The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-08-02
A Week In a Well.

OMAHA, NEB., Jnly 28.-John P. An.
derson, living on farm twelve miles
from Ainsworth, was cleaning an old we'll
aboutseventy feet deep on Thursday after.
noon Of last week. The curbing, which
was old and rotten, gave way and precipi-
tated him to the bottom beneath mass of
dirt. When it became known that he
was buried in the we'll his few neighbors
went to work to dig him out. Saturday
afternoon they concluded he was dead
and arrangements were made for his
funeral to take place on Monday. They
kept on digging for the body, and on
Sunday we're startled to hear the entomb.
ed man ask them to let in some light.
BE was still down considerable distance,
and they redoubled their efforts. The
curbing had so fallen.as to let in air to him
and protect him from the weight of the
dirt overhead.
A new shaft was started and dug down
about fifty.fve feet, and it was proposed
to tunnel between the wells; but the men
were frightened out of the old we'll just
as they were about to reach the new one.
They were afraid of caving in. A man
named Archer then went down the old
we'll in answer to an appeal from Ander.
son, and finding that only three or four
feet of sand and boards remained to go
through, he dug away the sand, lifted
board and gave Anderson some food and
water, the first he had had since last
Thursday.
He had supply of tobacco, and to
relieve bis thirst sucked moisture from
the damp, rotten boards that lay near
him.
Anderson was finally rescued to day.
The community is greatly relieved. So
intense has been the excitement and
sympathy for the unfortunate man that
business of all kinds was very much neg
lected. Farmers left their fields and
merchants their stores and focked to the
scene of the accident, Offering to lend q
helping hand. The women showed their
willingness to help also by cooking and
sending food to the workers.
Although the rescuiDg party did all in
its power, Anderson would never have
been saved but for his own efforts. he
planned and directed the work of the
last two days, and all the while he was
imprisoned never was heard to utter a
complaint. In three days after the man
was entombed, every one was 80 confident
that he was dead that the Coroner was
summoned, coffin brought to the we'll,
and the Odd Fellows made preparations
to bury him. At daylight this morning,
the work of rescuing Anderson was re-
sumed with renewed courage and deter
mination. A small box, eighteen inches
long and ten by eleven inches square,
open at both ends and thoroughly soak.
ed inside, was lowered to the boards that
were protecting him. When hole was
made large enough, the box was slipped
through. At 10 a. M, Anderson, after
pulling off all his clothing, tied rope
around under his arms, aud, holding his
hands straight above his head, was pulled
through the box and released from his
prison.
Although showing the effects of his
accident, he does not look so emaciated
as was expected. After Anderson was
taken into the house, the crowd gave
three cheers for Henry Archer aud
George Campbell, the men who took him
from the we'll. These men we're 80
overcome with fatigue and joy that when
the crowd began coDgratulating them
they wept like children.