Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-11-11
A NIGHT IN A PICKLE TANK.

4 NIGHT IN A PICKLE TANK.
Abraham l.. Soper, of Northport, j..
l., is suffering from "pickled feet" Mr..
-oper is engaged in the business of
picking cucumbers, but the other
night, through mishap, be picked his
feet, and now his shoes are too big for
him.
Mr.. Soper's feet were in pickle just
twelve hours. He would not have
kept them in the brine that long, but
the sides of the tank were high and he
is short of stature, and could not get
out.
The picking tanks are about fifteen
feet in diameter and eight to ten feet
deep. They are located in what is
termed the sailing house. Mr.. Soper
is manager of big picking plant, and
the other night started cut alone to
make tour of the establishment. The
tanks all contained brine ready for the
cucumbers to be shoveled in for sailing.
In order that the employees can pass
from one tank to another planks are laid
across the tops Of the big vats.
Mr.. Soper is not only short in stature,
but he is very broad in beam, and while
crossing over a tank be lost his balance.
He tried to save himself, but could not,
and had 10 jump for it. He landed
down in the brine in the tank. The
brine was just deep enough to cover
his shoe tops, but it was quite deep
enough to suit Mr.. Soper.
There was no one about at the time,
and Mr.. Soper's cries for help echoed
unanswered through the building
After shouting until ne could moi shout
any longer be devoted bis efforts TO try
ing to jump up and grasp the edge OF
the talk He could not make it in
one jump aud failed ev.n iu two jumps
Finding escape cut of in that direc
ton Mr.. Soper jumped for the plank.
He even missed that. Then be devot-
ed some time TO giving vent 10 his
opinion of the man who built pickle
tanks so high that a short man could
not get out of one without the aid OF a
derrick or u ladder.
While making efforts to escape Mr..
Soper's feet We're being thoroughly
picked. He thought to save them by
standing on one foot at time. That
soon became tiresome and he COM
menced to walk around the tank as
rapidly as the quantity of brine would
allow. He tried to vary walking by
running little, but that caused the
brine to splash up. and be was afraid if
he continued to run he might pickle his
entire body.
When darkness came on the impris-
oned picker was indeed in pickle.
His efforts to escape, together with
standing first on one foot and then on
the other, had exhausted him, and he
began to feel sleepy. 1t would not do
to fall asleepin pickle tank filled with
brine to the depth OF foot. Drowning
in water was preferable to being picked
to death, and Mr.. Soper found that he
must keep moving to keep awake. All
through the long weary night he walk-
ed about that tank.
When day dawned at last the pick
ling prisoner saw chance to escape.
Resting on the plank that crossed over
the top of the tank was a box If he
could get the box he could stand on it
and with a Jump grasp the edge of the
tank. He tried to Jump up and knock
the box of the plank, but it was a
failure. Then bright idea came to
him. Drawing a long piece of stout
twiue from his pocket, Mr.. Soper made
loop in the twine and tried to lasso
the box. After many failures the tSine
fually caught on nail in the box and
be succeeded in pulling the box Oft into
the tank.
Standing on the box, Mr.. Soper gave
jump and grasped the sides of The
tank. With considerable effort he pull
ed himself up and managed to reach
the plank Not wishing to risk sec
ond tumble into the vat, be crawled
along the plank until he was safe.
Mr.. Soper's feet are so much smaller
than they were that his friends have
gently hipted that he might patent his
feet picking process aud establish a
plant in Chicago.