St. Paul daily globe., 1888-08-30
SCALDED IN A GEYSER
Thrilling Adventure Of a Lady
Tourist in Yellowstone
Park.
Rescued by a Brave Soldier
From a Horrible
Fate.
Ventured Near a Crater and
Became Scalded by an
Eruption.
Whispers Heard on the Thor
oughfares Of a Big
City.

zen. In0maS ID. Ruger, commanding
the department of Dakota, returned
yesterday from a tour of inspection of
the sanitary condition of posts under
his charge, and found that considerable
business had accumulated upon his desk
during his absence. Among the COM
munications awaiting action was a regi-
mental order from Col. Peter T. Swaine,
of the Twenty-second infantry, sta
toned at Fort Keogh, commencing Pri-
vate Coyle, Company B, Twenty-second
Infantry, for an act of heroiSm displayed
in the Yellowstone Park recently. Ac-
cOrding to the statement of the COM
mander, Coyie is one of a detail of SOL
dierS in the government park guard
ing property, and stationed near Old
Faithful geySer, which is well
known to tourists who have in
Spected the wonders of the Yellowstone.
A few days ago party of ladies from
the East were doing the park, and in
the course of their rambles they strolled
in the vicinity of the crater of the gey-
ser, and one daring spirit essayed to
penetrate the mysteries of spot where
frequent but fruitless efforts have been
made
TO FIND THE BOTTOM.
She passed in safety along a narrow
ridge, which divides pool of boiling
water, and peered into the depths of the
dangerous crater few feet distant.
Faithful geyser derives its name from
the fact that every fifty-fve minutes
there is a discharge from its depths
which replenishes the pool near which
the venturesome tourist stood. Pre-
monitory symptoms of an eruption
are conveyed by a Kissing sound
as of escaping steam, and the
day in question the tourists had
been frequently notified of this fact.
Female curiosity, however, would not
be baffied, and the lady approached
nearer the forbidden ground, which is
mere crust of limestone and sulphur
formation. Suddenly there was the
usual sign given by Faithful geyser of
its intentions, and the lady tourist,
startled by the sound, shrieked and tell
backward into the pool of hot water.
About ten feet distant the crater
yawned in front of her, and in ber fran
tic efforts she was rapidly drifting
towards the bottomless pit. At this
juncture Private Coyle bravely sprang
into the boiling water to the rescue of
the unfortunate victim of her curiosity,
and, unmindful of the fact that he was
being badly scalded, succeeded in saw
ing the tourist and himself, but not
wit 70 10 L.,
about twenty feet across the pool, and
the water was not more than three feet
deep, but in an incredible short space of
time both the lady and her brave deliv-
erer from horrible fate
WE'RE TERRIBLY SCALDED
and in helpless condition were re-
moved to the Park hospital, where both
are now under treatment. When the
lady fell into the pool she made an at
tempt to spring forward, and fell upon
her face in the seething waters. and her
principal injuries were found to be
about the face and head, while her
clothing had protected other portions of
her body. A few seconds and all would
have been over with her, for in her
struggles she had approached the brink
of the crater, and as she grabbed with
her hands at the apparent rocky forma-
ton it crumbled like powder. Luckily
Coyle knew the dangerous character of
the surroundings of the pool, and amid
the plaudits of a few spectators he care
fully retraced his steps along the mar
row pathway to firm ground and
sank unconscious beside the sense
less form of the rescued woman.
At regimental parade that afternoon
the heroism of the brave fellow who
had dared so much in behalf of
woman was fittingly commended, and
story of the affair sent to General
Ruger, who will transmit the details to
the secretary of war.
1t is proposed by friends of the lady
that an appropriate award shall be made
for the services of Private CoyIe, and it
has been suggested that lieutenant's
commission would not be too great
recompenSe for his self sacrificing per-
formance.