The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-11-21
FALLING DIRT BLOCKS WAY.

Waited for Deliverance or Death.
When the entrance had been entirely
closed the men sat down 70 wait-W aited
| for deliverance or death The hours
passed and they knew it must be night.
/ They were aware that many Of their
companions lay dead Just beyond the
/ barrier. and they realized they might
soon join them They listened for sounds
OF parties coming TO their aid. They
heard nothing
Seated on Jumps OF coal, they chatted
/ with each other as cheerfuily as they could
in an enort 10 keep up their spirits. Sud
denly q grim thought entered their minds
\ They had no water. Their dinner pals
! had contained some food. but nothing 70
aIlay thirst.
This discovery almost took the courage
out Of the stOutest heart. But feeling
about in desperation along the walls
and fioor of the black pit which held
them, they came upon damp place. It
offered them a chance and they began 10
dig. After a while water began 80 ooze
into the black mass they had removed
Il was ever so little at first and was
sapped 1p By the soil as a blotter absorbs
ink Then as the digging progressed il
came a little faster, UicSling, but never
flowing The men threw themselves
on the bottom Of the chamber and
pressed their lips and tongues against
the black slime. It gave relief, il Il
did not satisfy; they might die. out not
OF thirst
Divided Their Food Equally.
The food in the dinner-pails had been
assembled into one stock and this was
sparingly and eQuitably proportioned. but
in the nature OF things 1t could not last
for long. The men at times would shout
and then listen tensely for sounds Of
approaching aid But they heard nothing
The slender stock OF food ran low and
then gave out. Surely help would come.
They pounded on the walls and shouted.
but mufled roars were the only answer.
Hunger. slightly appeased hitherto, now
became agonizing- In their frantic efforts
to find something with nourishment IN II,
the men tore the bark from the cedar
posts which We're used for supports in
the walls.
With increasing bodily weakness, their
minds began 10 fail. They lost count OF
the days and nights. which at best they
could imperfectly keep. They would lapse
into unconsciOusness.
At last the life-giving water began TO
be exhausted, and il became necessary
fer them, weak and almost helpless as
they were. 10 dip deeper into the walls
for more. II was this last work OF de-
spair. the thump and click of the picks.
which the rescueTs heard to-day while
they were carrying out the bodies OF the
dead.
Almost at the same time the miners
heard sounds mads by the rescue party.
They gave a faint cheer and waited.
The men on the outside dug away Wig
orously at the barrier Slowly Il was
reduced. and then, through hole mad
at the top. a ray Of light from the shaft
shone through, feeble and tiny but in
meaning glorious as the fun sun after a
tempest. They knew they were saved
Chance Brought Aid.
Chance had aided them again, The
digging for water at that moment had
been Just the time that It could be heard.
David Powell was the first TO hear the
indications of life. and he called TO the
others 10 listen.
Rev. James P. Heaney. OF Mendoza. Ill. |