The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-04-24
BURIED THREE DAYS.
Billiards. Remarkable Adventure II
a We'll.

not without q parallel~ins the history OF
rfinimg transactions in France. In the
dfpsetmcnt Of the Indre, and parish of
FFeHFeztaTfsfvfcre, about haif-past eight
one morning Etiennne Billiards. working
mason, descended we'll one hundred
and twenty feet deep, for the purpose of
examining it preparatory to some re-
pairs. When he had reached the bot
ton or nearly so, an extensive portion
Of the sides foil upon him, and shut
him oat from tho light Of day; but by a
rllaaEkahle piece Of good fortune, the
materials, in falling, formed small
arch OF about three feet in, diameter
afuetii1-his= head. Had 1T not been for
tins he would have been either fatally
hDrtby the heavy stones Of the mason
r. or would have been suffocated imme-
-t4 4ttsell Every ether part OF the4well
afoand his body was filed conipactly
With the fallen materials.
The noise of the irruption was heard
--~-ffrss=s4fre= n.ofiSinen near the spot, who
Immediately ran up to it. On listening
intently, they heard the cries of Billiard,
and the certainty that he was yet alive
Inspired the hope OF delivering him.
AtlflitliS oil Oltc VI tflSlE HuHDtT W dtbT III
the ncighboring inhabitants and author
e---ittea, these work men then lowered light
Ell candies down the well, fhezdanger of
ahrther fall OF the sides detcrring them
from going, down. Tho candle went
down one hundred feet, thus showing
Ira TAI It 5eHts twenty feet ofthe mass or a
considerable portion thereof, lay above
the unfortunate Billiard. In reply to
their CALI nos was card distinctly to say
that he could not see any thing Of tho
Iigirt Il am assured, , he moreover
said, "that am lost man. But suffer
ne pain, and breathe freely
No ordinary difficulty, it was obvious,
Stood in the way of relief in this case.
For worllmen to descend into the mar
rev, deep we'll and attempt to clear away
- TIE ruins. without some security against
q further fall of the sides, was danger
OTIS task. The authorities OF the dis
trtrt5 rs soon as they arrived, and saw
the nature of the accident, sent off an
express for the district superintendent
of roads and bridges, Nj. Certain. lie
was at some distance, and did not arrive
til next day. In the meantime one
nan slater, fventured Ito descend to
t4e top Of thesfallen mass Of stones and
earth, which proved,sas had been shown
hy the candle, to DO about one hundred
feet below the oritlce. Urged by, the in
distinct cries for=help which they heard
from poor Billiard, tho men on the spot
began to lift the stones forming the
sides of the we'll. When M. Ger
tain arrived, he descended with
eat hesitation into the well, and
put several question to Billiard. respect
ing his situation. M. Certain judged
ii prefer to continue the raising of the
sides Of the we'll, as the displacement of
-,-th@ lower part would render it most inn
prudent to go on otherwise. No side
-crufd be executed with such.
sneGd as the whole we'll could be cleared.
Iste soil, fortunately, was clayey and
firm While this labor was going on day
r. ana aight, with the utmost rapidity
compatible with a,propor degree of eau
ton friends ard workmen Of
Billiard descended occasionally to ami
mate him with the cheering sound of
' Kindly voices, and with tho assurance
that help was near. ---'F'
On the morning of the goth. the Gov
emnr and head engineer of the depart
mcpt 81 the Indre arrived M. Ferrand,
Inspector of works, was with him, and
-de4e9nsled into the we'll. He gave his
assent to the continuation of the opera
tionSgoingon. which some of the anxious
fFi'nils Of the prisoner were beginning
toeXel@im against, from their seeming
sioHnosa. In presence of the gentlemen
mentioned the labors were continued,
and ON the evening of the goth the
--aS'lt was clear to the upper part OF the
fallen mass. Without delay the process
, 81 liiting.thcm was begun; but from the
ss Iza Of the stones, the work went on very
'tig77tti7ffY through the difficulty Of hoist
my .tlem TO such distance above.
After they had advanced certain way,
q 10Y 1lllcnltY met them in the face.
I &14s it- possible to tell the exact state
q the arch formed so miraculously over
the head Of the Unfortunate man, or its
dfsHee Of stability. 1t was necessary,
therefore, to 30 on with the elevation Of
the stones with extreme care and
de9lcaeyr otherwise the unsettlement-of
cay 4ortioa Of tho heavy masses above
lin might have caused his instantane-
sous }eath
AZ ten o'clock in the evening OF the
s9i9 tie workmcn were calculated to be
4as Al1gAts six feet above the captive, who
had'Fbw been shut out from tho light
snce tbe morning. Of the 27th. II was
impossible % sendghim food by bore,
e ana he had, therefore, the pressure OF
ii1pSer added to his misery. His voice
was heard more clearly as the workmcn
went on, and they could now even
let the cxactpoint where ne was con-
nned. But during the night OF the Goth
iiis voice became source Of fear. and
aiaHnl to the laborers above him. Bill
!, iards motionless condition, his want OF
god Tor so long q timo, began to over
lqfow his moral courage. His reason
gave place to delirium, his hope to des'
PAR Tho worlsmen heard him at one
moment lamenting his fate and .piteonsly
crying for food, and at the next moment
lAf'y heard him abandoning himself te
vac most extravagantg ayety. Laugh VI
l'esfd in such a. situation was thing
alE.ast tao dsplerahls and shesking to-
han'sn sass " listsA VI VISA ssH