Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1888-08-08
GOD BLESS YOU, BOYS"
John Anderson, the Hsro Of tho Ne
braaka Vol Episode. Finally
Rescued,
He Relates = Thrilling Story Of His
Feelings While Buried
Alive.
rJohnstown (Neb., special, !,

Auves
tJohnstown (Neb) spsciall
John Anderson, who was buried in
caving we'll, near Johnstown, Neb., and
was rescued after ten days Of torturing
uncertainty, tells thrilling story Of his
experience. ~The man who boards me
for the next ten days." says Anderson,
will not get rich very fast. What have
to say about my experience? A good deal.
It was awful July 10 went into II. H.
Halls we'll to clean it ont and repair the
curbing. The we'll, which was $50 feet
deep, was We v dangerous one and felt
as though / I ght not to work in it.
Fifty feet d. yn was where the curbinp
needed the most repairing, as at this
point the old curbing had given away and
about a foot of sand around the we'll had
caved in. After taking the measurement
l came out, put my curbing together and
lowered it, supported by four ropes. OF
course this curbing was smaller than the
other and would have to be made fast.
This did by going below and mailing two
by four inch stuff on the old curbing. In
this new curbing had laid three boards
across the bottom, letting them rest on
the old curbing thereby making box. /
was in this box stuffing hay in behind,
preparatory to filling in the small cavity
with straw.
When was about ready to leave the
well | saw it beginning to cave about me-
Jumping into the bucket called for those
above to pull me up quick, but before q
1,a II
had closed in on me and was prisoner
For the first few minutes of my imprison-
ment words cannot express my feelings.
That my time had come / did not doubt
in the least, and the thought of such q
horrible death was terrible After col
lecting my thoughts little l dis
covered ] was held fast in the
bucket by two or three boards, but by
hard struggle l managed to extricate
myself from this position and dropped
down into the bottom. From the bottom
of the box it was three aud half feet 10
the boards above, which in falling had
formed themselves into M arch and pro-
tected me from the sand. The box was
now only about two feet square, and not
room enough for me to stand erect
could get on my knees or sit down, but
had to stay in a crouching position the
WuOlo tiIuc Whb III tue WE'LL
About the first three days got along
very well, but after that began to want
water badly. The fourth day when it
rained heard what thought was water
slowly dripping. Feeling around found
it, and holding my mouth open man
aged in this way to get about dozen
drops OF water, which gave me much re-
lief. had no difficulty in breathing
until the we'll below me came SO neal
being filled by sand occasionally coming
in. caused by the diggers above. / had
breathed the air over SO much that it had
become impure, causing me to feel
smothering sensation, but about this time
the rescuers got near enough to me to let
in air from above.
by having good supply of chewing
tobacco did not suffer SO much for food
as might have been expected. From the
beginning could hear considerable that
was said and done above ! heard the
wagon when it started to town for lumbe,
and heard some one say the man is dead
and the order given to try to pull NV boz
out. When they began to pull l knew
there was great danger Of the boards CIV
ing way and crushing me, and for my own
safety and to give evidence Of being alive
! cut the ropes and heard the exciting talk
that prevailed when it was discovered that
l was alive. 1t was music to me, and from
that time on was hopeful of being res
cIea.
About the sixth day I felt something
crawling on my hand and found it to be y
blue-bottle fly. / thought by this that an
opening had been made from above.
was correct, for soon Henry Archer had
the opening large enough to pass a wet
rag to me. In reaching it to me it be-
came covered with sand, but no honey
ever tasted better than that wet rag.
Soon bottle of water and q piece OF
bread were given me and was truly
thankful.
From this time on began 10 gain
strength, and by helping my rescuers the
time passed quicker than one would sup
pose. When my feet. which are badly
swollen, are better. and dare eat square
meal, l will be all right. am very thank
full to my friends for their persistent ef-
forts to rescue me-"
When reaching the top Of the ground,
anderson shook hands with his rescuers
and tried to thank them, but could only
say, God bless you, boys" when his
voice was choked. There were 200 people
present. and there were very few dry eyes
among them. He was at once carried to the
farm house, and placed under the care Of
TWO physicians. They say he is doing as
we'll as could be expected, and that he
will soon be restored to health.
The sympathy naturally called out by
situation such as Anderson's was intensi-
fed in the county whore, by force of cir
cumstances, every settler is neighbor,
and for ten days business in Johnstown
and Ainsworth and on the farms was
practically suspended. So intense was
the excitement and anxiety that farmers
left their fields aud merchants their
stores and, focked to the scene OF the ac-
cident. Every day supplies were sent to the
workers from private residences and
stores, and the women were unceasing in
their kindly Offices. But although the
rescuing party did all in their power, An
derson would never have been saved but
for his own efforts. He planned and di-
rected the work during the last two days,
and was unceasing In his own efforts and
encouraged the men by his cheerful words
when they were almost ready to desuair.