Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1910-11-04
FIRST FATALITY At
LEWIS ST. CAVE IN
Stuart M. Sprouse, S. Years
Old, Knocked Unconscious
And Drowned. Body MOI
Yet Recovered. Dennis For
tune Went Down With Him
But Was Hauled Out I'm
hurt


The first fatality in connection with
the cave In occurred Wednesday at
the break in front of the home OF Hon.
Jacob Yost on Lewis street when
Stuart NJ. Sprouse, 90 years Old lost
his life Dennis Fortune. 10 wears old.
and Warren u. Taylor AMI George
Opie, colored had narrow escapes.
Sprouse's body has not yet bsen re,ov
cred.
YThe men were at work preparing for
some extension OF the concrete arch IN
the hole, and also getting ready for
some snoring to brace the bauE along
the edge of Mr.. Yost's lawn. The
earth seemed firm, and although the
work was dangerous, the men did not
believe they were in any pei H. With.
out warning a part OF the bank which
was about to be shored n, slipped
away and slid down the cavity. The
white and colored men had jas.. chang
ed places and the negroes saw the slip
just in time to scramble ont OF the
way. Sprouse and Fortune were struck
by the sliding earth just below their
knees, swept eff their feet AM csrris1
down. The retaining wall from part
of Mr.. Yost's lawn followed a moment
or two later.
Fortune went down feet FIRST in a
smother Of earth. and struck this wat
or with q splash. He was carried
some distance under the concrete
arch-He Ia a swimmer, and although
carried under to some depth, struck
out and was at the surface, yelling
for help q moment later. He found q
crevice for his fingers and soon caught
the rope which foreman A. W. Cash
threw to him, and was hauled out,
soaking wet, but little the worss for
his experience. He went home, chang
ed his clothes, and reappeared at the
hole early in the afternoon. He said
he had slight cut on his mead but
was otherwise all riRht''I felt the
earth give way" he said in telling of
his experiences land had my feet
knocked from under me. 1t happened
80 quickly did not have time to
think. went down with the earth, feet
foremost, and felt myself go under the
water. struck ont and when l got to
the top found a hand hold and chung
on until Cash threw me q rope and
the men hauled me out. Was I hurt?
Sure not, a little cut on the head,
that's ALI. -
Fortune is q mine worker and is used
to underground work. He lives at
Longdale Station, Va, and boards
with Robert Cash just outside the
town limits. He Is a husky boy. Went
to work on the job just week ego.
He says ne did not see Sprouse go
down and did not know he was in the
hole until he, himself, had been hauled
up.
Sprouse was evidently struck by q
stone from the wall or struck his head
ON the limestone ledge as he went
down for he never uttered y sound
after he slipped down the hole. He
was probably knocked unconscious,
and drowned when he fell into the
water. He leaves q widow five daugh-
ters and son. His son is Frank
Sprouse and his daughters are Mrs.
Rankin, Mrs. Clay Deffenbaugh, Mrs.
Sutton, Mrs. Colby and Miss Bessie
Sprouse: Mrs. Florence Houff is neice.
Manager Ashburner was on the scene
of the accident:promptly and had the
treacherous banks shored up 80 that
an effort could be made to recover the
body without putting the men who
were to attempt it in too great danger.
Efefts were made to get the body
with graphing hook but these were
unavailinR. Then the shift which Mr..
B. L. Partlow has been using In the
work he is doing nearby WAS brought
around and lowered Into the hole.
Cash went down, and later Harry
Caball, colored went own with him.
A careful search was made but no
trace Of the body could be found. The
water is very deep in thu crevice be-
tween the rocks, and the body is prob
ahlv Mt the hottom and NAV never he
recovered, although further efforts will
be made to find it.
; News of the accident spread rapid
ly about the town aud large crowd
soon gathered. Chief OF Police Lips
comb and several policemen had all
they could do to keep the curious out
of danger.
The special council committee on the
cave In held a meeting last night in
the city managers office to discuss