Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-12-24
Hicks, California Miner, Releas-
ed From Underground Prison
Sunday Morning
RATS AND DEAD COMPANIONS
Released Man Describes His Emotions
Hope Was Always in His Heart
Thinks Tobacco Kept Him Alive -
Many Offers From Museum Men to
Exhibit Him-May Accept.

Bakersfield, Cal, Dec. 24.-Lindsay
B. Hicks, the miner who was rescued
at l o'clock Sunday morning from the
tunnel of the Edison Electric Company,
talked almost merrily of his fifteen
days living entombment. He said there
were times when he really enjoyed
himself, imprisoned tho he was in the
bowels of the earth, with rats, who
Toasted on the dead bodies of his fell
lows, as his only companions. Hicks
was not at all weakened by his exper-
fence. In excellent spirits, he related
the following story:
ut was awful close in there. At first
thought l would die like the poor
fellow above me did. God, it was awful
the debris, dying by inches from suffo-
cation. But after awhile cool draft
Of air came sweeping up from below
and knew then would never be with
out air, as there would always be a
current thru the crevices."
When the crash came I started to
run up the shaft, keeping along the
right rail. A falling timber struck me,
and l fell to the floor. When 1 tried to
get up l was closed in. The timber
didn't hurt me much, and in few days
l was all right again.
Il never had any fear. The death
struggles Of the other men were awful
enough. After the fifth day l knew
would be saved A feeling came over
me that God was with me. am CRATE
full to God, and l will never go to hell
If praying can save me.
And maybe you won't believe me.
but sometimes down there really en-
joyed myself That tobacco saved my
life. 1t is the greatest foodstuff on
earth. But for it l would be in there
a cold corpse 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 had hard time keeping them
from eating it. struck at them, but
they were almost out of reach.
cat last two hit it and knocked the
tobacco sack down. There were only
a few grains in it, but the taste of
these gave me renewed life.
THE rats became thicker each day.
Sometimes it gave me shudder when
felt one run across my face. Then l
thought how it had just returned from
meal off the bodies of the poor fell
lows who had died near me.
Then sometimes l amused myself
with the bell wire, which fell right in
front of me. BY pulling a long time
broke this, and then would play tunes
with it on my teeth, or tinkle the ends
together. At last / got so l could play
good tune on the wire, and many
weary hours l passed in this amuse-
ment.
IT don't understand why my limbs
are not all swollen Only my knees are
a bit sore.
II was so cramped in there that I
could not stretch my legs out. When
/ wanted to rest l would stick one Of
my legs down crevice and stretch
You see the seat of my trousers is
worn out from shifting about.
when wanted to sleep I just put
nv hat on wheel Of the car and rest
ed my head on it.
II will stay here awhile and think
over the offers I received. OF course
l know 1 am somewhat of a curiosity,
and l do not deny that consider maxi
ing some easy money.
Zone thing is certain-f will not leave
here until l have had that Christmas
dinner with the doc. He boosted once
too often about that turkey, and am
going to take him at his word about
eating all the dark and white meat"