The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-23
RESCUED HER CHILD.
Perilous Experience of a Mother
at Green Lake.
HER BABE FELL IN THE WELL.
She Had 20 Risx Killing 1t in the Hope
OF Rescue and Revived it While
Help Was Coming.

A little child rescued in drowning con-
dition from the bottom Of q deep well by
her mother is the incident that excited the
residents of Green Lake last week.
The three children of John l. Sandell,
who lives in a comfortable home three
quarters of mile east of the lake. were
playing in the yard a week ago yesterday.
All were girls two of them and eight
years old res pectively, and the youngest a
little tot not quite ?. Near the house is
a eighteen foot we'll, with water in IL two
feet deep, the entrance 20 which was sur
rounded by frail picket fence. The
children, in their play, pulled and
tugged at this railing until finally
it gave way, and before the
older girls could comprehend what
had happened their little sister, GO
ing too near, had fallen into the well and
was struggling on the black surface of the
water sixteen feet below.
The children at oEce called to their
mother, who was alone inside the house.
Mrs. Sandell, Mortified, ran 10 the curb,
but could see nothing but the yawning
cavern that held her child. She thought
of a ladder at the barn $50 feet away, and
without losing seconds time she
brought it TO the well, but it was only
twelve feet long. She realized that des-
perate chances had to be taken. for the
child had already lain in the water several
seconds. and a few more meant that
its life would be gone. She
dropped the ladder in an agony
of fear lest the ends should
strike the baby dead. The instant it had
settled in place she forced herself thr ough
81 he
momentarily with her eye the distance TO
the ladder against the wall six feet under
meath, ana dropped. By n chance that
seems miraculous she caught il squarely,
and, balancing herself, instantly descended
to the bottom OF the well. There she
found the child unconscious. 1t had been
in the water at least three minutes and
was almost dead.
Mrs. Sandell lifted the helpless infant
and climbed TO the top of the ladder, at
the same time calling TO the children
above to run for help. While they were
gone she repeatedly rolled the babe upon
her own body, forcing from il the water il
had swallowed until she was gladdened
with signs of returning life.
1t was half an hour before the children
returned. and when they came back they
Fremont mill. He obtained from neigh
boring house another ladder long enough
to reach 10 the bottom OF the well, and in
few minutes had helped both mother
and child TO safety above.
The babe soon recovered. Through
great good fortune the ends of the ladder
had struck one on each side of ats body.
not injuring it at all, but pinioning ii
beneath the surface OF the water, and tue
vigorous work of resuscitation by its
mother had rekindied the spark OF life.
Mrs. SandeE was in a delicate condition,
and the shock to her nervous system was
so severe that she has been confined to
her room ever since the accident.
Mr.. Sandell is a carpenter. and is work
ing on residence in Brooklyn. He and
his wife are Scandinavisns. and have re-
sided at Green Lake for considerable
period.