The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1908-01-31
SAVED AIT LAST
Rescued From Mine After Being
Entombed Over Forty Days.
THROUGH "A PIPE.

NNS Nv
ing Prisoners tn a Colorado Mine
Since the First Of Last December,
Were Brought to the Surface One
Day Last Week.
After having been 'entombed AZ
days, one thousand feet below tho
surface In the Alpha SHAFT OF tho
Glroux mine, near Ely, New, p. j.
Brown, A. ID. Bailey and Fred Me-
Donald were rescued last week
whistles all over the camp blew
loudly while crowds cheered in the
streets Of Ely to the ringing Of tho
bells.
"Ah,' was the only word or Rail
ey' the first to reach the outer air
lie tottercd forward into the arms
or comrades. who in a few minutes
~recuperated him.
ID that you, Arthur?" uleried
req Mcdonald, as his brother step-
ped forward and embraced him after
nearly seven weeks OF separation.
10y George, it certainly seems good
10 De out of that hole,' he said as
ne was led away, telling his brother
OIL MS terrible experience.
somebody give me a chew OF to-
Dacco, said Brown, with a laugh az
ne was led from the mine shaft tn
the change room where the three
men were made comfortable.
The news that rescue was near NJ
hand reached Ely from the mine
shortly after IL O'Clock the dav hc-
iore and many citizens went to the
mouth of the shaft to greet the men.
Many hours passed while the crowd
waited and the entombed men and
thelr rescuers dug vigorously to re-
move the earth that blocked the
mouth Of the 1000 feet tunnel.
FINALLY the anxious crowd around
the shaft heard the bell ignal
hoist away" and a loud cheer
burst forth. The basket soon rose to
the surface, bearing one Of the res
cuers supporting Bailey. Mrs. Bail
ely was not present, as one Of her
chlldren was sick. AS soon as Bail
cy was provided with clean clothes
ne hurried homo supported by
friends.
Another shout Of JOY greeted Fred
Mcdonald and when the last man
Peter Brown, came out the crowd he
came almost hysterical, realizing
mat the long entombment was end
ed.
on the morning OF December 4th.
Mcdonald, Brown and Bailey and
two Greeks were working in the bot
tom Of a shaft 50 feet below the
pump station and 1,6S5 feet below
the surface. The shaft caved in.
swapping the cable used to haul the
cage from the shaft and hurting
thousands of tons If rock and tim
bcrs into the shaft. From the bot
tom or The compartment in which
the men were working to the pump.
ing station. a series or rickety lad
ders offered the only means Of eg-
rcSS.
With falling rocks and timbers
streaming down on them the five
men struggled up these ladders, Half
way up falling timbers knocked the
two Greeks from the ladders killing
them. Bailey, Mcdonald and Brown
reached the pump station. It's tim
bered roof withstood the rock and
itmber that came down the shaft and
offered them n safe prison where for
n whole day the men crouchod,
while at %inervals, rocks II timbars
kept crashing about them, threaten
ing ~momentarily to crush the deep
tomb.
At first it was thought on the sur
face that all five OF the men had per-
ished, but t~wenty-four hours after
the accident the three buried men
managed to make themselves heard
by tapping on a six inch water pipe
that reached from the pumping sta
ton to the surface. Communication
was established with the world
above and food and drink were plen-
%teously lowered through the pipe.
A large supply was sent down, as
1t was feared the pipe might be brok-
EN- before the ~ could reach
the imprisoned men. But through
out the long weeks OF imprisonment
this pipe was daley used. A port
able telephone was lowered and the
men were able to talk with people
above. This telephone carried from
friends news of the world and mes
saGes OF cheer, and from the bur-
led men reports Of their condition.