The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-12-25
TELLS STORY Of
HIS BURIAL ALIVE
J. L. Hicks, Miner Who Was
EntOmbed for Fifteen Days,
Recites Experience.
BELIEVES THAT TOBACCO
PROVED HIS SALVATION
Was Taken From Cave-In in
Good Physical Condition;
Doctors Amazed.

BAKERSFIELD. Cal, Dec. 24-In
less than twelve hours after being re-
leased from his tomb in the caved-in
shaft at Camp No. | OF the Edison
Electric company in the Kern river
canyon, where he was confined for ID
days and a half, Lindsay B. Hicks Sun
day morning mounted saddle horse
and rode to the hospital of the company
mile and half from the scene of
the disaster.
After Christmas Hicks believes that
he will have regained his strength
sufficiently TO allow him to leave the
care of the physician, but DR.. Stinch-
field has suggested that week at least
be spent there.
The remarkable condition of Hicks
was great surprise to DR.. Stinchfeld.
The doctor said
81 found that his temperature was
normal Just after the rescue and his
pulse a trifle high, which was undoubt-
edly due to the excitement under which
the miner was laboring. His face was
free from any lines or furrows, and TO
look at him you could not see any
difference from an ordinary working
man who had just done a days work
in a shaft, He is weak in the legs
and knees and his legs are sore; caused
by sitting in one position unable to
move. What little nervousness he dis
plays will vanish Just as soon as he
grows stronger,
Walks Up Incline.
Sunday night after the rescue Hicks
with slight support walked up the 200
foot incline from the mouth of the
rescue drift to the watch station at
the head of the shaft, where he sat for
Stinchfeld, Superintendent Frank Mil
Ter. Foreman Clark and others. Hicks
smoked cigar and talked freely of
his adventure and the interesting Incl
dents connected with it.
eyes, I had long siege Of it, and
now it's over he said From the
first I knew that I would be brought
out all right. I just had that feeling.
To everyone connected with the work
owe something more substantial than
thanks, and the best | can do is to
say that ] appreciate the efforts that
were made in my behalf. The only fear
had when ! found that ] was closed
in was that ] might suffer from the
lack of air when the timbers crashed
IN and a cloud of dust filed the space
and nearly suffocated me. This dust in
my opinion caused the death OF the two
men above me. | heard them strug-
Cling frantically for about three hours
and / know their death was caused by
strangulation.
The tobacco was my staff of life. /
don't know what | would have done
without it. Every piece of it I chewed
I made last as long as I could and
when no more could be got out of it |
swallowed it.
H The milk was great and certainly
worked wonders with me When I
went in the tunnel ] weighed $50
pounds. Last night ] tipped the scales
at l491a. I really believe my stomach
is larger than ever before. I drank so
much milk. 1t reached the right spot
One dIsagTeeable thing was the stencil
came close to me, and l hit some of
them number of times in trying to
get them away. ! am glad that ! am
out and am feeling fine. -
Hicks is being flooded with offers
from theatrical managers and others
who want him for exhibition purposes.