Year: 1876

The Utica Herald, of June 6, has a
letter from Rome, Oneida county, which
says: Martin Bellman was buried in a
well at 80 A. NJ. Sunday, and not res
cued until A. NJ. Monday. The dig
ging for him was continued all of Sun
day night. At o'clock Monday morn
ing the men had dug down as far as his
waist at least dozen times, and as many


times the earth caved in again, cover
ing him completely. and for time all
hopes Of getting him out alive would be


given up. Several of the workmen were
caught by the falling dirt and had to be
dugout BelIman had become exhausted,
but an air pump was got to work, which
revived him somewhat The men had
been at work in trench upon one side
of the well, but when they got down
about fourteen feet the trench became so
narrow that only one man could work in
it, and that only with difficulty. They
then commenced digging trench around
the well fully 80 feet in diameter, which
proved to be the most successful plan of
operation. They toiled diligently, but
were worn out, as some of them had
left their homes before dinner and had
eaten nothing. At A. NJ. they had got
down about seven feet on the new plan


At 4:30 as those at the well were tired
out, the rollnig-mill whistle sounded the
fire alarm, which brought lot of fresh


hands to the spot, and the work pro-
gressed more rapidly. As the earth had
been continually giving way under Bell
man, his feet were fully Is feet below the
surface when he was rescued, which was at
$40 o'clock Monday morning. When
first taken out he was as limp as dish
rag, but was cheerful and when offered
some brandy said he did not want it, but
would like an oyster stew. His ears,
nose, mouth, and eyes were filed with
dirt, and he could not. speak above a
whisper. His legs were as cold as a
stone and entirely helpless, as the circu-
lation had stopped entirely, and his face
wore cadayerous look that was pitiful
to behold He was placed upon a
stretcher and carried to his home on
First street, where he WAS examined by
DR.. Flandrau. He was found to be
very badly bruised from head to foot,


but more especially about the hands and
limbs, but no bones were broken. He


was washed in liquor and wrapped in


warm blankets, and before noon the


blood began to circulate, and he slept a


very little. In the afternoon he wa:


able to move his limbs little, but wa:


very weak, and could only whisper. HI


is being fed on beef tea and little bran


DIV, and the doctor is confident that ua


less inflammation sets in he will ge


around all right in few days. In con
versation with your correspondent, Bell
man said that he never lost his courage


bat once, and that was after he ha'


once been where he could see the da,


light and breathe the clear air, and thel


was covered up again By more than


wagon load of dirt. He says that tn
pump afforded protection for his head
: and had it not been for that he w0ul


have been crushed entirely, and that th
: air pump did him immense service, as h
was almost suffocated when it reache
him. The 19 hours during which h
was confined seemed longer to him tina
+ month, and he does not know how t
e thank the willing hearts and helpin
t hands that saved his life and restore
: : him to his family. This is the seeon
: incident of the kind that has occurre
: in this same well. About eightee
: years ago eolored man was cleaning il
when the walls oaved in, in nearly th
# same manner that they did this timt
g He was got out alive in about 10 hour
but was more seriously injured tina
J. Bellman is, as one of his legs was broke
e and one of his hips badly crushed. Th
t well will now be entiTely filed up