New-York tribune., 1908-01-20
OUT OF EARTH PRISON.
MINERS RESCUED At ELY.
Little the Worse for Forty-slT Days
Spent 1000 Feet BeIop Surface.

Ely, New, Jan. 19-After having been
tombed for forty-six days one thousand feet be-
low the surface il the Alpha shaft of the GirouX
mine, a D. Bailey P ]. Brown and Fred Nc
Donald were rescued last night. Whistles all
over the camp blew loudly. while crowds in the
streets of Ely cheered TO the ringing or bells
"Ah"' was the only word from Bailey. the
first to reach the outer air. He tottered for
ward into the arms OF comrades, who in Few
minutes revived him
rs that YOU, Arthur" queried Fred McDon-
aid, as his brother stepped forward and en-
braced him. after nearly seven weeks of separa-
ton by George. it certainly seems good to be
out OF that hole" he said. as he was led away,
telling his brother Of his terrible experience
Somebody give me a chew of tobacco, said
Brown. with q laugh, as he was led from the
shaft 20 the change room of the mine, where the
three men were made comfortable.
News that rescue was near at hand reached
Ely from the mine shortly after II O'Clock
yesterday. and many persons went TO the mouth
of the shaft to greet the men. Hours passed
while the crowd waited, and the entombed men
and their rescuers dug vigorously to remove the
earth that blocked the mouth Of the 1ooo-1oot
tunnel.
Finally the anxious crowd around the smart
heard the bell signal, Hoist away" and LOUD
cheer burst forth. The basket soon rose to the
surface bearing Of the rescuers supporting
Bailey. Mrs. Bailey was not present. as one OF
their children was sick AS soon as Bailey re-
ceived clean clothes he hurried home supported
by friends.
Another shout of 10Y greeted Fred Mcdonald
and when the last man. Peter Brown, came OUT
the crowd became almost hysterical, reallzins
that the long entombn1ent was ended
On the morning of December McDondio'
Brown and Bailey and two Greeks were "orkihs
AT the bottom of shaft, eighty-fve feet below
the pump station and 1,0S5 feet below the sur
face The shaft caved IN. Swapping the caole
used to haul up the cage and hurting thousahds
of tons of rock and timbers into the shaft From
tho bottom, of the compartment to the pumping
station a series of rickety ladders o1ereo the
only means of egress-
With falling rocks and tirnbers streaming down
on them the five men struggled up THESE lao-
ders Half way up falling timbers knocked Oh
the two Greeks killing them. Bailey McDonaio
and Brown reached the pump station. Its tlh-
bered roof withstood the rock and timber that
came down the shaft and offered them sale
prison. where for a whole day the men crouched'
while at intervals rocks and timbers crasheo
above them threatening momentarily to crush
the deep tomb.
At first il was thought on the surface tnat all
five men had perished, but twenty-four hours
after the accident the three survivors nnanaseo
to make themselves heard by tapping on SIX
inch water pipe that reached from 'he puihpiiis
station to the surface.
Communication was established with the "orlo
above and food and drink were lowered through
the pipe a large supply being sent down as 1t
was feared the pipe might be broken before the
rescuers could reach the imprisoned men But
throughout the long weeks of Imprisonment this
pipe was used daily. A portable telephone was
lowered and the men were able to talk with
their friends above This telephone carried 10
them news Of the world and messages OF cheer,
and from the buried men reports OF their condl-
tfon.
Clearing the debris was slow work. as timbers,
rocks and earth were so twisted together that a
new shaft had TO be cut for most of the one
thousand feet At no time did the entombed
men suffer greatly. except for the distastefuness
of their forced seclusion.