Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-12-28
HICKS WELL AS EVER.
Entombed Bakersfield Miner Says Ex-
perience Was Not Bad After the
First Few Days.

BAKERSFIELD, CAL, Dec "a
Lindsey B. Hicks, the miner who was
rescued at 1 o'clock Sunday morning
from the tunnel of the Edison Electro
comnany. talked almost merrily today OF
his fifteen days living entombment. he
so;d tbere were times when he really
pnioved himself, imprisoned though ne
was in the bowels of the earth, WIN
rats. who Toasted ON the dead bodies OF
his fellows, as his only companions
Hicks was not at all weakened by his
nxnerience. In excellent spirits, he re-
lated the following story:
1T was awful close in there. At frst
thought | would die like the poor Tel,
lows above me did. COO, It was aWiul
to hear them moaning and twisting en- IN
the debris, dying by inches from suttoc
cation. But after awhile cool draft OF
air came sweeping up from below ana l
knew then | would never be without
air, as there would always be current
through the crevlces.
run up the shaft, keeping along the right
rail. A falling timber struck me, ana
fell to the floor. When | tried to get
up l was closed in. The timber didn't
hurt me much, and in a few days
was all right again.
Il never had any fear. AFTER the
fifth day [ knew that would be saved.
And maybe you won't believe me, but
sometimes down there | really enjoyed
myself. That tobacco saved my life. 1t
is the greatest foodstuff on earth. But
right now.
after my plug gave out tried hard
to reach an empty sack which lay just
above me. The rats would run across
it and l had hard time keeping them
from eating it, struck at them, but
al, ~ oah
"At last two hit it and knocked the
tobacco sack down. There were only
few grains in it, but the taste of these
gave me renewed life.
Then sometimes | amused myself
with the bell wire, which fell right in
broke this, and then / would play tunes
with it on my teeth, or tinkle the ends
together. At last / got SO | could play
a good tune on the wire, and many
weary hours passed in this amusement.
Il was so cramped in there that |
could not stretch my legs out. When /
wanted to rest l would stick one Of my
legs down a crevice and stretch.
when l wanted to sleep / just put
my hat on wheel of the car and rested
my head on it.
According to my calendar it is Feb
ruary B., l counted the days and made
it out that l was in there tifty-three
days. After they begun to feed me and
tell me the duration of time 1 came to
the conclusion they were feeding me
every other day. 1 slept sometimes for
periods that seemed to be seven or eight
hours"
The last cut on the tram rail-the final
work necessary to Hicks rescue-was
finished after midnight Saturday No
sooner was the section removed and the
way left open than Hicks began to
scrape away the rocks and dirt and
crawl toward the opening.
With arms in front or his head he
went into a miniature tunnel and be-
gan to work his way slowly through to
the other side of the car. When he had
progressed about half way he stopped
superintendent Frank Miller, who stood
at the tube at the mouth of the shaft
Immediately asked what was the mat
ter.
80, nothing" Hicks called back. 'I'm
just going to stop. I'm out of wind. My
wind is short, you know"
Hicks moved few inches farther
toward freedom, Then his arms were
seized by. Dr. Stinchfeld and Miner
Gents, who, exerting all their strength.
pulled the miner into the main tunnel
where he was placed in sitting posi-
ton.
Hicks was not emaciated as was ex-
pected., He was strong and the stimu-
lants that had been prepared for him
We're not needed. His beard was thick
and stubby but now grown out His
face and hands were dirty. but his cloth
ing was fairly clean and in good condi-
ton
A photograph was attached to pipe
running down to where Hicks was con
fined, and the mans mind was kept oc-
cupied during the long awful days by
canned music Hicks greatly enjoyed
the machine and time and again he
asked for Under the Bamboo Tree'-he
said it reminded him of the Philippines.
Hicks is being flooded with offers from
theatrical managers and others who want
him to exhibit himself