The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
THOMAS TOSHESKY,
ENTOMbED FOR OVER
A WEEK, IS RESCUED
Walks From Underground
Prison and Cordially
Greets Those Who
Rescued Kim

Centralia, Pa.f October Thomas
Toshesky. prisoner since Friday of last
week in an abandoned chamber of the
Continental mine of the Lehieh Valley
Coal company. walked into the open air a
free and comparatively well man at %
was taken to his home in Centralia, three
miles away from his underground prison,
and at once put to bed. apparently none
the worse for his remarkable experience
1t was 7:15 O'Clock when the last bar
rier of coal was driven away and Tos-
hesky crawled through the opening frcin
his prison chamber into the tunnel witch
had been steadily driven toward him by
eager rescuers.
Seven minutes later the first intma-.
ton was given TO the outside world that
the task had been completed and the
prisoner was free. This was when Il
miner crawled to the mouth of the tun-
blankets and hot water to be sent down.
The worl>of getting the man ready for
his exit occupied the next several min
utes and at 7:Ss o'clock a file OF men
emerging from the heading heralded the
approach of the hero of the occasion. !
Wrapped i'm Blanket
Toshesky came from the tube with a
gray blanket wrapped over his shoulders.
Back of him was a miner with hands up
lifted, ready to assist if he should be
needed but Toshesky walked with
astounding agility considering his long
Imprisonment.
When he stepped on to the wooden plat
form, Just outside of the mouth of the
narrow tunnel and was first able to stand
upright, he paused for instant and
looked upward as if in greeting to the
world or scanning the steep and muddy,
high, craigy path that led to the opening
of the breach of the mine.
His minefs cap was on his head when
he crawled through the opening of the
tunnel He greeted his rescuers cordially.
HIS lamp was In place ON his cap and
burning.
The most noticeable thing about him
was a pallor which showed through the
CRIME ON his face contrasting strangely
with the other backened miners, whose
ruddy color showed even through the
coal dust
Toshesly climbed the path 70 the rim
of the pit almost unaSSlSteu. A StretCher
had been previously taken to the foot of
the place and there were plenty of willing
hands to carry him, but he would have
pone OF this.
Glad to Get Out
Toshesky was glad to get out of his
prison, but he acted as II it were an old
tale repeated to him and nothing over
which to make great fuss. Once before
he had been entombed for nearly IS hours.
Half way up the pit slope Toshesky was
stopped and posed for a fashlight pie
ture together with DR.. III. G.. Fortner
who had been in almost constant touch
with him since communication last Tues
day night, and to whom Is largely due
the good health Of a miner.
Toshesky wore TIN broadcast smile OF
any person in the vicinity when brought
out.
"Howdy." he greeted everybody speak
| ing to him. His answer to questions a.
| to how he felt was bully
| Just before the end of the tunnel wa.
enlarged enough to permit the passnl
| Of his body, the miners engaged in tn,
work were chatting with him. One askc,
| what he was doing.
| I'm getting ready to move" he said
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