Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-12-28
RURIED ALIVE.

L -
Horriryinci situation of a Father and. Son.
hurried Deep by the Gazing In OF ..
WsH-OAe of the Parties Kescued-EE--
fokts,to Intricate the Other.
Edward English and his son James began
digging q well on Tuesday last at Great Plain
two miles distant from here They had sunk
the vel. twenty-five feet, and on Friday after
noon 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 DoNTTey and
William Davis descended into the wen by
ladder to ascertain the condition of the unfort-
unates both of whom were completely
hemmed in by dirt an1y hmberss
and unable to move. Their situation
was critical. The space about them was
was IMPOSSIBLE to reach the bottom OF the we'll
The men were fastened in completely. and
above them was hanging mass OF earth ready
to fall and smother them 1T ahy moment
Above around the mouth of the wefL was
crowd of men fully realizing the peril of the
father and son below A small tn pail was
attached 10 a cord and let down: There was
no room for anything iargtr- Ine sop, who
had managed to get his hafas GEAR, niled the
pail with earth as well as he could ana it was
drawn up and empted. 1t was a terribly
slow process. but there was no other way to
hands free ais :. and he passed earth to the
Son. who put II in the pail. In this way much
OF the cart0 was remOEed. DLi TIE 1dIler.
held fast by the timber and stones resting on
him. could not help himself further. Mean
time other means were adopted TO release the
men, III
On Saturday morning. eighteen hours after
the well caved in. rope was attached to the
son and fortunately he was rescued. Friends
passed nourishment to the men in the pit at
the peril of their lives. The result of the re-
lease of the son did not facilitate that of the
was firm and did not yield. He was pennedin,
without the power of moving either body or
the dirt about him. for which purpose small
fire shovel alone could be used The earth
was after while 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 thar manner
would prove fatal. Finally windiass was
erected over the mouth of the well and an at
tempt was made to build a new curb. This
work and what little could be done in remoy-
ing loose earth took the whole Of saturday.
Meantime the victim, twenty-five feet under
ground. within hearing of the voices of his
tn cir reach, stood fastened in n living grave
waiting for the elimination of the horror in
frightful death Alive to every sound, startled
by every falling pebble, Mr.. English passed
through the hours of the day as he had
through the light before-an eternity to one
thus imprisoned. Nourishment and medicines
were passed TO him. At times his courage
gave out and he asked thar all efforts be given
up and that he be left to his fate But friends
worked on trying their best to get him o,lr.
and hoping every hour to accomplish it. On
night there were several hundred
Of them remained till Sunday morning. Still,
n spite of all that could be done. the sufferer
was not released, and when the first dawn of
he Sabbath broke il seemed as If rescue was
we'll nigh cut of the question. The same feel
ng, only intensified. was experienced by Mr..
English and he begged for "a knife that with
he III ght end his misery. After daybreak
# Sunday project to tunnel by the side OF
he we'll was proposed and to carry the same.
lown below where the unfortuns.e man law
The whole of Sunday was occupied in this
york When Dir. English heard OF it hope was
Up to Sunday ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS hours
fter the caving in of the weli-the sufferer
lot more than ten minutes. At daylight the
)anbury fire-alarm had been sounded and the
remen detailed to duty at the scene. Services
St Peter Roman Catholic Church and in
Their places of worship were omitted thar the
eople might go to the well and assist. All
Trough the day and despite drilling rain
hrongs of citizens wended their way to the
lace, and at one time there were a thousand
e sraa1 present watching the work in the
heered by frequent news of the progress made
Dr. his release At seven O'Clock last night
nabie the head man to hear the voice
Mr. English. He cried 70 them: "Dig
way wa BOYS; f Every little while after that he
elpers We're they went at the work with fresh
eai, caring naught for fatigue long as he
as hopeful. 1t was wonderful that he was
I've after fifty hours in that awful condition
{ ten o clock it was ought that in a few min
the head of the tunnel broke away SO fast
e passage was with difficulty advanced AT
ne o clock this morning the tunnel had reach
the original curb of the well. AZ half past one
ere was a slide inside just to the left of the
1soner he was called to. hut there was no
Spouse. Several times afterward he was
'oken to. but did not reply. a man descended
70 the wen as far as he dared but could see
,.h,h9 OF Mr English. 1t being believed
AT ne was dead work was begun on ton of
6 ground between the well and the pit in
der to recover the body.
shortly after five o'clock this morning the
en- had reached within three feet of the I'M
rtunate, and continued their operations till
'tr O'Clock this afternoon. when it was dis
Nered that he was still breathing There is
tie nope that he can he extrfeated alive
ORR sun continues. however. aud will be
PIT up until the object sought for is attained.
:. English has wife and eleven children.
rose agonlzlng suspense in regard 20 the fate
the husband and father Is beyond eIescrin-
n -Ddniha'p Coma Cor. y. Y 5IerG5G.
II mas since been reported that Mr. English
Is hlieu pS subsequent caving il of earth.1
4 Boiler FynIoSian