The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-02-17

Inc ciectflc llRnC buID DIaced on
Collins before the passageway seal
ed up was taken from Collins neck.
Examination disclosed that the fila
ment was broken
Collins was found, firmly pinioned
by a boulder which fell on his foot
as he was emerging from the cave,
"a hours after the accident. Friends
and neighbors rushed to his aid and
time after time rescue parties went
to the narrow, crooked passage and
Wormcd their way along its Shiny
course to where the man was i'm
prisoned. Their efforts to get him
out were unavailing and others from
the outside came in.
Attracts Wide Attention
Miners from the nearby coal fields
and from the asphalt mines of the
Kentucky Rock Asphalt company at
Kyrock, X, flocked to the rescue.
Newspapermen assigned to the cave
to "cover" the story, made that an
incidental part of their endeavors
and turned their first attention to
the helpless man.
Governor w. j. Fields sent Mr..
Posey to the scene as his personal
representative. State troops followed,
little handful of men at first, and
then General Denhardt, commander
of the 18th Infantry Brigade, was or
dered to take supreme command of
the situation. The resources of the
1t 4 ~
efforts.
DR.. w. d. Funkhouser, of the Uni
versity of Kentucky, came in as the
states geologist, and Mr.. Carmichael,
general superintendent of the plant
at Kyrock, who had come here as an
individual, joined forces with the
state and was put in charge of the
rescue operations.
Rescue Work Organized
Meantime the unorganized efforts
Of individuals to drag Collins out
through the natural tunnel had been
replaced by an organized force.
But this force was unequal to the
task of overcoming one obstacle after
another that was placed in the way
| of those who tried to save the trap
ped explorer.
Nature had laid it's trap in the first
place SO that no one could get to it.
| Collins was in the narrow passage
between the rescuers and the rock
that held him down. When hopes
| were high that they soon could get
to the boulder, cave-in closed the
passageway. This was cleared away
only to have an impenetrable one
dumped into the crevice, completely
cutting off the prisoner from the
outside.
A shaft was started few feet
from the mouth Of the cave and for
| some 10 days workers slowly dug
their way toward the cave. Time
| after time, just when the workers be-
lieved the end of their long fight
was at hand. nature played another
trump and delayed the day when Col
| Inns was to be found.
Today. however, while the miners
kept digging away. the break came
Under the weight of the miners the
limestone roof of Sand "hole" as the
workers, called it, gave way, and at
last revealed the victim. .. .l.
| May Have Jury Probe
Preliminary plans to hold an in
quest at the mouth of the cave were
made this evening. It probably will
be six hours, however, before the
passageway to Collins can be enlarg-
cd sufficiently to permit first hand
medical examination. Physicians
then will crawl to Collins and de-
termine if possible when he died.
AS soon as the body can be brought
to the shaft, T. c. Turner, magistrate
for District Number 6, will assume
charge of it. The body will be
brought to the surface and another
medical examination will be held
for record purposes.
Turner said jury might be i'm
panelled at the cave, and the inquest
completed on the scene of the fata-
lily. If it becomes advisable to make
a medical examination at Sand Cave
the inquest will adjourn probably to
| Cave City, where witnesses will be
heard to complete all evidence relat-
| ing to the case.
A local committee will take charge
of the body after the inquest and it
will lie in state in the gymnasium of
the Cave City high school for one
day. =
General Denhardt, Carmichael, Dr.
Funkhouser and Captain Alex M.
CLANCY, and J. c. Polin were group
ed around the top of the shaft when
the word came up that Collins had
been found
Announce Discovery
Carmichael. DR.. Funkhouser and
General Denhardt walked down the
track about IS feet and DR.. Funk
|'houser, who had paper pad and
pencil in his hand, scrubbed down a
few notes.
About two minutes were consumed
before DR.. Funkhouser walked over
a pile of earth, raised his hands and
made the announcement to the news
Fspermen.
At 3 o'clock Captain c. E. Francis
Of Bowling Green, medical officer Of
the 149th Infantry, Kentucky Ma
tional guard, volunteered to go into
the shaft and was given permission
by General Denhardt.
Major M. NJ. Moss, also of Bowl
ing Green and medical officer of
the same regiment and DR.. c. C.
Howard, Glasgow, representing the
Collins family, and DR.. w. H. Haz-
lett, Chicago, stood at the mouth of
the shaft while Dr.. Francis was max
ing the examination.