Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1903-03-11
JACK MlEOD'S HEROIC ACTI
M'LEOO SAVED SEVERAL LIVES
NEAR FERGUSON, 3. c.
Descended the Shaft Of the Nellie L.
Mine and Brought Up tho Men One
by One-Eighteen Overcome by Gas,
Caused by eIasting-other Brave
Deeos-Four Men Perished.

Ferguson, via Arrowhead, B. c.,
March 10.-Four men are dead, two
more are under physicians care and
Jack Mcleod, who, at the peril Of his
own life, descended the shalt Of the
Nellie l.. mine and brought seven
forms, one by one, to tho surface, while
another brave rescuer was overcome,
Is practically uninjured after his ter
rible experience.
Dead and Injured.
The dead are: Patrick Grilley, shift
0oss Allan Cauider, Edward Gognan
and Robert Savage. The two injured
men, Nels johnson and his brother,
known as Otto Bloom, are under ply
sicians' care and Will live.
The fatality has cost gloom over the
camp. 1t was SO unexpected and ter.
riDle in its effects, SO surrounded with
thrilling Incidents, that the occur
rences of the late afternoon are still
talked Of in hushed horror by the com.
nunity.
The day shift at the Nellie L. fred
its shots and quit work at 4 p. m. The
night shift went on at p. m. Robert
savage went to his machine to con-
tinue drifting from the bottom Of a
winze in the lower workings. This
winze appears to have been full Of
powder smoke and carbonic acid gas.
When Savage reached his post. or pos
sibly before doing SO, he shouted for
aelp. saying that he was smothering.
George Groshey descended to his
rescue and succeeded In bringing him
nearly up to the floor level, when
Groshey became insensible. The body
Of Savage dropped back down the
winze. a distance Of about 40 feet. Al
Ian Caulder. gallant young fellow,
only 20 years of age, rushed down the
ladder. On reaching the bottom Of the
ladder he called out for help. and Pat
Crilley, the shift boss and brother OF
the superintendent. descended. to
share Caulder's fate.
The men above begged with each
other for the honor of risking their
lives to save the men below. Bar
clay Crilley went down and actually
reached his brother, but the gas drove
hin up the level more dead than alive
He was almost asphyxiated when he
struggled back to the winze head.
Brave Jack Mcleod.
Six men went uown in the darh
wneIe Oniy death lived in the poison
Jus gas wnen JACK MCLEOD. a Cape
nIiLon miner OF great experience anu
Aeroism, made an attempt with a rope
IN the DARK ne stumbled across BODY,
which he secured with the line AMI
pore to the ladder foot. The men above
raised poor Paddy Crilley to the level,
Mcleod partly sustaining him step Oy
step from the ladder.
Six times did Mcleod ascend with
the body of rescued cOmrade and
six times descended to meet his own
more than probable death.
the sixth and last man having been
carried up. Mcleod collapsed. ana
Jack Sweeney descended to see II any
more remained In the winze bottom.
For tho seventh time Mcleod had to
go back. with John Hendricks. 10
Sweeney'S rescue.
Mcleod has escaped practically un.
injured from his terrible but heroic
experience.
Steps are being taken to have the
heroism of Jack Mcleod publicly rec
ognized and rewarded.
No blame would appear to attach to
the mine management the appliance or
equipment.
Among those who behaved with
bravery special mention should be
made of Barclay Crilly. John w.
Sweeney and Thomas Baldwin. Near
ly every man out Of IL on the level
above the winze was overcome by the
gas ascending when the air was turned