The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-01-13

and solidity 1t was easy to fit to them
valves and plstons, and to work them
with a wooden walking beam, moved by
the crank of water wheel This crank
was a master piece. 1t had an arm or
leverage of two feet, and was forged
from the iron axle of one OF our wagons,
Rndits dungeons or bearings We're turned
IN lathe of our own contriving This
was q heavy Job for our own resources,
but it was finished after an age at
seemed to us) of toll, puzzlng and per-
spiration, and We had produced machine
~ that was capable of raising TO o
height of nearly thirty feet many tons
OF water per day, and which answered
all our requirements for drainage, so
that we were able. To ressel. thet lonGs
sought . bed rock at a depth OF ninety
1soU below the Present bed of the creek.
L 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 II flowed out to the surface 600
yards down the canon.
We had reached bed rock, but had
not - struck II 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 We're 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 a: for,
telling Bill to rouse the entire camp, 1
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 as likely to
be needed. and the miners from wet
dIggings came clad in coats, high boots
and helmet-shaped caps of India-rubber,
and looking like knights IL armOr.
Knights they were, too, for that matter,
for, though armed only with shoveis and
picks, they were as daring and as gen
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 1 found our
machinery apparently uninjured, 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 ut once or we
could not hope to save the mine, much
less to rescue our friend. Calling Bob
Piper, a tall. black bearded miner. who
had worked at his trade IN every mining
country from the English channel to the
Pacific ocean, and vino, in skill, courage
and experience, was the mining oracle
Of our camp-I pointed hlm to the
pump which was wearing itself ont IN
vain, for it lifted no water.
Bob" said I, eve must fix that
pump 1t Is our only hope to save /
Little Jimmy"
Wen fix it., replied Bob, quietly.
'' The pump Is starved-choked up at
the bottom. Wen fix it; and rs for the
poor lad Wen git un out
Bob was West of England man, and
his dialect stuck TO him.
"Well get un out, Benny: / think he
bean't dead. I've helped dig men out
in the old country and tins, too; an God
will help Us we'll get un out now; won't
is, Benny?'
Benny; thus appealed to, answered
with an emphatic You bet, and the
next moment he and Bob, followed by
two others. were clambering down the
steep and slippery flight of ladders that
led into the mine, until their candles,
,
swallowed up in the black shaft Axes
had been sent down in the bucket, and
in a few moments We're 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
groaning, 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 groanlng,
stood still and began to tremble. The
wheel had stopped for moment, then
began to move slowly, and went round
with a surge. There was a great rush
of water through the pump, and 1t was
all right. Our old wooden pump was
equal to the occasion. The hOOd-gates
were opened to the great Overshot
wheel. and it was required TO do It's
best 1t rushed round steadily, and IN |
an hour the mine was freed from water
SO that men could press into the drift.
1t was arranged that if Little Jimmy
was found alive the fact should be tele-
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
a mountain.
Presently to those who waited above, |
there came a sharp peal of the bell
then another. He was alive What a
shout went up from the men assembled |
there. Out of the depths of that canon,
above its cliffs and crags, and over the
trees that waved on their SUBMITS, and
above the mountains that lowered
above them all 1t rose like
incense. It assembled into heaven, for 1t
was a 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 be ut
tered in words.
NV story is DONE Little Jimmy had
been overwhelmed with an avalanche,
his candles extinguished, and he dashed
down with his face to the earth; 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 har-
messed themselves to the "hOrse whln,
and had hoisted him into the glorious
sunshine. They bore him to his cabin,
and placed him in the tender care Of
"Doc." Here we will leave him.
The three drinking saloons IN our
Camp proclaimed open doors and free
whisky for the rest of that day, ana' as
the bows we're about to take drink, Bob
Piper asked leave to offer a sentiment.
. Genelmen," said he, q told yon1
~ a