Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1896-06-11


vealed dark space Of about feet by 4
feet in dimensions. Bill fastened the
rope under his arms and lashed his re-
volver to the inner side of his right leg.
1T will be a close fit III the conduit, =
said he, "but will need the pistol to
alarm the men, should get to the mill
When the rope is pulled, haul away,
and hope each time you Will have a
heavy load "
We lowered away, and he disappear
ed. | felt peculiarly uneasy at seeing
the generous fellow leave, though the
scheme seemed so feasible that 1 could
not see any danger involved IF the
flume is broken, we will haul him back. =
l reasoned. knew he could not use his
arms to signal while in the conduit, and
l decided to haul away if none came
within reasonable time The men at
work below had suspended operations
and stood gazing up at us in wonder
ment.
On arriving at our elevated position
overlooking the gulch had noticed q
decided change in the weather. A
chinook was blowing-those south
westerly winds which temper the eli
mate Of the west, changing within a
few hours winter into spring, snow into
water. Instead of the binding snow Of
the day before, a drizzling rain at first
set in, and within an hour had greatly
increased i'll quantity. Surely those soft,
gentle winds that bring life to freezing
men and beasts as far east as the Bad
Lands never bring destruction in their
paths.
This will pack and settle the snow, -
remarked one Of the miners.
We did not then know what effect
that would have on the flume This
sluice, which furnished water power
for the mill, did not descend in q direct
line, but took diagonal course across
the slope.
Bill reached the turbine safely, but
had no room to spare the conduit. He
told the men below that he felt very
peculiar while making this part Of the
descent, fearful that by some chance he
might be fastened there.
On reaching the turbine he fired a
shot, but no reply Of any kind was
made. Then he fired two in succession,
and soon the joyful answer, i'll the
shape Of hammering on the metallic
pipe, greeted his ears. The men, poor
fellows, thought the first shot was a
breaking timber and listened to it grim
ly. They had braced the building as
well as they could, and were awaiting
their fate. When the two reports sound
ed, they felt sure it was signal, and
Emma Joe Che last worked at the EN-
E,a mine) said: Rouse up, boys Here
is rescue 1ure.
At first, they asterward told me, it
had not occurred to them that. any one
came down through the conduit. They
thought shaft had been sunk and that
the first object encountered was the con-
duit. They ran to it and hammered-a
dull reply, and there was no mistake as
whence it came Bill could only kick
with his boot
Weak and exhausted they worked
with desperate eagerness, and after
some time removed the turbine Down
uIOpptu Dill among ED6ln.
THANK God, it's Governor Bill"
said Emma Joe. And then these rough,
reckless men sobbed with joy
whats that, Bill?" Joe inquired.
Its the snow settling. There is a
chinook above. Come, hurry, you fell
lows. and we will leave this place. I"
The first man to go attached the rope,
pulled at it and was hauled upward.
And the snow continued to settle.
Then two more were rescued and the
rope returned.
$50 ahead, Bill =
"No, you, Joe. Hurry"
why, old man, SO anxious?"
Just because the fellows above want
to see you, Joe, +" be almost pleaded.
Joe afterward said that Bill looked pale
at this time and assumed indifference.
"The heavy snow might crush the
fume, Bill #"
1T won't crush it Y
"Well, then, here goes. Goodby."
When Bill replied, Joe said that he
smiled like woman.
Joe barely passed the point where the
wooden hume was united TO the conduit.
The normal strain was separating them,
the angle between them was becoming
sharper and sharper, but he bent his
body and thus passed through Then
with horrible feeling he thought Of
Bill "And this is why he hurried us, /"
he groaned
This was the reason. Bill noticed the
break when he descended, and he knew
what the creaking sounds from the con-
duit meant, but he never told the others.
When Joe reached the surface he barely
whispered. Hurry and lower the ropeI"
Too late
The weight at the ropes end lodged.
Joe knew where.
And then the miners dug with frenzy,
for Bill was the pride Of the camp.
When the shaft, sunk through the snow,
reached the mill, it was crushed. The
strain upon it due to the watered snow
had been too great. Governor Bill s body
was found revolver in hand, and this
told story. Two days later there was
as impressive a funeral at the Last
Chance camp as was ever seen on the
frontier. They buried him, not i'll wormy
earth, but deep in the fragmentary rock
of played out stope of the mine
They will tell you now among the
Cnur 'Alene mountains Of the govern
or hero of the Coeur 'Haleine, "heart
of breath. "-Lieutepant Herman Hall
in Golfers Weekly.