The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-04-22
RESCUERS BREAK THROUGH
LAST MINE TRAP BARRIER:
DOCTORS RUSH into SHAFT
Fears Held for Health of Robertson and
Scadding; Doctors at Surface Hope
Foot Infection Has Been Checked.
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by 10 a. m. 1t will be larger in
diameter than the first hole, used
for communications, and through it
electric heating pads, light blankets,
and other equipment will be lowered
to warm the men in their cold, damp
dungeon.
At a. m. g a. m. Indianapolis
time) today, the miners, staggering
in sheer physical WEAKNESS, believed
that by they would break through.
They labored at slate formation,
thought to be 20 feet thick, and
progressed at rate of approx
mately five feet an hour
There were long periods of silence
from the tomb which could only
alarm further the anxious officials
keeping watch at the surface end Of
the pipe sunk into the mine tunnel
early Sunday. After almost eight
hours of silence, DR.. d. E. Robert
son, one of the entombed, an
nounced at $3.50 indianapolis time)
last night:
We're good for 80 hours more"
No Word From Scadding
There was no word from his COM
panion, Alfred Scadding, nor had
there been for almost IL hours. The
officials, including physicians en-
listed by the provincial government,
did not know how far they should
trust Robertson's estimation of his
and Scadding's capacity to endure.
Repeatedly, there had been evidence
that both were suffering from
hysteria and even delirium. These
alternated with brief periods of
bright optimism, that, from the
medical viewpoint, were considered
by some to be too bright and too
optimistic.
Robertson was suffering from a
heavy cold. Seedlings feet were
known to be infected, and, with
scant medical supplies and with
only the Pickering light of tallow
candles in which to work, there was
cause to worry whether Robertson,
even though he is a surgeon, would
be able to check the infection.
Despite the cold and damp of
their prison, with a floor covered
at places with three to four feet of
seepage water, authorities hoped
that the periods of silence repre-
sented periods of sleep which would
give the prisoners some recuper-
alton from the frightful emotional
md physical strain of their torture.
Not Interested in Food
So far as officials could judge,
neither man has had food since
Sunday, though it has been low
cred through the pipe repeatedly.
To reach the pipe, one or the other
had to wade through pool of
water. A stock of concentrated food
and a number of test tubes of
brandy were lowered Sunday and
it was possible that Robertson and
Scadding were having recourse to
them.
A menace to the entombed living
was the body of their friend and
assoclate-Herman B. Magili. He
died Sunday. 1t was believed that
the temperature Of the tunnel was
low enough to check natural proc
esseS somewhat, though the damp
ness would speed them. Robert
son and Scadding have no tools
with which to make even make
shift grave, but it was probable
that they had carried the body to
the farthest end of their tunnel
prison, where it's decomposition
would not endanger them.
The labor in the Reynolds shaft
was heart breaking and back
breaking. The inner end of the
bore had narrowed to four feet by
five feet. There one man at
time worked on his knees, chipping
out slate with a pickax and hand
ing 1t to man behind him who
was stretched out on his back, who
passed it on to the next man. To
enter or leave the shaft the men
had to crawl on their hands and
knees, their stomachs Scraping the
rough floor.
EntOmbed on 141-Foot Level
Robertson and Scadding are en-
tombed on the 141-foot level. The
Reynolds shaft, which was aban-
doned as dangerous even before the
mine as whole was abandoned 25
years ago, slopes down to the 800
foot level, and until the miners en-
tered it early Monday was INSTRUCTED
by approximately Is feet of rock and
dirt, but mostly rock, at depth of
100 feet.
Last night, the miner working in
the hole felt his pick break through.
1t was a tiny crevice, but beyond
was open tunnel. At last rescue
seemed in sight 1t appeared but a
matter of minutes. Frantically he
labored. succeeded in clearing a hole
big enough to permit passage of his
body. He crawled through, followed
by his companions.