The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-06-06
FIGHTING AGAINST DEATH.

A LabOrer at Cleveland Repeatedly Buried
Beneath Sand-Hereulean Efforts to Reg
cue Him at Last Successful.
CLEVELAND, o., June la terrible scene
was enacted on Ontario street in this city
this msrning. 1t was fight of a crowd of
men against death, and humanity won.
They did net fight for themselves, but for
fellow-msn. About o'clock this morning,
as the workmen were excavating preparatory
to putting braces under an old building on
Ontario street. near Howe, the earth caved
in, burying Fred Rutchinsky one of the
laborers. All about the place is one large
bed of sand. A dozen hands commenced to
rapidly shovel the sand away to rescue the
man. who was entirely hidden out of sight.
The narrow space between the building was
Immediately filed with a living mass of
humanity, crowdiJg upon. those shOveling.
When the mans head was in sight, he was
found to be nearly smothered, and rapidly
sinking in the quicksand. On account of his
sinking gradually under the building, his
chances for liberation were growing more
and more dubious. The sand was heavy and
wet. After about twenty minutes shovel
inr s large Glide of sand fell ON the poor fell
low, completely covering him the second
time. Relays of six men sere working with
shsFels, but with all their hurried exertions
il seemed as if no headway was being made.
Whom q shovelful was thrown out another
sbOVelful tOok its place. 1t was several min
utse before Rutchinsky's head appeared
again. This time he was sshy pale, and
could not speak above whisper. He
Of sand were on Gll sides, and the workers
and the sufferers were gradually sinking idto
the earth The sand had been shoveled away
from Rutchinsky nearly to his waist, and
people commenced to breathe easier, when
an awful avalanche of sand swept down
upon him after the lapse of a few minutes,
which seemed 10 be hours, the mans head
around the man to force back the sand; axes
were hurTiedly brought into requisition, and
dozens of hands we're at work cutting the
ends of boards to psint and driving them
around the man. 1t took st least twenty
minutes before the palisade was built, and
sill this while the men with the shovels were
| busy keeping the mans head free. A barrel
was secured, the ends were knocked out oil
! it, and it was placed over Rutchinsky's head
to keep the life in him. 1t was now so fal
| down TO the bottom Of the cavern that but
! one man could work Resr the sinking man,
and the sand was passed up to a shoyeleI
| above who then threw il to a man on
| top to the frightful place. Rutchinsky's
ace wss turned up; it was CHASTITY In ap
| pearance, and his eyes were closed. Those
| or the brink thought be was dead, but he
/ opened his eyes and asked for drink. Il
was procured and handed down TO the man
the nearest to Rutchinsky, who gave it tc
/ him. When his erms and shoulders were
| TIE third time exposed a rope was let dOWr
and put under the mans arms. Word wa
| given to haul away, and the almost lifeles
| form of Fred Rutchinsky was Slowly drawn
| up TO the surface amid cheers from tn,
crows on buildings and about the place. Ar
ugly wound appeared On Rutchinsky's head
made evidently by q shovel. He was in tn,
sandy sepUlcher one hour and thirty,,minutes
Rutchinsky was taken to his home at No. s;
Noys street, he is sturdy, muscular man
/ and will recover.