Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-12-21
HICKS is In
GOOD SPIRITS
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His welcome as the last shoveIfuI Of
dirt fell away from between him and
death was a delirious cry and a hoarse
Thank Cod"
A. timber barred the path and the
axes bit deep and IL disappeared i'm the
dirt of the mountain.
The earth loosened and crumbled
away, each pick thrust sending the
granules Of sand and dirt about the
rescuers.
They were no longer those sweating,
somber men,
They were hysterical, as hysterical
as women and their jokes and cries of
encouragement had little meaning but
to show their excited state.
To the man just beyond that wall Of
trembling dirt the sound of those picks
beat rhythm to his heart.
His eyes glued to the darkness, wait
ing for the wall to break.
His wild, delirious answers to Quesr
lions through the tube ceased and he
did not answer.
He was busy watching that spot in
the wall where the thud, thud of the
pick told of the coming liberty, and he
waited.
A crumble of dirt, as when the pipe
has first thrust its friendly nose to HIM
trickled down the wall and touched his
hand.
A something hard cut through the
wall and the hard breathing of a man,
of a human pierced the silence.
1t was broken by other voices, grow
ing louder and louder and to Hicks as
to the prize fighter gradually awaken
ing from a knockout, the voices seemed
to be growing into a wild swirl of
volume.
A pick fell and two hands tore out the
dirt other hands clawed about and one
reached the limp cold figure.
BY Associated Press.
BAKERSFIELD, Dec. 20. The
seemingly impossible has again hap
pened in the prosecution of the work
of rescue of Hicks, the entombed miner.
Late advices state that in all proba-
bility the buried man will not be taken
out before morning.
So great is the caution being taken by
the rescue party to avoid any accident
at the last minute they fear to go ahead
without first having made sure that
everything is braced satisfactorily and
that no evil results can occur from the
step.
Confident at daylight this morning
that the end of their labor was in sight
the rescue party is again somewhat
and this time in the very
sight and hearing of the object of their
efforts.
Working at the very side of the ore
car which shielded Hicks from harm,
they are unable to say how soon they
will have undermined the car so that
they may drag Hicks forth.
The rescuers are talking to their man
over and under the ore car, and their
only problem now is to dig out a hole
broad and deep enough to pull him
out.
A hole two feet wide and sixteen
inches deep is to be forced under the
car.
The two feet is the distance from
wheel to wheel the long way of the car,
and the sixteen inches in depth will be |
made as follows, six inches from the |
bottom of the car to the rails, twol
inches thickness of the rail and eight |
inches thickness of ties.
The rails are to be sawed in two.
Miner DeIrious with Jay
Collected, but almost deIerious with
joy. the entombed miner is bandying
jokes with the rescue party and Dr.
at the top of the pipe.
eve won't get home until morning,
will we, Doc?" he cried. "And say,
Doc, please have my eggs turned over
for breakfast will you?
And say, boys" he shouted to the
brave little party burrowing like fiends
for his release, "I'll bet you a box of
cigars you don't get me before day
light.
IT don't want to win very bad
though" he added, after a minute, but
1 guess 1 owe you fellows some cigars,
anyway, don't To- he said
Nothing on earth, it would seem, can
long cheat the rescue party of the
human reward.
They are working with a desperation
born of hope, and with deadly earnest
ness they are tearing at the debris of
the shaft.
liberty to the limit and repeatedly he
shouts words of encouragement to the
men across the car who are approach
ing him.
The shaft has been deserted and
everybody is gathering at the drift ex-
pecting at any moment to hear the
glad shout from within which will de-
clare the completion of the long drawn
out task.
An improvised hospital has been set
up in the tunnel, warm water to battle
the face of Hicks, blankets to protect
him from the chill and pieces of tobacco
for which Hicks says he has been
longing for two days have been pro-
vided
Watchers are excited and nerves are
on edge for the crucial moment.
All Bakersfield is awake to receive
the news of the release and enthusiasts
have arranged to fire off cannon, and
the ringing of fire bells will proclaim
the end of the long delayed rescue.
HAULS ON BOOT WITH BEES IN