Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1897-07-23
OUT FROM a LIVING TOMB

rocky barrier that lay between James
Stevens rle entomhed Goldfeld mi
ner and ight an life. On Sunday
night July h at abnu 1920 the
cave occurred which shut Stevens in
the 100 foot drift on the l25-foot
level. In Q tew moments the entire
camp was aroused and after consuIta--
ton IS o the mos. feasible place to
sink shaft to rescue the entombed
man. work was commenced in the old
whim shaft which was involved in
the cave. Here in the loose dirt and
rocks and. the twisted and interlockel
timbers of the old shaft, the boys
worked four days and nights, sinking
in that time forty-fivs feet. It now
became apparent that it would be
impossible to proceed at that point.
and new shaft was commenced a
few feet north in solid ground. 1t
was thought that it would require IA
days to sink 125 feet through the solid
rock to reach the imprisoned man,
apd little hope was entertained th at
he could hold out until that time.
Each day he signaled three times a
day to the boys ON the levei fifty feet
below him Knowing that their
comrade continued to live, the boys
in the rescue shaft. stripped to the
waist. worked as though their own
lives were in the bal snce, and ct ZIG
on the morning Of the 18th. nine days
after beginning the shaft, the pick
broke into the drift below and Stevens,
weak and emaciated. but nervy still,
climbed through the opening into the
bottom of the shaft. He had talked
through tbs the night TO the work
men in the shaft urging them to hurry
as he was burning up With thirst'
When he was rescued he begged tor
water, but the bows told him they did
net dare give him water and he quiet
ly aceuiesced pr. Hart who WAS in
waiting on tie surface was signaled
for and went down with necessary
medicines, s:inulants, etc. and re~
manned with him in the tunnel giving
him necessary treatment until about
7.aO in the evening when he was
drawn to the surface after having
been ensombed fourteen days and
nights without food and eieysp Jays
Qt which time he was without water.
On reaching the surface he got out
Of the bucket unaided and refused to
be carried to his room bat insisted on
walking. The entire population Of
the camp was present when he came
out from his long imprisonment, all
rejoicing but quietly SO as all demon.
stra,ion had been forbidden by the
doctor.
On emerging stsyeRs gave a cor
dial greeting to his fellow miners,
calling many of them by name. and
tipped mis- hat to the ladies.
When the doctor reached him in
the morning his pulse Was Ito and
his temperature 1O4. Before he was
taken out both we e about normal.
He said he suffered nothing from
hunger after the third day. and that
lie suffered but little comparatively
until the twenty -four hours preceding
his rescue.
He knew when they quit work OH
the old shaft and commenced on the
new one and that be woald have lost
hope then had he permit:e himself
'to+g.ye way TO his feelings, but that
by strong, determined effort of the
will BIZ banished G;spsir and deter
mined to hold out.
He did considerable work tunnel
ing through the loose. caved.in dirt
aud rock to the air box in the old
within shaft. h't when that cayed in
and puff OF air from the old shaft
blew Cut his light he quit work and
lay down and went to sleep.
Kept track of the time by the turn of
his watch, and when rescued said it
was Saturday nigh. about o'clock.
He is now ali RICH. apd expects t"
leave in a few days to join his family
at Central City. Colorado.
! While we admire the nerve and