Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1906-12-29
DAYS
|. B. HICKS, The ENTOMBED
MINER, RESCUED AT LAST.
His Fellow Miners Worked Night and
Day Through go Feet of Rock TO
Reach Hm--Hs Was Nearly Crazy
With Joy When He Came out-He
Said God Bless You ALL"

Bakersfield Cal, Dec. 22.-Entombed
in the bowels of the earth beneath tons
Of stone and dirt of collapsed tunnel
Of the Eastern Electrical Power COM
pany, l.. b. Hicks, the miner who for
10 days faced death. was rescued at
l1:25 o'clock tonight by gang of his
fellow miners who have worked inces-
sanity to save him. For more than 60
.eet, through rock they burrowed In
the race against death.
Hicks was nearly crazy with Joy
when his rescuers drew his weakened
body from beneath the tram car, under
which he had been pinned since the
tunnel fell in, leaving him in darkness
and the plaything of hooking death.
The hardened miners wept as Hicks
ried to thank them. Outside, crowd
lround the tunnel shaft had heard the
signal. Bakersfield was in a frenzy
Of joy. Cannon doomed and the bells
n the churches tolled. Men and wom-
en- flocked to the streets and there ex-
changed congratulations.
I1lChS Was DiOubnl Aiolu Ills ptAAi
gus position at $3.50 this evening when
his rescuers completed a scaffolding
% prevent a fall of boulders and dirt.
Hicks swayed like a drunken man,
the sputtering lights of the miners
amps half blinded him, and then a
realization came to him that he was
free. God bless you all for standing
oil hot Aa
out 1t was enough. There in the cav
erns of the earth, grim faced miners
yept and an intended cheer stuck in
heir threats. Dr. Stinchfield placed
lark glasses over Hicks eyes, but
he miner said that he did not need
| hem as the light of the lamps did not
bother him. Hicks JOY on his release
vas almost hysterical. He laughed and
,ried by turns and DR.. Stinchfeld,
caring a violent reaction. gave him a
| mild sedative.
| L. B. Hicks, the miner who was res
eued tonight, was entombed alive UNI
| Ter 60 feet of debris Is days ago in
he tunnel of the Edison Electrical
Power company, II miles northeast of
| Ills Guy. tive VI Ills ltiAOW WOlh'
len were buried at the same time by
he cavein of thousands of tons OF
arth and rock. Hope Of rescuing any
# the victims was abandoned, when
lfter three days the sound of tapping
N the water pipe in the shaft was
heard. Instantly a response was sent
and the answering raps plainly proved
1 4h,t Of Af ,rfc ~
miners was alive.
The water pipe was cleared ant
communication established through Il
With the man at the bottom of The
shaft. He proved to be Hicks. formei
soldier and an expert miner, whose life
had been saved by a steel car undel
which he was pinned. His five com
panions were dead.
Fearing to dislodge the debris In thu
shaft, the rescuing party began worl
IN a drift from the side of the hill, an,
work was not suspended day or night
Hicks was given milk through the pip
md soon showed signs Of renewel
gigor. He said that during the tire
lays previous to his discovery he hal
1 oubbioNSu on a pug VI SuCNihB tOboN
20. Thereafter, during the long hour
If his Imprisonment in closely crampe
quarters, he was kept we'll nourishec
Every effort was made to keep hi
mind in a cheerful mood, so that
might not become unbalanced by hi
be surroundings. The stencil from the r.
I mains of the dead miners was perceI
: tible at the surface Of the ground an
! vas intense In close quarters wher
Hicks was confined. A phonograp
was placed so that the lonely ma
'ould be entertained by music. He a
50 was kept in close communicate
= with his friends, who sent words {
cheer to him.
y Hicks rescue was a most difficu
e piece Of work, and that it was a
n ,omplished at all is regarded as ma
e 5elous by all those acquainted wit
# the conditions which were met an
d overcome.