The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-01-16
BURIED MINER OUT,
CAMP GOES WILD
Hicks, Entombsd at Bakersfield,
Cal, Fifteen Days, Rescued.
HUNDREDS CHEER AND WEEP

Fine Engineering Work Diggers
Plump on Their Mans Resting
Place to the Fraction Of az
Inch.
Bakersfield. Cal.-Out of the VAL
lev of the Shadow A. E. Hicks, the
miner who was buried fifteen days
in the Edison mine at this place, was
rescued at 9 o'clock p. N.
Surrounded by hundreds who have
literally camped at the head of the
mine shaft waiting for the outcome
of the desperate battle being waged
for a human life. the freed captive
was carried, lying on a stretcher, on
the shoulders of the triumphant men
who reached him to the hospital.
Rough miners cheered, with tears
in their eyes, as the procession
reached the top of the mine shaft;
women alternately laughed and wept,
and every n crowded forward for
a look at the rough, begrimed, sunk
en- checked workman whose name
has been Oh the lips Of nearly sixty
millions of people for a week.
And above it all the mine whistles,
factory whistles, locomotive whistles
and every other thing that could be
induced to make a noise shrieked
a welcome back to earth of the man
who had been buried alive and twice
given up for lost. Every n who
could grasped the hand Of him VINO
had been saved from almost certain
death after a Herculean struggle.
It was known that only another
cavein could keep the rescue workers
from reaching their goal. After twice
changing plans on account Of great
rocks that blocked their path, the
diggers, by careful timber work to
keep the soft dirt and rock from
raining down upon their heads, came
upon the top of the car which covered
Hicks.
Bits of rock were torn out, and
finally the buried man could be seen.
They had heard him for three days.
Through a hole a candle was
dropped in to Hicks. His ayes have
been bandaged for two days to keep
the sudden glare from affecting him,
but he took the cloth off and blinked
at the candle. I'm all right" he
said. "T'd give one of these eyes to
get a good look at the sun right now,
though"
All the crevices disclose the fact
that the company engineers have
been absolutely correct in their cal
culations. The candle vas dropped
on a string eighteen inches long and
struck plumb at the side of the ore
car, proving exactly where Assistant
Engineer Hall and his assistants
planned to arrive.
Two men handling picks a few mo-
ments later shouted for joy, reached
Through the holes they we're working
at and shocks hands with the captive.
Every one was feverishly excited.
"A physician who has been constant
ly in attendance with the diggers,
tested Hicks temperature and found
1t normal, although the pulse was a
little high.
When a plug Of very dark brown
tobacco was pressed through the hole
as soon as the doctor had finished his
examination there was a yelp for joy,
followed by the CLEAN of teeth fas-
tening deep in the pressed weed.
First time I've felt altogether
right in a week." confessed the
miner, as he lay luxuriating in the
tobacco and watching the shining
picks opening the crevices. cts
most as good as water. I needed
that mighty bad"
Hicks said he felt as if he were
surely coming back to earth when a
miner. touched his hand during the
afternoon and shouted, you're all
right, Hicks. Stick it out for a l.. lie
while longer and we'll have you out
of this safe aud sound as a dollar"
At intervals during the day some
member of the rescuing party would
cry, whats the matter with Hicks?"
and the answer would come back,
Hes all right. You bet he's all
right"
This badinage had a wholesome eff
feet on the Spirits of the prisoner. 1t
was administered. every time Hicks
showed signs of lapsing in his nerve.
Sometimes the efforts to keep the
mastery over his feelings were mani
testify painful. Then would come the
rallying cry from without and the
picks and spades would fly faster.