon exami-