The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-22

| not believe our own senses. Grabbing
! hold Of the picks and axes, our men be.
gan to tear down the loose pile of eartt
/ and rock frequently we stopped tf
4 near whether the poundingS were con-
tinulng. 1t took us several minutes t.
make much Roadway into the obstruc-
ton. Finally, I, who had been in the
| rear, came forward and with a shovel
relieved one OF the men who had be-
come tired out.
TT was weird scene. The lights OF
our torches on our caps kept bobbing uy
and down as we labored, filling the
place with moving shadows
Now, let's stop and listen again,
said Powell
Much to our glee the pounding
sounds came louder A few more digs
in shovelfuls brought down the dirt
from the top and a little black hole APP
peared before u.s. -
dirt and yelled: Are any of you alive
in there, boys?
IAN answer came back, yes
Before another word could be ut
tered, the men began pulling at the dirt
again and soon a large gap appeared.
We yelled in to them:
Hold one of our torches
How many OF you are alive in
there. boys? We will save you in a
minute
In faint, husky tones. the men called
back: Yes, we are alive and you ber
we are hungry, too. Have you got some
lunch out there?'
Il crawled up as near the hole as
could without interfering with the men.
God bless you. men, we will get you
out in minute and give you all the
lunch you can eat. Be patient as you
cam
II couldn't see anything back in there
fore the men were in total darkness, g :,
I climbed back and prayed that God
would make the number we were about
many as possible.
BY that time the hole was wide open
and a dozen pair of glistening eyes
shining out from black faces appeared
in view.
Words of Encouragement.
I'VE kept yelling in to the men TO
keep up their courage, promising them
that the way would soon be clear and
the cage in the hosting shaft was
down and ready to carry them to the
surface.
"One of the men~inside answered
pack: Most OF Us are all right and
feeling fine, but there Is one poor fell
low here-a Frenchman called Frank
who Is almost gone, and I'm afraid he
VIII be dead in a few minutes if he
doesn't get some fresh air.
When the pile Of dirt finally tumblcd
NO'tA oOiAC VI tIIS IlStl were staggered
by the thrush of air and the lights from.
our torches. For, during seven days
they had lived in total darkness
With shout we jumped over and
met them. throwing our arms around
their necks and almost lifting them
presslble. They pounded us on our
backs and continued to laugh and cry
aloud until the whole place reverber-
ated with the cheering.
we wanted to carry the men to the
shaft in our arms, but they
insisted they were strong and wei
enough to walk themselves. The ONLY
trouble was, they were practically
blinded by the torches We threw
blankets over their heads and started
to escort them.
My first concern was to get after
the poor little Frenchman, who was re
ported dying I found him outstretch-
ed on his back, breathing his last.
Holding torch over his face. which
was va black from SCOT. said to him:
DO you give your soul to God?"
He answered: I am afraid I will
never get up alive.', 49, )
THAT was true.elI administered the
last sacrament and in a minute he
was dead.
81 then joined the others and
walked toward the shaft Then there
was seen one of the greatest acts of |
neroism I have ever heard or read Of |
It can hardly be believed
Walter Waite one of the men we |
rescued, on hearing that there were |
others alive in another part of the |
mine, threw off the blanket with |
which he had covered his head and |
shouted:
"'Well, then, by God, am not go
ng out of this mine until I get the |
others
I'VE demonstrated, saying that for |
lim to remain down there longer |
would mean his death.
I'VE Will take you up to the fresh |
tir and give you some warm food and |
hen maybe we will let you help us to
10 the rest of the work. but Waite
and we actually had to
orce him into the cage. All the way
Up he shouted: Let me go down and |
lelp get the others up
eat this time those on the SURFACED
lad, as during the last three or four
lays, a firm conviction that every