Fergus County argus., 1902-04-30
ALL NIGHT
IN OLD SHAFT
Michael Mitchell Has a Narrowing
Esperience-Fell Down an Un.
used Mining Shaft.
ANKLE sPRAINeo IN THE FALL
All Efforts to Extricate Himself Prov.
ed In Vain and He Suffers Hor.
ribly All Night.

A fall of thirty feet down an aban.
doned shaft and remaining all night
at the bottom, in three feet OF snow.
is an experience that Michael Mitchell
will not soon forget IL was a night
of horror. anxiety and suffering that
would try the nerve of the strongest
man.
Last Wednesday Michael Mitchell,
a new arrival from Butte. was out on
tour of observation on the western
slope of the North Moccasin. He had
been to Fine Gold gulch. and il was
nearly dark when he started on the
return trip. II was Mitchell's mission
to try to find certain mining claim.
so he was on the lookout for location
notices, and il was this close scrutiny
that led to the accident that nearly
cost him his life.
Approaching shaft that had a tin
can on post near its mouth. Mitch
ell climbed up on the dump to read
the notice. While doing so the dirt
slipped from under his feet and he
slid down and into the shaft. Mitch
ell realized his perllous position and
tried to save himself by grabbing
| piece of tagging at the top. The tim
ber pulled loose and poor Mitchell
went down feet foremost. He land
ed in three feet of snow. the presence
of which probably saved his life. How
to escape was the next question. In
the fall Mitchell's right foot struck a
projecting timber, and his ankle was
badly sprained in consequence. In
his attempt to climb up his injured
ankle was a great impediment. To
rest any weight upon IL caused the
most intense pain. After repeated ef-
forts to climb to the surface without
success Mitchell began to realize the
perilous position in which he was
l,placed. It was dark. he was a long
distance from any habitation and of
from any travelled trail. Mitchell re.
mained all night in the shaft and he
was nearly dead when rescued. About
N o'clock the next morning John
Corkin was on his way to work on q
claim he was prospecting. He heard
a voice; he stopped, listened. thought
he had been mistaken. and passed
along. Again a cry fell upon his ear
Again he stopped on his way, and
this time the call was more distinct
Corkin made a search and soon 10
, Gated the imprisoned man. In hal
an hour he had Mitchell at the sur
face.
Mitchell's sensations while dowI
the shaft can scarcely be imagined
, and are best described by himself
3 After repeated efforts to save my
self, and exhausting all my strength
IN the fruitless struggle, began 4
!. shout for help. called to the top o
J. my voice. and kept II up until | wa
+ hoarse and well nigh exhausted.
g "As the night wore on It becam
very cold. 4 was in snow to m
a knees and my feet were sopping we
r As the long hours of the night wor
= on | would at times feel that perhap
II was to be my fate to die alone !
+ that hole. The thought was maddeI
l. ing, and I would summon all m
= strength and shout and renew tn
l. struggle to escape.
T. ITO keep from freezing was n
i easy thing. For a time snow bega
e falling, making my clothing wet an
Il adding to my misery. / do not r
D. member a tenth of what ! thougl
'e about-it is such a nightmare to m
~ At last, after century OF time,
ID streak of daylight came, and with
the hope OF rescue. BY this time
70 was chilled to the very marro'
Id When my cries brought oythe sha
lg the man who rescued me cou
lr' scarcely believe my own eyes ar
es ears. When | first saw the form
ne the man at the top Of the shaft
ly thought 1t might oe my brain had 81
en- away and | was becoming insan
~ But the reality was speedily made a
parent and was soon on top"
80 On Thursday Mitchell went to lie
~ lstown. and il is said he Is a We
49, sick man.-Kendall Chronicle.