The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-10

ger as he went passed his free hand
over the stone wall and carefully examin-
ed its condition.
He had descended within ten feet of
the bottom when Townsend yelled down
to him:
Is everything all right?'
'Everything's all
Those were his last words heard from
Chitwood for sixteen hours. His foot had
displaced stone in the shaky wall. Be-
fore he could finish his sentence the walls
caved in and forty wagon loads Of rock
and earth Numbered down on him.
Remarkable to say. the ten feet Of the
wall nearest the wells mouth remained
intact. but sank ten feet, the bottom
touching the top of the pile of debris
that covered Chittwood twenty-nine feet
below
Townsend, certain that Bud Ike" had
been smashed to death, hurried to the
neighbors and begged him TO help disinter
the well-diggers body. They refused be-
cause they feared the quicksand and
dreaded what was left of the wall and
more earth would cave IN. Townsend
jumped on horse and rode TO Martins
vile six miles away but returned without
finding any one 10 undertake the perilous
rescue. Finding his neighbors in the same
mood Townsend again rode to Martins
vile and paid Joseph r. Prather S125 to
bring up Chitwoods body At P NJ.
on Thursday Prather had his big derrick
on the place over the wells mouth. and.
with much other equipment, he began
to remove the mass of fallen material
Meanwhile a great crowd had gathered.
for Chittwood is known all over Brown
County and has been digging wells since
he was old enough TO work
Darkness fell and the work proceeded by
the light of lanterns and torches. Mid
night came. Prather who had to work
alone Il. side the well, family heard below
him:
oh, God save me-"
It was like voice from the grave. Prath-
er, startled. could scarcely believe his
ears. Then he yelled:
Keep UP your spirits. Bud Ike We
viii get YOU all right"
Hurry" came the murled answer.
Chittwood's almost dead"
He's alive. said Prather."
The crowd around the Well cheereG lus-
thy
Now. knowing that Chittwood stiu was
breathing. Prather redoubled his efforts
but the work was slow. for Prather was
alone 70 fill the big buckets that were let
Gown TO him. At ? O'Clock on Friday
morning. eighteen hours after he was
eutombed. Chittwood's voice could be
heard. now faintiy praying heaven to save
him. again begging Prather TO hurry.
st A NJ Prather was within three feet
Of the man whose escape from instant
death was remarkable.
But here new danger arose. Prather
lad propped the top sixteen feet q the
walls as his excavating progressed and
Sept 1t from falling farther But the
sides % tho well fun OF euicksand. now
began 70 crumble not only u1eracing
Prather bur threatening 70 All the crew
Ices through which the air reached
Chittwood Il took an hour 10 brace
the sides. and at a. N Prather resumed
his digging
Then Chittwood made his last desperate
effort at self preservation. that strange
character never speaks Of himself as -
always as "Chittwood
Prather wen. slowly At So A. " the
keystone % the arch was uncovered ard
lifted out and the top or Chsttwoo6
head was visible THIS was III 8rst
sish' OF him for twenty-five hours and
thirty minutes An hour more and Chit
wood stood free @ the debris that had 50
closely Imprisoned him. lie was as little
sole 70 move as Il he himself were carved
out Of stone So sti1 were his arms from
the erauPed position in which they were