, 1884-08-02
IN AN AWKWARD FIX.
Held As In a Wise While a Hotel
Building
Is Crumbling From the Effects of
Fire and Undermining.
An Ogden Man Recalls a Vivid
Cheyenne Scene.


A AuoM lOm the
gentlemanly clerk of the Chamberlin Ho-
tel. Like Yoric, he is a fellow of infinite
jest; he has a fund of anecdotes and per.
sonal adventures which is very interesting
in recital. Unlike other historians and
romancists, Toms regard for truth will
permit him to vary not in the least partic.
ular from its boundaries.
Talk about narrow escapes" said be
the other day to a party Of gentlemen,
among whom was a Pilot reporter; II
will tell you one of my own escapes, which
even at this day appears miraculous, and
in which | firmly believe 1 was only saved
by an interposition Of Divine Providence ~
An Involuntary and skeptical smile
adorned the faces of his hearers at this
incidental suggestion hat Providence took
cognizance of Toms existence. Without
noticing this Tom continued:
1T was in 1880, when | was running
express on the Union Pacific between
Cheyenne and Ogden. When nearing
Cheyenne on one of the trips in the month
OF April Of that year l was met by a tele.
gram containing news that my presence
was imperatively demanded at my
mothers home, in Indiana. l had to
obey the summons, and so made my
arrangements to lay off at Cheyenne. At
that place | put up at the old Delmonico
hotel, my usual stopping place, and oc-
cupied a room which from constant usage
L called my own. l was very tired and
sleepy, and about 9 o'clock turned in and
was soon.fast asleep. l don't know how
long | had slept when 1 was suddenly
thrown into a sitting posture, and felt
myself in a position similar to what is
known in the army as being 'bucked and
gagged. The nuise that surrounded me
was horrible! My first impression was
that an earthquake had occurred and had
shaken the house so violently as to cause
the disturbance. | e~ndeavored TO move,
but could only succeed in moving my
hands and wrists. | was virtually bound
hand and foot, and resting on my neck
was a scantling, which was gradually but
surely pressing my head and chest down
upon my knees. Into my sides were
the ends Of two more scantlings, which
held me as if werc in a wise, and the
pain they caused was very acute. The
thought flashed upon me that l was suf-
fering from a horrible nightmare. then
yelled at the top of my voice for help,
then settled back and realized the truth.
The house had fallen in while l slept, and
| was buried alive in the RUNS. Notwith-
standing | kept using my voice as loudly as
possible, no one seemed to heed me.
Soon ! heard the cry of fire! In the
smash up, some exploding lamp had
ignited to the building. You can readily
imagine that my situation was not a de-
sirable one, If l would not be crushed
to death my chances for being burned
were pretty good. From the commotion
outside | was aware that the fremen had
arrived, and l was confirmed in this by
being wet through with water. A new
danger presented itself Strange as it
may seem, / became alarmed lest l should
be drowned. Hope vanished, and closing
ing my eyea, I resigned myself to my
fate. | must have swooned-going to
sleep was out Of the ~question-aud then,
after a short time, I again began to use
my voice, This time | was answered by
some one asking;
Who are you :"
1T can be imagined that l was not in
the best of humor, and the righteousness
Of asking a person in my situation such a
question struck me SO forcibly that l
angrily answered, IN be id if l
know who l am.
low did you get there?'
This question yeSed me still more,
but | controlled myself as best | could,
and said: For Gods sake get me out; |
don't know nor are how | got here
that is not the question now.
with this the men outside began dig
ging at the bottom of the ruins, when /
told them they must not work there; they
would take away the support Of the debris
over me and | would be crushed to death.
| ordered them to get on top and dig
down. This they did and we're soon work
Ing away like good fellows. Before l
could be extricated it was found necessary
to saw the scantliug which rested on my
neck together with the two which pressed
against my sides. When this was done |