The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-16
lABORFR is BURIED
BY TONS OF SAND
Frank PscheIIo Has Narrow
Escape From Death While
Working i'm Sewer

Buried by a fall of sand in a sewer
at Chatsworth and Carroll streets yes
terday AFTERNOON, Frank Pschello, la
borer living at 900 Lafond street, was
entombed for over five hours, but still
lives He was finally rescued by fell
low workmen and hurried to the city
hospital in the Rondo street police
station patrol wagon, At the hospital
PSchellO'S injuries We're found to con-
siSt Of bruises and contusionS, and it is
not thought he was internally injured.
The accident occurred about 2:30
o'clock in the afternoon, when PSchello
Was at the bottom of a newly built
sewer about fifteen feet below the sur
face of the ground. Two wooden props
were driven along the walls of the
sewer to keep the earth from caving
in. but on account of the sandy nature
of the soil one of the props become
undermined and gave way. The sec
ord prop, unable to stand the heavy
strain, snapped short and an avalanche
of dirt poured into the sewer. Pschello
was buried under the sand, which
i}lled the sewer to within four feet of
abe top.
Workmen to Rescue
Workmen who had witnessed the ac-
Cident seized shovels and hurriedly
commenced to dig the sand away from
the top of the sewer. After several
moments of hard work they succeeded
in uncOvering Pschello's head. Pschello
was unconscious, but the fresh air par
TALLY revived him.
1t had been a comparatively easy
matter to remove the upper layer of
sand, but the under layer, about u
feet through was packed hard and the
Workmen were obliged to use their
pickaxes to loosen the dirt. Pschello
tainted several times, but was revived
with cold water.
About 1880 in the evening, after over
five hours hard work, Pschello's body
was removed from the sewer. He was
limp as a rag and unable to move. Sew
eral tons of dirt had fallen into the
sewer, and but for piece of one of the
props which fell partly across his body,
thus relieving some of the pressure,
Pschello would have been crushed to
death.
PschelIo Tells Story
Pschello was resting easily at the
city hospital last night and viii re-
cover. He gives an interesting ac-
count of the accident.
Il was shoVeling sand at the bottom
of the sewer he said when l heard
something snap. Before l had time to
look up there was a rushing sound and
| could feel the sand closing in on me.
L uId AlOl nave llillG W realize N1ldl WAS
happening until 1 was completely COW
cred up, and then 1 knew the walls
of the sewer had caved in.
1T was the most terrible experience
L ever went through. The sand was
in my mouth ears, eyes and nose. I
could not see, could not move a muscle
and could hardly breathe. 1t seemed
to me that l had been covered UP for
hours, and thought 1 was going crazy.
My entire body soon began TO tingle
and / felt as though 1 had hold of an
electric battery. Finally lost all feel
Ing, and the next thing l knew my
head was free from the sand and |
could see the sky above me.
Il never appreciated what fresh air
was until then. The workmen told me
that everything was all right, and that
they would dig me out in a short time,
but the dirt was packed in solidIy and
they had to use pickaXes. Awful pains
would run through my body every
once in while and would cause me
to lose consciousness.
After long time they dug down as
far as my waist, and l felt much bet
ter. although my lungs seemed full of
needles. When the workmen finally
pulled me out / could not stand. I
could not move muscle. l thought I
was going to be paralyZed but the doc
tor told me my body had simply gone
to sleep. After l had arrived at the
hospital my body, arms and legs be-
gan to burn and tingle and the pain
was terrible, but it gradually died
down and now am all right, but I will
never forget the time / spent buried in
the sand as long as | live"