Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-12-30

carroll, VINO lay helpless at Jne DOU-
tom Of the well with two broken legs,
and the heroism of Koontz, who, eX-
hausted and bruised, stroye to rescue
Carroll and himsellf-was told here
today by DR.. Harrison, of this city,
who returned from attending to the
injured men.
Rescue Barely in Time.
Koontz and Carroll became impris-
oned in the we'll, which was on the
formers place, the morning Of De-
cember II, and were not rescued until
the night of December 20. When found
both men were exhausted and could
not have survived many hours more
The accident occurred when Koont5
ard Carroll were preparing to COM
mence the work of deepening the well
which already had been dug and blast
ed to a depth of S5 feet, but no water
reached. Carroll was employed by
Koontz to aid in the work.
The men attached a rope to the
windlass and by this means Koont2
let himself down to the bottom of the
well, Carroll essayed to follow his
companion, but when he had descend
cd about Is feet the rope broke and he
fell to the bottom, sustaining two
broken legs. The left leg was frac-
tured at the ankle and again just be.
low the knee. The small bone in the
right leg was broken just above tho
ankle.
Men Never Give Up Hope.
! Although no neighbors lived near
and for days at a time no persons
were accustomed to pass that way, the
men did not abandon hope While
Carroll lay helpless, Koontz set about
to ascend the sheer sides Of the we'll
/ BY digging notches with his hands
and feet on either side of the well, he
gradually raised himself to within 20
feet of the top, when he slipped and
fell to the bottom, sustaining several
severe cuts and bruises, though, for.
Itunately, no broken bones. The fall
stunned Koontz, but when the recoy.
cred he rallied for another effort to
reach the top,
By almost superhuman strength and
endurance he started on his second
ascent, attaching the broken rope to
his body, so that in case he should
gain the top he could draw Carroll up
On Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock he
had reached within Is feet Of the top
where he was clinging in despair, be.
ing unable to get any higher because
Of the loose condition of the clay and
shale composing the upper portion of
the well. He also was too exhausted
to descend.
Teamster Hears Cries.
! He could not have held out a half
hour longer and must have fallen
when he heard a team passing.
With all his remaining strength he
yelled, attracting the attention of a
teamster who happened to be passing
the place. This man tore some wire
from a fence, attached it to the wind.
lass and let 1t down to Koontz, who
| had sufficient strength remaining to
fasten it around him and allow him
self 10 be drawn to the surface, where
he Immediately collapsed in a dead
faint Upon his recovery he and his
Irescuer attached the rope securely to
the windless and fastened on the low.
err end of ii cross stick, which they
lowered to Carroll. Carroll managed
to swing his broken legs across the
stick. grasped the rope and was hoist
ed to earth.
It took some time to get word to
neighbors, but as soon as possible a
number arrived and, with an impro
yised litter, they carried Carroll to the
home Of John A. Solomon, two miles
away.
Carroll's Feet Frozen.
On account of Carrolrs broken legs