Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-08-12

Itce. DuI broken TfmDerS ana UlrI III
terfered. The mans head was liter
ally held in one position by twisted
timbers and rock. Smidley says that
Schuler's hand pressure became less
and less for about two hours. and final
ly the hand dropped to the side of the
body limp and lifeless
The rescue of Theodore Grasser and
Charles SInidley will always form vne
of the thrilling pages of ColOrado's
history of brave deeds. After Smidley
noticed that Schuler was dead he be-
gan an attempt to rescue himself. a
II by Is inch boxing runs along the
lower dormer of the tunnel at this
point for air purposes. He managed
To turn around and work himself down
TO this boxing and noticed that il was
broken and had filled up with mud
and water. Knowing that there was
further on toward the inner portion OF
the tunnel. he closed his eyes and held
his breath and literally crawled the
twelve feet through the mud. slush
and sand until he reached the other
opening. where he was enabled to
emerge into a small space made by
the cave-in. and where he secured a
little fresh air and breathing spell.
Here he found Grasser held by some
fallen timbers and dirt. He managed
to pull these apart and rescIe his i'm
priSoned companion. and the two men
began TO call through the boxing The
seventeen men on the inside of the
on the wooden boxing and the seven
teen showed gas pipe through to the
prisoners. Grasser was the first to
catch hold of the pipe. and he was lit
orally dragged through the mud. water
and the sand to the other side of the
cavein. Again the gas pipe was
pushed back. and Smidley clutched Ii
and was rescued in similar way.
When the cave-in took place the sew
entecn men not directly under the slide
realized that the seeping water would.
IL allowed TO run through. drown all
those not already dead who were un-
der the pile of dirt and timbers. They
noticed that the seepage was from
above their own room Knowing full
well the death it probably meant to
them. but i'm order TO assist in saving
their more unfortunate comrades. they
set about and erected dam across
the tunnel near the cave-in and con
tinued building il higher and higher as
the seeping water rose in their owp
prison cell They used the loose tim
bers and rock. filled the cracks With
mud and even Slipped Off their Own
clothing to stop up crevices When
the shaft from above was finally sunk
to them the water was up almost 20
the shoulders of many of the men and
was above the hips OF them all. No
sooner had they been placed on the
ground above them than they joined
the army of volunteers working so
valiantly to rescue the two imprisoned
men.
The rescuers found the nineteen men
In good spirits. Theodore Grasser was
the first man extracted. He was very
weak from exhaustion and bruises re-
ceived by being caught in the cave-in.
At 4 O'clock in the afternoon the res
cuers came to point where they could
talk with Steele. They could see him
standing between four timbers and
heInmed i'm in such manner as to be
able To move only one hand. Are you
hurt:" said Resident Engineer Nc
Donnel.
"No. but terribly crowded. Give me
cigarette" was Steele's reply. Me
Donnel lighted a cigarette and stuck 1t
through a crack. and Steele took 1t