Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1925-02-21
FIND COLLINS DEAD
IN KENTUCKY CAVE
Doctors Say Death Was
Caused by Exposure
and Starvation.

his foat while he was exploring the
cave. was found dead when rescuers
finally reached him after seventeen
days OF heroic efforts.
Workmen finally fought their way
down 10 Floyd through the muck and
slime and boulders and solid limestone
of his tomb, but they were too late.
He was Cead. Starvation. thirst, ex-
posure and acute physical exhaustion
had done their work.
Rigor mortis had set in, and doctors
who went within ten feet of him and
made their observations through Ed
ward Bremen, catlike little miner
hanging head down in a manhole cut
in a limestone ledge, agreed that the
end had come more than twenty-fo
hours before.
Body cased in Silt.
And Nature. whose forces Floyd de-
fed time and again in his continual
search for the beautiful cavern which
might draw sightseers from the ends
Of the earth and make him rich, had
been day by day tightening the UNI
breakable clutch In which she seized
him. Only his foot was fast at first.
but when they reached him mud and
silt and small boulders had filtered
through the crevices above him and
formed a solid sheath about his life
less form.
Electric Bulb Was Cold.
There were no sounds from the pa.
tlent, no respiration, no movement of
any kind. The electric light that was
placed by the early rescuers on Collins
neck was found around at the top of
his chest The bulb was out.
What was the cause of death. doc
torY' someone asked Doctor Hazlitt.
He died from exhaustion; acute
physical exhaustion, exposure, starva-
ton and thirst" Doctor Hazlitt re-
piled, and Doctor Francis confirmed
the opinion with a nod.
Floyd Collins had been a cave ex-
plorer since he was a little boy. He
was born on farm five miles from
sand cave, where the Collins family
stu lives, and as nearly as his father
can remember Floyd has seldom been
away from the cave country.
When just big enough TO handle
pillow, his mule on day sank to its
knees In what has since been known
as Mule cave and Floyd's cave en-
thusiasm was started.
For three weeks Floyd had been
working on Sand cave, his father
says.
Some Of those among the early res
euers who talked with Floyd said he
described his new-found cavern as
the most beautiful l have ever seen"
With the finding of Collins lifeless
form It was realized that Collins
dream Of three weeks ago was a pre-
sentiment which had come true
I dreamed | was caught in rock
ana the angels came and took me
away" he had told his stepmother.
Mrs Jane Collins three weeks ago,
after having announced to her that
be had before him two days Of the
most dangerous cave exploring he had
ever attempted. Mrs. Collins had
urged Floyd to abandon his intentions
TO explore Sand cave.
How Collins Was Trapped.
Floyd Collins was thirty-six years
old and was unmarried. With his
sixty eight-year-old father. Lee Col
ms and a brother, Homer he lived
I'VE miles from the scene of his en-
trapment at Sand cave.
Floyd and his father were Joint
owners Of Crystal cave, a subterra-
hean system of chambers and gal
ieries Of type with Mammoth cave
nut not so extensive.
In 1916 Floyd discovered CRYSTAL
cave when he went to search for
rabbit trap that had been dragged
from the place of its setting into one
oI the thousand water sink holes which
abound through this locality. Squirm-
ing down into this sink hole FLOYD
dropped into one Of the yaulted rooms
Of Crystal cave.
his entire district is honeycombed
with cave lands. Practically an of
A"NtAL AdAEEi4S ANteFllnk. and
entrance TO most of those that have
oeen discovered has been. originally.
~ way Of the water sink hole route
Explored Many Caves.
heIore and since his discovery Of
fEstal cave Floyd Collins devoted
himself to cave explorations
lie did no otter work. For davs AT
time he would lose himself IN the
devious underground channels. sleer.
ing and eating within the dank. light
less depths
II was while trying to find another
cave that might be commercializea for
l'-TiSt visitors that Collins became
llA1.rIsoned at noon Friday, Janu-
NJ