Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-08-24

| SOIlc vi bit men db but ioD us
tells them Of Gaskell's orders.
But II it is hot up there, where the
breeze is blowing, it is far worse down
where Gaskell and the Others are. 1t
is not very light there, and tho air is
men are complaining of the heat in no
gentle tones,
"That's no good" says Gaskell to
one man; 'leave off your swearing and
90 to work. 1t amt a-going to be no
cooler for all your cussing."
"An' you're right there, Muster Gas
kell," comments brawny Irishman
near; 'it's not swearin' that'll cool the
air for Mike, and it's like to make it
dale hotter for him in the next vorruld,
or else Father Casey's liar.
There is laugh at this, and Mikes
grumblings and curses are silenced for
time.
"lt's time Mahaffey was back" Gas
kell is beginning, when handful of
sand and gravel falls close to him.
"Mind what you're about up there"
he calls, but as he looks up he sees
there is no one near the edge, and just
then larger handful of earth falls on
the other side of him. He turns to see
from whence it has fallen, and all the
color in his check leaves it instantly,
for all along on the western wall of the
cutting, where he had declared boards
should be placed. pebbles are falling
and the loose sand is sliding down.
Gaskcll well knows what all this
means.
snake for the ladders, men!' he calls.
"And quick, too," he adds, hurriedly.
Some of the men have already pushed
their work beyond lrim, and these are
between him and the nearest ladder.
Almost as soon as Gaskell, they per-
ceivc the danger, and, dropping their
tools, they hurry toward the ladder,
hustling and beating each other in their
mad haste. These will save them
selves, Caskell thinks; but what of the
othersp
"Hurry, men! hurry!" he calls sharp
ly, and swiftly the men, their faces
blanched with fear, fly past him.
And now the sand is sliding down
rapidly, and the cutting is shallower by
foot or more in the half minute since
Gaskell gave the alarm, and still the
men are running past and are crowding
about the foot OF the ladder nearest, too
much crazed by terror to hasten to the
ladders beyond, where they might be
safe. From where he stands Gaskell
looks at the throng.
"Pretty poor chance for me-" he
says to himself; and just then the sand
stops sliding, and for moment the rat
Ting of pebbles stops.
"a false alarm, may be-" Gaskell
says, half aloud.
The men are nearly all up the ladder
by this time, and Gaskell himself is
moving toward it as the last laborer
comes near him. He is an old man,
too old for such work, Gaskell has often
said and he did not mean to have him
employed below the surface.
81 didn't know you were here, Jim,'
he says to the elder man. "Johnson
should have kept you up there with
him. But you must be mighty quick
now to get out of this"
The other scarcely heeds what Gas
kell is saying, but pushes on as fast as his
rheumatic legs will let him, and Gas
kell follows. When they have gone a
few feet further the sand once more be-
gins sliding and the pebbles fall more
rap dly. Frank gives groan as he
perceives this.
Hurry, Jim," he calls; you are
older than l, so you must go up the lad
der first"
As they hasten onward over the yield
ing sand now covering the bottom of
the dark path an abandoned tool, which
the uncertain feet of the old man have
strangely missed, is stumbled upon by
Gaskell, who falls heavily.
Hurry, Jim," he calls once more, as
he rises, bruised, and with difficulty;
"you'll get there safe"
1t is but few moments since the
alarm was given, but now the sand is
, falling all about him, and as Frank ad-
, vances few PAGES from where he fell,
, part of the western wall comes down
upon him in one swift, terrible rush.
, Round about him rises the soft yellow
!, sand. To his knees, to his waist, then
higher to his neck, and the rush is
stayed.
!, AS Jim painfully tolls up the ladder
and reaches the surface, dozen voices
q call to him:
. "Where's Mr.. Gaskellp"
"Down there" answers Jim, point
!, ing in bewildered way to the pit from
:. which he has escaped.
!, At this the others hasten to the edge
just as the western wall falls, but few
. feet to the north of them.
r Its all up with poor Mr.. Gaskell, y
say several voices.
a "No, it isn't; can see him." some
). one says who is peering cautiously over
y lest the treacherous earth should give
way at that point also, and then they
= hear Franks clear voice:
- "I'm here, boys. Sorry to give yor
- another job, but guess you'll have tt
" v dig me out of this; can't get out alone
n you know"
+ "Indade, Muster Gaskell, well
W wurruk to get yez out as long as we've
10 got arrums,' exclaim the men. in grea
a. relief at hearing his voice again.
70 But how to do this is not easy to tell
"a ~ The sand has stopped falling, but ever
N a footstep ON the bank near may caus,
r it to fall. The eastern wall, however
y y seems firm, and on that side the mel
- begin their work. 1t will be long task
10 To work northward toward Gaskel
w from the bottom of the cutting will in
ne evitably bring down more earth upo
a. him, and the only available plain seem
A. to be to make transverse cutting froI
the eastern side, and endeavor to reac
70 him in that way. The news of the dis
II aster has spread very rapidly throug
r. the city, and in short time crowds ar
hurying toward Poplar street. Bu
no only the workmen are allowed near th
Is opening. All others. except a couple
ne reporters, are stern!y kept back by tn
is police. The work goes on SLOWLY
though many willing hands are engaged
he The Herald reporter, tall, well-mad
of fellow, goes to the edge of the openin
above Gaskell.
ty Courage, Frank!" he says; tende
ot ly; "they'll have you out of tn