The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-11-21
Rises from Grave to Home.

Rises from Grave to Home.
Michael McCabe walked out of his
grave Wednesday and back to the cot
tage where his wake" had been held
two nights ago and his wife and
children were mourning his death
Henceforth his name will live in the
legends of mines hereabouts as the
hero of one of the most amazing es-
capes from death ever recorded.
For almost four days and nights
to be exact, eighty-eight hours-Mc-
Cabe lay in crevice of the earth 45O
feet below the surface. Early on Sat-
urday he was digging in shaft oil
the draper colliery at Gilberton, near
Mahanoy City, Pa, when an unlucky
shot brought the earth down upon
him, cutting off all escape
That was bad enough, but the
knowledge that what he felt would b.
his grave lay directly underneath the
home in which his wife and children
awaited his coming sent a peculiar
poignancy to his plight.
Since Saturday, when the top OF
the chamber in which he was work
ing caved in and caused a rush OF
culm and water from the surface, re-.
lays OF workmen toiled increasingly
to reach McCabe Shortly after mid
night Tuesday night the rescuers de-
tected scratching noise which told
them that McCabe was still living
and with renewed vigor fresh reliefs
were put to work with the result tlia,
at 5 o'clock Wednesday morning he
was reached
McCabe was more nearlv dead than
alive when reached He had not
charged his position from the time
the rush occurred. as he feared that
by moving about another rush OF
culm might start which would end his
life.
After he realized that he was saved
and had recovered little of his
strength McCabe told this story 1
his experience:
when the shot went off it took
down the whole roof for 100 feet,
they tell me. The slush coming down
put my light out If had been six
inches farther out | would have been
caught. Right away knew | was
cut off. The first thing | did was to
say my prayers, and | thought OF
the wife and kids right above me. |
was praying for them more tnan for
myself | knew | would come out
all right But there | was down in
the earth and they were right above
me. If | could dig my way UP
would come out in my own cellar.
And ! kept thinking of my wife, up
there thinking she'd never see me
again
Il was in space about ten feet
square. but the highest part was only
four feet. so ] couldn't stand up.
had only ore match and saved TINT
didn't know but maybe the water
would rise and kept the match so az
to be able to find higher ground {
had to- Besides you never can tell
about fire damp after fall.
so ! spent the whole time in the
dark | found a couple OF old dy
Mantle boxes and these | put together
for a bed. and after a while wen. tc
sleep. When | woke up / was hungry.
had some tobacco with me and
chewed some of that. The tobacco
kept me from getting hungry, but
after a while that wouldn't do.
Il think i took long sleep, for
when | woke up l felt as empty as an
old powder can. ] couldn't stand il
any longer, so | commenced TO sip
the the oil out of my lamp. The oil
kept me from getting weak. There
must be lots of nourishment in it. /
broke off chips OF wood and chewed
them and swallowed little when /
got it fine 1t didn't go bad mixed
with the oil When | got thirsty
caught handfuls of the sulphur water
dripping from the rocks 1t was pret-
ty strong. but there wasn't anything
else on tap.
at must have been some time
Tuesday that. | heard the men work
ing. and | knew help was near That
last two hours seemed longer than
days"