The Washington herald., 1906-12-23

Bakersfield. Cal, Dec. 22.-Entombed in
the bowels of the earth. beneath tons OF
stone and dirt of a collapsed tunnel, l.
b. Kicks. the miner who for fifteen days
faced death, was rescued this evening by
gang Of his fellow-miners who have
worked incessantly to save him.
Hicks was nearly crazed 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. leav-
ing him in darkness and the plaything Of
a mocking death The hardened miners
wept as Hicks tried to thank them.
Outside a crowd around the tunnel
shaft had heard the signal Bakersfield
was in a frenzy OF JOY. Cannon doomed
and the bells in the churches toIled.
Men and women hocked 10 the streets
and there held parties of congratulation.
Hicks at Last Is Free.
Hicks was brought from his perilous
position at $50 this evening, when his
rescuers completed a scaffolding to pre-
vent fan Of bowlders and dirt Whom
the timbering had been completed Super
intendent Mcclure, of the mine. reached
down and grasped the imprisoned mans
hand. Hicks was gently drawn un
through the opening. and as he emerged
from the hole he was grasped under the
arm by two miners. who gently lifted
him to his feet Hicks swayed ike a
drunken man; the spluttering ocher lights
OF the miners lamps half blinded him.
and then realization came 10 him that
he was free
God bless you all for standing by me. -
was all that he could say. but ii was
enough. There in the caverns of the
earth grim-faced miners wept, and an
intended cheer stuck in their thrOats.
DR.. Stinchneld placed dark glasses over
his eyes but the miner said that he did
not need them, as the light of the lamps
did not Bother him.
Hicks Joined his relatives almost hys-
tericaliy- He laughed and cried by
turns, and DR.. StinchfeId, fearing vi0-
lent reaction, gave him a mild sedative.
Tells of the Accident.
When the crash came" said Hicks
10 Dr. Stinchheld, Il was working with
the other men in the tunnel. There was
roar md a crash of stone. and crunch
ing timbers, and then Etter blaekness.
Pinned beneath tram ear. I heard the
moans OF dying men l tried 10 move
and could not 1 spoke to my compan-
ions. but there was no answer: only the
means Of the wounded Death came to
them, and there was silence.
I tried to move my legs. and found
them gripped by powders. on each side
of me l could feel the earth and stone.
Just above my head was the foot of one
of the men. I could touch the shce.
1T seemed days in that fearful silence,
and talked TO myself to keep from going
mad. ! thought of myself growing
weaker and weaker with thirst and hum
ger. I tried to sleep. but the dreams
were worse than the tortures Of my wax
ing hours. I called to my companions
again and again. but there was no an
swer Then 1 wondered how many feet
Of stone and dirt lay between me and
daylight.
Il pictured TO myself the rescuing party
working madly to release the men caught
in the wreckage below.
" Perhaps they have given up any
hope of reaching any one behind that
mass Of earth and have stopped work.
I thought. 1 yelled in my agony. hop
ing that my voice would reach those
above me, but there was no answer at
all. only silence.
Tries to Signal Rescuers.
My Godi the silence Of that place,
My breathing sounded like the roar OF
waves. and when I talked to myself my
voice was flung back and forth In that
narrow hole until it died away in faint
whisper. Then ] thought Of the signals
and began tapping on a rail with a rock.
God knows how long it was-it seemed
eternity-for night and day were the same
in that hole of he'll when ] heard tap
ping above me. I laughed and cried and
yelled until 1 tainted frsm exhaustion.
1 was to be saved Above my head 7
heard a burrOwing like a rat at work in
plaster walls, and then the gas pipe
penetrated the chamber. voice called
to me and asked if 1 was hurt. TO.
piled that I was not I pinched myself.
fearing that I might be dreaming. But
I WAS not, and then 1 cursed myself for
ever thinking the boys would not work
through heaven and hell in hope of say
For many hours I was happy in the
thought OF rescue. then feared the bowlder
above might be plunged down on my head
/ yelled through the pipe to the men to
be careful l told them OF the heavy
rock that lay over my head, half sup
ported by broken timbers and the tram
car
Fear of death came to me even
stronger than al first. Sometimes I i'm
agined every moment the pile of debris
would crush me TO death And then
would be filed with hope of rescue. The
pangs of thirst were awful, and il seemed
at times as If my throat would burn az
with the fever. The milk that you fel-
lows poured down that iron pipe was the
best rum 1 ever had IN my life
Cheered by the Music Box.
Il heard the music box playing at the
end Of the tube, and l can tell you il
cheered me wonderfully I thought OF
the good old times with the BOYS in