New-York tribune., 1906-06-29
DUG FROM GRAVE ALIVE
Plumber Rescued from Sezcer Pit
after Ill Night Struggle.

Though entonlbed for nearly twenty-four hours
Herman r. Fisher. the victim Of a cave-in OF
earth Tompknsvile. Staten Island, when dug
out yesterday alive and cheerful No bones
were broken. and ne received no more serious in
5ury than a slight PARALYSIS in one leg, because
of the cramped position in which the earth had
held him, and a few abrasons from ropes by
which misguided workers had tried pun him out
OF his living grave. in few days. so he says, ne
will be back work.
Fisher was at Smith Inirmary yesterday, whittier
lie was taken Immediately after his rescue little
before noon. He joked and laughed with the
nurses but in the afternoon developed fever and
showed signs Of reaction from the great strain
under which he had been. His wife. who sat near
rim al night while the hremen OF Hook and Lad
Ger lOS labored get him out, collapsed when ne
was dragged to the surface. and TO the hos
IGtal for treatment His father. who had shared
her waicl phlegmaticaly dismissed ;he subject
with:
oh. he's all right He'll be back the same
thing leNt week"
Fisher is a plumber and by nature a ouiet. home
keeping man. OF small stature. though sturdy
When he sent on Wednesday morning to make
a connection from the home OF John IL
Smith. in Zebra avenue, 20 the trunk sewer In
Richmond Turnpike Tompkinsville. he started out
whstling cheerfuy, for unusual difficulties pre-
scented themselves TO his mind When he got to
the place he noted that the ground wh~Sl had
been dug out by the Iaborers combination
of sand small rocks and clay. sloping down Sharply
the main line. which. in the middle OF
Richmond Turnpike. Was about twenty feet belo"
The surface
He was working away steadily about an hour
before noon on Wednesday when trolley car
passed above him Almost Immediately thereafter
tho ais Of the pit around him began TO crumble
and the earth poured down the shaftlike cut upon
lin. desperately he strove 10 climb out Of the
place; but, faster than he climbed. the stones and
clods fen around him. pinring his feet and legs
lightly and slowly mounted round his knees to
Thighs hips chest and throat. Madly he struggled,
but The he fought the more tightly the
earth packed round him. holding him rigid. press
ing IN on his abdomen and chest with crushing
weight.
Laborers above his predicament and tried
help His head was stil above the flow of sand
and rocks when they threw down a rope which
he rrtssJ viii 're hand 7yeb,iI Sc Dpssihie he
held to IT, but, time after time. as the men above
grasp. and he yelled up hoarsely TO Them:
Its no use. boys, you've got 10 shovel me out
Was in considerable pain. His right leg was caught
on his chest and abdomen. But as the afternoon |
this torturnE weight. until he could breathe freely
Meantime word Of the accident mad spread all |
The deem slaff fencing off the tirernen who We're
toiling away digging desperately af the relentless
pile Of earth in the darkening pit Battalion Chief |
Guerfn finally sent his for long, stout planks
and started them 10 driving these in a kind OF
That's the ticket. whispered the prisoner, cheer
fnliy, Now you can dig dig out this earth r around |
1ne. ana get down 10 the rocks AT the bottom. l
And gradually they did. revealing neck, shoulders.
chest arms and hips. Dr. Chase and DR.. Tilton. |
from Smith lnirmaTy. relieved each other at the /
pit. From time 10 time they sent down the /
prisoner a glass Of whiskey, a little strychnine
Still he continued cheerful.
All through the long night the hremen shovelled !
earth and rocks from around his Cramped body. /
Daybreak showed the earth removed that Fish 4
er's knees were visible. and a rope which they had /
sent down 10 him was placed around his body under
the arms. The workers pulled long and hard, but /
his feet were caught too firmly. II only tort |
Ore, so again the firemen got down into the pit !
and slowly dug away at the firmly packed earth. /
Finally. about q they got down the huge /
rock which imprisonng his feet, and with 1
cT0whars pried II loose Slowly they hauled him TO
tho surface. grimN. tired. almost dead ''I feel /
fine. he announced. but his looks belied the re- |
mark. Where's pop? 1 want him" Father and
embraced snd then Fisher grabbed his wife
and almost smothered her in a shower OF kisses ]
The physicians bundled them both into an ambu- 4
lance. and hustled them 10 The hospital.