Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-26
fACEDDEATHl5 DAYS
|. B. HICKS, The ENTOMBED
Miner, RESCUED AT LAST.
His Fellow Miners Worked Night and
Day Through go Feet Of Rock to
Reach Him-He Was Nearly Crazy
With Joy When He Came Out-He
Said "God Bless You ALL"

Bakersfield, CAL, Dec. 22.-EntomDed
in the bowels of the earth beneath tons
of stone and dirt of a collapsed tunnel
of the Eastern Electrical Power COM
pany, L. B. Hicks, the miner who for
Is days faced death, was rescued at
1925 o'clock tonight by a gang of his
fellow miners who have worked inces-
sanity to save him. For more than go
feet, 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 mocking death.
The hardened miners wept as Hicks
tried to thank them. Outside, crowd
around the tunnel shaft had heard the
signal. Bakersfield was in frenzy
of Joy. Cannon doomed and the bells
in the churches tolled. Men and wom-
en- flocked to the streets and there ex-
changed congratulations.
Hicks was brought from his peril
oGs position at $50 this evening when
his rescuers completed a scaffolding
prevent a fall of boulders and dirt.
Hicks swayed like drunken man,
he suffering lights Of the miners
amps half blinded him, and then a
ealization came to him that he was
rec. God bless you all for standing
" me-" was all that he could say,
nut 1t was enough. There in the cav
rms of the earth. grim faced miners
vept 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
was almost hysterical. He laughed and
cried by turns and DR.. Stinchfield,
fearing violent reaction, gave him a
mild sedative.
L. B. Hicks, the miner who was res
cued tonight, was entombed alive un-
der 60 feet of debris Is days ago in
the tunnel of the Edison Electrical
Power company, II miles northeast of
this city. Five Of his fellow work
men were buried at the same time by
the cavein of thousands of tons of
earth and rock. Hope of rescuing any
of the victims was abandoned, when
after three days the sound of tapping
on the water pipe in the shaft was
heard. Instantly response was sent
and the answering raps plainly proved
that at least one of the imprisoned
miners was alive.
The water pipe was cleared and
communication established through 1t
with the man at the bottom of the
shaft. He proved to be Hicks, a former
soldier and an expert miner. whose life
had been saved by a steel car under
which he was pinned. His five com.
panions were dead.
Fearing to dislodge the debris In the
shaft, the rescuing party began work
on drift from the side of the hill, and
work was not suspended day or night.
Hicks was given milk through the pipe
and soon showed signs Of renewed
vigor. He said that during the three
uoyo " uiSCOtcIy ut udu
subsisted on a plug Of chewing tobac.
co. Thereafter, during the long hours
of his Imprisonment in closely cramped
quarters, he was kept well nourished.
Every effort was made to keep his
mind in cheerful mood, so that It
might not become unbalanced by his
surroundings. The stencil from the re-
mains of the dead miners was percep.
tible at the surface of the ground and
was intense in close quarters where
Hicks was confined. A monograph
was placed so that the lonely man
could be entertained by music. He al.
so was kept in close communication
with his friends, who sent words of
cheer to him.
Hicks rescue was a most difficult
piece of work, and that it was &C.
complished at all is regarded as mar
velous by all those acquainted with
the conditions which were met and
overcome.