The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-19
SUFFOCATED IN QUICKSAND.
ALIVE FIVE HOURS And A HALE IN
| TIE CLUTCH Or DEATH.
Heroic Executions TO Rescue James ~. Far
ceIs-BrenthIng Through Tube Long
After the sand Rose Above His Head.

Heroic Executions TO Rescue James n. Par
cells Breathing Through Tube Long
After the sand Rose Above His Head
James II. Parcels, night mail dispatcher In
tho New York Post One. undertook to repair
pipe in driven well in the rear OF a house he
was having built in Kelly avenue near the
railroad station in Woodside. L. l., on Satur-
day. The pipe had split in driving. He told
his wife in the afternoon that he would repair
the pipe before leaving for his work In tho city
that night. His 14-year old son John went
along to assist him. A box about three ieot
square. and six or eight feet long, set endwse
in the earth. afforded an opening down along
the pipe, but the split in the pipe was several
feet below the bottom OF the box.
Mr. Parcels descended to the bottom Of the
wel-boX by means OF a small ladder. He then
began digging down around the pipe with
small 1re-shovel. His son John hauled tho
dirt to the surface in bucket with q rope.
Mr. Parcels had succeeded in digging down
several feet when he sent his son into tho col
lar OF the house after something. While in
there tho lad heard him shout. He ran
back to the well and looked down. His
father was covered with earth almost up to his
neck. Tae sides OF the well below the well box
had fallen In. John cried for help. and Law
renee Beck. a carpenter, who was at work in
the building. ran to the well. Beck was fol-
lowed by Peter Brandt. tho contractor OF tho
building. Mr.. Parces's arms were free. John
descended the well and began digging the earth
away from his father. Beck and Brandt as
sisted The space in which they had to work
was so small that little progress was made.
Mr.. Parcels helped I'll the bucket himself De-
spite their efforts kept sinking. The first fail
of earth had occurred about o'clock. An hour
later Dr. S. A. Wood happened to drive past ho
learned tho nature OF the accident and hurried
to s. l.. Neiers drug store In Rikes avenue and
Fourth street, where he procured a rubber
tube and bottle OF brandy. With these he re-
turned to the we'll, accompanied by Mr.. Meier.
An alarm had been sent out by this time and
scores of persons flocked to the place. 1t 80
became difficult to keep the crowds back. Mr.
Meier went down the well and relieved Mr.
Parcells's son John, VIII had been working
herocally to unearth his fa or.
The rubber tube which DR.. cd had brought
to the well was placed in positio and fastened
to the ladder in readiness to provide air TO Mr..
Parcels should ho sink in the sand over his
head. Mr.. Parcels fully realized his situation.
When Mr.. Neir gave him tho tube he said:
Young man; you'll never see me out Of this
alive"
BY hard work the rescuers succeeded in dig
cling him out almost to the waist. heavy
rope was then fastened about his waist and
taken up through second-story window OF the
house, and an attempt made TO pull Mr.. Par
cells out of the we'll nearly underneath.
The hold OF the Qucksand was SO great
that they failed 10 move him Mt all. lie
begged them to desst. He said they would
tear him in two A slight strain was then put
on the rope. and it was made fast in order TO
prevent his being drawn down deeper in the
Guicksand. Every now and then he begged
for the rope to be slackened He seemed 10 he
sinking inch by inch despite the strenuous
Another cave.in occurred While Mr.. Meier was
in the well. and he came near being caught In
the, uuicksand also. Lawrence Beck also
was let ont on the rope. Mr. Par
GELS was, now about up e his mock
At every breath tho sand became more com
pact about his chest. StimulantS We're given
him. While the sand was slowly closing about
helping to I'LL the bucket he made no COM |
plaipt His only word was:
The sand was slowly reaching his mouth
when he placed the ar TUBE in It. us TACO
the tune, was soon under the sand. soon only |
the top OF his head was visible. and then that |
disappeared. Ono hand was still above the |
still alive
In the meantime another crowd of rescuers
were ut work digging n big hoio n few feet !
away. They were already down several feet. |
It was their intention to dig down several feet
away from him. There was no lack of !
workmen. To encourage them there was
for long time u slight vibration OF the air |
tube and a twitching OF the fingers still visible.
Dr. Wood descended the wei and took hold Of
the fingers extended above the ground. AS he |
did So he says q sound something Ike the
word hurry" came up through tho air tube;
1t ceased to vibrate soon alterw4rd, and
buried out OF sight except one hand.
almost an hour, before he died. lle
died about o.. He lived. five hours, and
hour after he died tho men digging beside the
we'll succeeded in undermining him. The sand
was drawn away down 10 his waist. The rope
was still about his body, and he was then
drawn out. DR.. Wood tried TO rospscit9te him
but TO no purpose. lie was carried 10 his homo
in Sixth street. where his family were waiting
in agony 10 heaE r%m ord hG Io rese yNl HS
and six children. Mr.. PARCELS l9-year-old son
Stephen also worked heroicaliy to release his
father.