The herald., 1896-08-22
MOST REMARKABLE ESCAPE
4 Sewer Contractor Buried for Three.
Quarters OF an Hour
He Is Exhumed But Little the Worse for His
Experienc--At the Bottom Of Fifteen
Foot Hole Under Six Feet of Earth

Albert Williams. colored. a sewer con-
tractor, whose office is in the o. X. bar
ber shop, and residence on l street near
West Pico., had a most remarkable eX-
perience yesterday afternoon and one
through which fow men would pass and
come out alive. He was buried for
three-quarters of an hour under six feet
of earth. given up for dead. but. when
the rescurers at last reached him he still
had his quid of tobacco in his mouth and
the principal difficulty he had exper-
fenced during his temporary entomb-
ment was in eXpectorating.
Williams was at work at the corner
Of Fourteenth and Peru streets laying
sewer connection from the premises of
Conrad Brutsch to the main on Peru
street for RAIDER Bros, the plumbers. A
trench had been cut in a diagonal di-
rection out from the curb to the center
of the street, some twenty feet long and
fifteen feet deep. Thes oil there is sandy
and liable to cave, but no braces had
been put in to shore up the walls of the
deep hole. The laborer who had exca-
waited the trench had made a slight mis-
take in running it, failing to reach the
j
ready to make connections. Williams
got down into the hole himself and tun-
neled off a few feet to the left. reaching
the desired spot. He was atihe bottom
of the trench with his head and shouI-
ders in the little side tunnel, making
the attachment when suddenly and
without warning several tons of earth
broke away from the sidT of the ditch
9lrtc1ly el above him and buried him six
One of the RAIDER Bros. saw the acct.
dent and summoned help, the work of
rescue being Immediately commenced
"A telephone message was sent for the
patrol wagon, which responded. on ar
rival the officers found that the man had
peen buried half an hour and was still
Underground. SO thinking that he must
surely be dead they drove back TO the
station and sent word to the coroner.
VINO summoned the dead wagon and
went to the spot.
II was then found that Williams had
been rescued some minutes after the pa =
trol wagon left. Upon reaching him in
stead OF dead body Williams was seen
TO be very much alive The faIIin 9,
earth had packed around his shoulders
IN large Jumps, so as to leave breathing
spaces which he had enlarged with his
fngers so that he escaped suffocation
His head being in the little tunnel the
line sand had no chance to pack around
1t and Williams was little the worse for
| his experience.
Within few minutes he was able to
walk and drink Of brandy put new
strength into his system, and after
| ward he went home in a buggy. The
| coroner arrived, but went back empty
handed. Williams described his sensa-
| tions while in the hole. and said that il
seemed hours before he saw the light of
| day. He had no warning of the cave-in
| and his first intima ton was when he
was suddenly pinned down by the fall
| ing earth. He was on his hands and
| knees at the time, and while the lower
! portion of his body was held fast he
! could move his arms somewhat and also
his head. Altogether it was most re.
| markable escape, and Williams vii!
| probably never have another as close 6
| call for his life. TO those who knew the
length of time he had been under ground
| it seemed like man rising from hi.
grave when it was seen that he wa:
| alive.