Tank's Poetry
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united states mine rescue association
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Tank's Poetry |
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Giroux Consolidated Mines Company History
Forty-Six Days in the Bowels of the Earth Bailey, Brown and McDonald Rescued from 1,000-Foot Level of Alpha Shaft of Giroux Mine Men Little the Worse for the Terrible Ordeal — People of Ely have a Season of Rejoicing Ely, Nev., Jan. 19. -- After having been entombed forty-six days in the Alpha shaft of the Giroux mine, A. D. Bailey, P. J. Brown and Fred McDonald have been rescued. At 8:30 o'clock last night Bailey was brought out. Fourteen minutes later McDonald came to the surface, while ten minutes afterwards Brown was brought up. Whistles all over the district blew loudly, while crowds cheered in the streets of Ely and every bell in the town was ringing. Fresh Air Once More "Ah!" This was the first exclamation of Bailey when he reached the outer air. Without another word he tottered forward into the arms of comrades who stood ready to assist him and was led to the change room of the Alpha shaft, where, in a few minutes, he recuperated. "Is that you, Arthur?" queried Fred McDonald as his brother stepped forward and embraced him, after nearly seven long weeks of separation. "By George, it certainly seems good to be out of that hell-hole," as he was led away, telling his brother in highpitched voice of his terrible experience. "Say, somebody give me a chew of tobacco, quick," said Brown. "I'm on the bum, all right." With a happy laugh he was led off by a comrade to the change room. These expressions were characteristic of the temperaments of the released men. All were supremely happy and relieved. Anxious Waiting on Top News that an early escape would be afforded by the men reached Ely shortly after 11 o'clock yesterday morning by telephone About 8 o'clock last night. The fact that an entry to the surface of the debris in the main way had been effected was telephoned to the men anxiously waiting on top. The entombed men had been working several hours in digging their way to freedom from the 1,000 foot level. The rescuers at the same time did all in their power to remove the earth that was blocking the mouth of the 1,000-foot tunnel. Cheers from the Crowd Another shout of joy echoed when Fred McDonald was brought out and given to the care of those anxiously waiting, a brother and several friends. Pete Brown received as great an ovation from the crowd as either of the others. Entombed December 4 On the morning of Dec. 4, McDonald, Brown and Bailey and two Greeks were working in the bottom of the third compartment shaft, eighty-five feet below the pump station and 1,085 feet below the surface. The cave-in occurred at 9 o'clock. The cable used to haul the cage from the third compartment to the shaft snapped and thousands of tons of rock debris and timbers fell down into the shaft. From the bottom of the compartment in which the men were working to the pumping station, a distance of eight-five feet, a series of rickety ladders offered the only means of escape. With falling rocks and timbers streaming down upon them the five struggled up these ladders. Two Greeks Killed At first it was thought that all the men had perished, but twenty-four hours after the cave-in the three men who occupied the pumping station managed to make themselves heard by tapping upon the six-inch water pipe that stretched from the pumping station to the surface. It was this pipe that was the means of saving the lives of the three men. Plenty of Food and Drink When communication was once established with the wdrld above and the men had made known the fact that they were still alive, food and drink were immediately lowered through the pipe. A large supply was sent down, as it was thought possible that the pipe communication might be cut off before the rescuing party could reach the imprisoned men, but throughout their long weeks of imprisonment this pipe has been in daily use. A portable telephone was lowered and the men were able to talk with the people above. This telephone line has been in almost constant use, friends sending them by its means the news of the outside world and messages of cheer. Following is the story of the experiences of the three men entombed in the Alpha shaft on Dec. 4 written by A. D. Bailey and sent to the surface through a six-inch pipe: Story as Related by Bailey Realized the Danger "By this time I realized that the shaft was caving and knew that our only salvation was the six-inch water pipe. So while my companions were exhausted from climbing the shaft and were resting a few minutes, I was seeing that the six-inch gate valve was open, as the valve is right at the shaft, and after the cave the valve body and gear wheels were covered with dirt. By this time the boys had gotten their wind and the three of us got what old lagging and old boards we could find and placed and blocked what dirt we could back into the shaft, as we were afraid it would come out into the station and cover the end of our six-inch pipe. You can see how fast it was coming down, as not more than fifteen minutes had elapsed from the time the cave started, and this station is ninety-seven feet above the bottom of the shaft, and from the 1,000-foot level to the bottom the shaft is three compartments, five by fifteen feet inside the timbers, and that space will hold quite a few cubic feet of debris. After resting a short time we went back into the station, and with the aid of a hand hammer, cold chisel, and some stiff wrenches we took the flange bolts out of the flanged elbow next to the pump and about seven feet from the line of pipe coming down the shaft. We then took the ell off, leaving the pipe open, as shown in the sketch. I neglected to state above that just as I got my message to the surface to shut off the steam the small telephone wires broke and all communication with the surface was shut off for a time." Turner and Constanti Dead Welcome Voice from the Surface "We knew in case the six-inch line was broken it was all off with us, but finally we could hear someone hammering on the pipeline, and that was very encouraging, and about 1 or 2 o'clock, as I was standing at the open end of the pipe, someone from the surface hollered down the pipe and called, "Oh, Bailey," and you can take my word for it that it was the most welome sound that ever greeted our ears. A few minutes after they called down they turned compressed air down the steam pipe, and we called up and told them to shut off the air, as the steam line is broken in the shaft somewhere opposite our station, and the dust being raised would have suffocated us. Then they shut off the air from the steam line and made connection with the six-inch water pipe and sent us some compressed air, and it was certainly welcome, as I should judge the temperature in the station was 100 degrees before the cave, and the dirt that came down the shaft was so fine and raised so much dust it was thick enough to cut with a knife." Water Sent Down Pipe Improved Food Train "After the little mishap to our supply train, they improved the train by screwing an eyebolt in the caps and added two more vessels to the train, so that now everything is coming down all right, and our improved train, with eyebolt and flexible connection from one nipple to the next, makes a capital train and also a train we can get around the elbow. For a short time we were puzzled and did not know how to get the small vessels around the elbow and out of the end of the pipe within reach, but we found an old three-quarter-inch pipe round hanging bolt and arranged a hook on the end of same, so now we have very little trouble fishing our train from the elbow and out to the end of the pipe." Nearly Knocked Off Ladder Filled Up Fast "Brown says that while he was coming up the shaft he stepped on dirt, so you can see that the shaft was filling up as fast as the boys were climbing. Brown and McDonald had this much in their favor — the rock that fell was very fine, and they were working on the east end of the shaft, and as the shaft is a two-compartment affair to the 1,000-foot level, and three-eompartment from there down, they were not under the worst part of the cave, and you could not find a rock among the dirt here as large as a turkey egg. After the shaft was filled up above this level everything on the station was covered from five-eighths of an inch to one and a half inches with dust, and for several hours we were spitting mud, and it seemed to take from three to four days for the dust to settle. Whenever I touched my teeth together I could feel the grit between them. We took oil and waste and soaked the dust so that at the present time we are not troubled with dust, and it is quite pleasant here. We did not sleep any for the first three nights we were down here." Made Three Bunks "The only place we had to lay down was on the station floor, and the floor being cold and damp, and our nerves being strung up to G, it was impossible for us to sleep. On Dec. 7 we found an old canvas wagon cover that we used to cover the motor when they were blasting in the shaft. From the old lumber we picked up an old handsaw that had been through the war, and we made one bunk. On the 8th we made another and on the 9th made the third, so that now we have a bunk apiece. After completing our bunks, the next thing we wanted was some bedclothes, so we telephoned our wants to the surface, and they got some blankets, and by cutting them into pieces about four inches by thirty-six inches and lashing them to the rope, they lowered them down, and also sent us thread and needles, and we sewed them together, so that now We have a pair of blankets apiece, and you can appreciate our joy when we were able to take our boots off and climb into a warm bed. After our rough experience it was a great relief." Entombed Men Well Fed Plum Pudding on Christmas "I must state that we had plum pudding for Christmas dinner. It was sent from England to our Mr. McDonald, and it was sent by his sweetheart, so you see it was seasoned with love for him, but that did not stop Brown and myself from eating our fill of it. My wife, Mrs. Bailey, gets our breakfast every morning and makes our coffee. About every woman in Kimberly has come to the phone and had something to say in the way of encouraging us. The work of rescue is in charge of E. W. Waller, manager of the Giroux Consolidated mines, with whom is associated T. W. McFate, superintendent of mines and J. Gallagher, superintendent of the Veteran mines. These men are all miners of many years' experience. But in the work of rescue and recovery of the shaft that taxes their best skill and ingenuity, particular mention must be given to Mr. McFate in carrying out the general plan of work, and who is ever ready, day or night to meet conditions and lend encouragement." Expert Rescue Work Hoping for Release "We have been down here now since the 4th, so you see we are having a long siege of it. They send us down newspapers, magazines and novels, and we have cards, and a friend of ours in New Jersey sent us a letter, and in the letter the first book of the New Testament, God bless him. We have been well, with the exception of McDonald, who had a bilious headache night before last. But we've doped him and he is all right now. We trust and pray that we will be out where the sun shines in a short time. As this is about all I can think of juat now. I will close this letter with our best wishes to all our friends and wellwishers." We remain yours truly, (Signed) "A. D. Bailey" "P. J. Brown" "F. G. M'Donald" |
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