Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-06-07
FIGHTING AGAINST DEATH.
"A LabOrer at Cleveland Repeatedly
Buried Beneath Sand.

A terrible scene was enacted on Onta-
RIO street, in this city, this morning 1t
was fight of crowd of men against
death, and humanity won. They did not
fight for themselves, but for a feilow-man
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. Rudchinsky. one of
the labOrers. All about the place is one
large bed of sand. A dozen hands COM
menced to rapidly shovel the sand away
to rescue the man, who was entirely hid
den out of sight The narrow space
between the building was immediately
filled with living mass of humanity,
crOwding upon those shOveling. When
the mans head was in sight he was found
to be nearly smOthered and rapidly sink
ing i'll 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
shOvelling a large slide of sand fell on the
poor fellow, completely covering him the
second time. Relays of six men were
working with shOvels, but with all their
hurried eXertions it seemed as if no
Roadway was being made. When a
shOvelful was thrown out another
shovelful took its place. 1t was sew
eral minutes before Rutchnsky's head
appeared again. This time he was ashy
pale, and could not speak above Il whis-
per. He mOaned piteOusly. At this
time great piles of sand were ON all sides.
and the workers and the sufferer were
gradually sinking into the earth. The
sand mad been shOveled away from Rut
chinsky 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 to be hours, the mans
head was again in view. Boards
were driven around the man to
force back the sand; axes were
hurriedly brought into requisition, and
dozens of hands were at work cutting the
ends of boards to point and driving them
around the man. 1t took at least twenty
minutes before the palisade was built, and
all this while the men with the shoyels
were busy keeping the mans head free.
barrel was secured, the ends were
Knocked out OF 1t, and it was placed over
Rutchinsky's head to keep the life in him.
1t was now so tar down to the bot
tom of the cavern that but one man
could work near the sinking man,
and the sand was passed up to a shOveller
above, who then threw it to man on
top of the frightful place. Rutchinskv's
face was turned up. 1t was CHASTITY in
appearance and his eyes were closed.
Those on the brink thought he was dead,
but he opened his eyes and asked for a
drink. 1t was procured and handed
down to the man the nearest to Rutch-
insky, who gave it to him
When his arms and shoulders
were the third time exposed a rope
was let down and put under the mans
arms. Word was given to haul away
and the almost lifeless form of Fred
RutchInsky was slowly drawn up to the
surface amid cheers from the crowds on
the buildings and about the place. An
ugly wound appeared on Rutchinsky's
head, made evidently by shovel He
was in the sandy sepulchre one hour and
thirty minutes. Rutchinsky was taken to
his home, at No. 63 NOyes street. He is
sturdy, muscular man, and will recover.