The San Francisco call., 1906-12-24

superintendent Frank Miller,
Knox, Linville, Wilson, A. Ruth
erford and The Call representa-
tive, spent several hours around
a camp fire talking. Hicks still
wore his same clothes, and with
the khaki hat OF Superintendent
Miller sheltering his head,
leisurely puffed at a black cigar
What was that noise 1 heard when
we We're coming up2" inquired the man
whose observance has been q blessing
10 the rescue party throughout the
fifteen days and more OF tedious and
dfsheartening labors-
That IS Bakersfield congratulating
you on your safe recovery" informed
Tho Cs9l man. The last four days
anEns have been loaded, fire bells ready
and avery known noise-producer Sc
cured in anticipation OF this event"
Hicks smiled he heard the sounds
OF celebration in Bakersfield.
They certainly appear 70 be glad"
he said. I guess II i was down there
7 could have 4 great time tonight I
used to like good times I used
10 drink whisky, too. but now that
is over. I tell you, had plenty Of time
to think while in that hole, and 1 have
made some pretty strong resolutions,
and I intend TO follow them. Yes, sir,
J have been a pretty lucky man.
A You bet you have Hicks. old man"
S9ined in Superintendent Frank Miller,
ii has been by the grace of God"
GIVES PRAISE TO GOD
7 know IT has, Mr.. Miller. I know it
was God who saved me. From the very
moment 7 was walled in I saw that God
was protecting me and / knew he
would save me. have not been a
crank on religion and / am not one
now, but just as sure you are born
know il was God who saved me.
Everything goes TO prove IL. The way
j was knocked into the cavity, the way
the pipe reached me, the rescue-every-
thing goes 10 prove it. OF course, the
men did great work, and / only wish
that il could be within my power TO
thank them. But if God had not been
on my side I know they would have
never succeeded / am grateful. and
am not going to hell IL praying Will
keep me from it
Hicks. when the doctor ordered that
he be taken TO a tent near by, where he
spent the night in company with the
doctor and Assistant Knox. arose from
the bench where he had been sitting
and started TO walk off without any
support The doctor intervened. and,
although Hicks protested that he was
strong enough, the doctor would not
consent TO his walking alone
Hicks spent a restful night in the
tent and says he slept about three
hours He arose before o'clock this
morning and began preparing for the
trip 20 the hospital.
EULOGTzEs HIS TOBACCO
It was about $50 O'Clock this morn
ing when The Call representative was
received by the miner. Hicks had
5onned new pair Of trousers, pur-
%nased for him by Rutherford, his COM
panion, and his feet incased in a pair
Of tennis shoes. was standing in the
middle Of the floor arranging the
become badly frayed, due 10 the many
Efforts Of the entOmbed man to shift
his position The old shirt he still had
on and down the breast and sleeves
were the stains OF the Juice from the
tobacco he used until his supply Of the
weed was exhausted
Il am proud of those stains" he said.
That tobacco juice did as much for me.
IS any other thing. ] was able to keep
my mouth moist. and although I wanted
water that tobacco Juice performed
the same service. ] made IL last, too.
Every piece ] chewed and chewed and
chewed until could not get any more
1IlCe ana IntU SAFallDNtQ H. koOlit
people have a prejudice against to-
bacco. but not me. Tobacco is a medi-
cine. Il was meant for a medicine, and
the only trouble IS that the people
don't know how TO use it."
IN answer 70 a question, How are
you this morning. Hicksz" he answered.:
4 feel fine. ] had a good sleep: in
fact. / think ] slept too much; my eyes
smart a little bit; II is from oversleep
and nothing else. They are not affected
IN any way.
HEARS DEATH STRUGGLE
: The only fear ] had when I found
that I was closed in was that I might
suffer from the lack of air when the
ffnabers crashed in and a cloud of dust
filled the space and nearly suffocated
me. This dust IN my opinion caused
the death Of the two men above me. /
heard them struggling frantically for
about three hours and ] know their
death was caused by strangulation.
Soon I got a Whit Of good. cool ozone.
however, and then I felt all right. OF