Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-08-27
An Adventure In a Well.


well, and renamed in it for a long
period, is not without 4 parallel in the
history OF mining transactions IN
France. In the department Of the In
Dire, and parish of Fleure-la- Riviere,
about $50 one morning, Etienne Bill
Lard, a working mason, descended
well 120 feet deep, for the purpose OF
examIning 1t preparatory 10 some re-
pairs.
When he had reached the bottom, or
nearly SO, an extensive portion OF the
sides fell upon him, and shut him out
from the light of day; but by remark
able piece of good fortune, the mater
ialS, in falling, formed a small arch OF
about three feet in diameter around his
head. Had 1t not been for this, he
would have been either fatally hurt by
the heavy stones of the masonry, or
would have been suffocated Immediate
ly. Every other part of the well around
his body AS nliei compactly with the
fallen materials.
The noise of the irruptlon was heard
by some woTkmen near the spot, who
Immediately ran up to il. On listening
iutently, they heard the cries of BIZ
ard, and the certainty that he was yet
alive inspired the hope OF delivering
him. Sending off one of their number
to alarm the neighboring inhabitants
and authorities, these woTkmen then
lowered lighted candles down the well,
the danger OF a further fall of the sides
deteTrIDg them from going down.
The candle went down 100 feet, thus
showing that about twenty feet of the
mass, or a considerable portion thereof,
lay above the unfortunate Billiard.
In reply 10 their call, he was heard dis
tinctly TO say that lie could not see
anything of the light. II am assured, ~
he moreover said, "that i am lost
man. But 1 suffer no pain, and l
breathe freely"
No ordinary difficulty, 1t was OBJ
vious, stood in the way of relief In this
case. For workmen to descend into
the narrow, deep well and attempt to
clear away the ruins without some
security against further fall OF the sides
was 4 dangerous task. The authorities
of the district, as soon as they arrived
ard saw tie nature OF the accident,
sent OFF an express for the district super
iniendent of roads and bridges, NJ. Ger.
tam. He WIS at some distance and did
not arrive till next day.
In the meantime, one man, a slater,
yentured to descend to the top OF the
fallen mass OF stones and earth, which
proved, as had been shown by the can
dies, to be about one hundred feet below
the orifice. Urged by the indistinct
cries for help which they heard from
poor Billiard, the men on the spot began
To lift the stones forming the sides OF
the well. When NJ. Certain arrived, he
descended without hesitation into the
oil lon to
lard respecting his situation.
NJ. Certain judged it proper to con-
tinUe the raising of the sides of the
well, as the displacement Of the lower
part would render it most imprudent to
go on otherwise. No side boring could
he executed with such speed as the
whole well could be cleared. The soil,
fortunately, was clayey and firm. While
this labor was going on day and night,
with the utmost rapidity compatible
with proper degree of caution, friends
and fellow-wOTkmen of Billiard de-
scended occasionally to animate him
with the cheering sound of kindly
voices, and with the assurance that
help was near.
On the morning of the Doth the Gov.
eTnor and head engineer Of the Depart
ment of the Indre arrived. n. Ferrand,
Inspector of Works, was with him, and
descended into the well. He gave his
assent to the continuation of the opera
tiOns going on, which some OF the anX.
ious friends of the prisoner were begin
HIiis ~ ss-sl.>i.-@ aG@t,ss- from their
seeming slOwness- In presence OF the
gentlemen mentioned the labors were
continued, and on the evening of the
29th the well was clear to the upper
part of the fallen mass.
Without delay, the process OF lifting
them was begun; but from the size OF
the stones, the work went on very tar
dIly, through the difficulty of hosting
them TO such a distance above.
After they had advanced a certain
way a new difficulty met them in the
face. 1t was impossible TO tell the exact
state OF the arch formed 50 miraculously
over the head of the unfortunate man,
or its degree of stability. 1t was neces.
sary therefore TO go on with the eleva.
tIon of the stones with extreme care
and delicacy, otherwise the unsettle.
ment OF any portion of the heavy masses
above him might have caused his in
Simultaneous death.
At 10 o'clock in the evening of the
10Th the woTkmen were calculated to
be about six feet above the captive, who
had now been shut out from the light
since the morning of the 9th. 1t was
impossible TO send him food 10y a bore
and he had therefore the pressure OF
hunger added To his misery. His voice
was heard more clearly as the workmen
went on. and they could not even tell
the exact point where he was confined,
But during The night OF the 29th hD
voice became a source OF fear and alarm
TO the laborers above him.
BILLIARDS. mOtionless condition, his
want of food for so long time, began
TO overthrow his moral courage. His
reason gave place TO delirium, his hope
10 despair. The workmen heard him
at one moment lamenting his fate and
piteously crying for food, and at the
next moment they heard him abandon.
ing himself To the most extravagant
gayety.
Laughter heard in such situation
was thing almost too deplorable and
shocking for human ears to listen to-
When consulted on the meaning OF
these symptoms, on the part of Billiard,
N. Nabert, a surgeon who had never
quilted the spot since the time of the
accident, recommended the workmen to
hurry on their labors, as the man could
probably survive bul few hours ID
this state.
In consequence of this advice a new
direction was given 10 the work, and in
place of passing down by the side or the
spot where The poor man was sIpp oSed
To be, the excavation was carried slop-
ingly down TO his head. In short, after
three days and three nights of lnces-
SAINT toll, the head OF Billiard was
reached, and cleared of all surrounding
matter. The Instant that this took
place, 1t was noticed to those above by
a CRY. and the deafening shonts th at