THE WORK OF RESCUE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 807, 3 May 1910, Page 6

THE WORK OF RESCUE.

HEROIC CONDUCT. SENSATIONAL INCIDENTS. (By Correspondent.! Christchureh, May 2. Tho fact that no lives were lost in tho tunnel seoms almost incredible to one wlio views tho extont of the fall and bears the 6toriee of tho men who were inside when tho occurrence took place.

Tho heroism of the rescuers appears to have been the moat outstanding feature of the day's stirring ovents. When tho tunnel came in with a thundering and terrifying crash the men \ who were left not ontombod at once started the rescue work. Thou tho eecond fall came, and Btill more men were entombed or buried beneath the debris.

A general alarm was given, and the workers at the tnnnel were speedily roinforcod by tho men from tho camp. They started tho work of roscno with tremendous energy, and kept going at tho same paco during tho whole day. Tho first care' of the resellers was to brine the eltctrio light into Uie tunnel

60 that the rescue operations could be carried on , 'with facility. Then the part of the tunnel nearest the feJl was more heavily timbered to make further falls improbable. NOT A MAN LEFT HIS POST. While this necessary work was being done small falls of stono and earth were coming down about the ears of the rescuers, and though each slip might have been the precursor of the descent of hundreds of tons of earth, not a man left his post. The timbering, or catching-up as the tunnel man calls it, was dono eipeditdously, and when the rescuers commenced to put a drive through the debris towards tho men who were buried only two men could work together in the drive, but each couple shovelled and picked away until tho exertion began to tell, and then gave way for fresh men.

The resenere knew that some of the buried men were lying near a truck which had providentially been standing just under the place where the fall took place. Many deeds of heroism were performed, and it would not bo out of place to relate a few of tho more striking incidents.

One of" the rescuers was a man named Mahoney. After tho first fall took place he ran to tho truck round which three men lay. He β-os in tho act of disentangling Beamer, and had succeeded in dealing everything except his legs, when the second fall came. The rocks and earth wero tumbling down all aronnd the pair, and before Mahonoy left his mate ho grasped a stout piece of timber and placed it against the truck, in such a position that it lay on an . incline and sheltered Boamer from the falling, stuff. Mahoney then had to rush out, and though he was twice felled by the falling material ho managed to get out all right;.

EIGHT HOURS IN DEBRIS. George Pitts is one of the heroes of the hour. He was ono of the rescuers, and his first act was to savo Bray, who was hurt rather badly, and after getting Bray out Pitts ran back to help another man, and while trying to rescue him got caught himself. • His head was jammed against the buffer of the truck, and he was pressed down by the debris. He lay for eight hours in a most trying position, and apparently suffered the most intense pain through cramp. He was there for eight or nine hours before he was rescued. Shaw, who was taken to the Christchurch Hospital, was saved by a young man named Maher. Shaw had his leg broken, in the first fall, but ho managed to get on to his feet, and stood up against a pillar. Maher, who was making for the exit, heard Shaw say that his leg was broken, and at onco got hold of him to assist him out. Maher dragged him away, and just got him clear when tho' pillar against which Shaw had been leaning gavo way with a crash under the weight of rock pressing against it. The pair had.a tumblo beforo getting clear, which they just managed to do before the second fall, which was even.heavier than the first, came down. • ,

x PRESENCE OF, MIND. Another man seems to have saved his own life' by his presence- of mind. A big rock jammed his foot; against tho water pipo, and all his efforts to get free were unavailing. He was , carrying a pick, 'and with this ho attacked the rock which was holding him, splintering it with a few powerful blows. Theso arc only a few examples of many deeds of bravery. Tho men who wero engaged in tho rescue work in tho tunnel took their lives in' their hands, when they stayed there hour after hour working towards their entombed mates. A glanco at tho position where- they lay makes one shudder at tho awfulness.of their experionco, and exclaim that only tt miracdo prevented their lives being instantaneously crushed out. This applies particularly to Beard, Pitts, and Beamer, tho three men who were round the truck. Beamer had to be sawn out, just as Pitts had to be, and his final release was only accomplished with tho end of a rope. The only two now remaining in the tunnel are Duggan and Doyle, and judgin" by tho touo of their messages they aro both well'and cheerful. ' They are well inside the tunnel away from the area of tho fall, and their rescue is only a question of hours. They aro communicated'with by means of the air-pipo, which runs along the floor of tho tunnel. Conversation could easily be carried on, and the imprisoned men returned cheerful answers to the messages shouted down to them.

THE FOOD PROBLEM. The problem of getting refreshments to them was solvod in a very satisfactory way. An opening was mado in the airpipe, and food was placed inside and then the compressor was called into requisition. One puff and tho food was in the hands of the watchers at the other end. It may bo mentioned here that these two men can see the stars through the opening in the roof of tho tunnel, and if the worst came to the worst, they could attompt a scramble up to tho top. They have, however, been advised not to attempt the climb, as the shingle might come down and engulf them. In the meantime a cross ; drive is being put in from the riverbed side. It will have to go in a distance of 33 feet to get to tho tunnel drive, and it is anticipated that they will got to the men in the morning. The men are doing four-hour shifts at the driving, and working on the job like Trojans. A word of praise is duo to Dr. MTBrearty and Nurse Drewitt, of Greymouth, who arrived at Bealey Plat about 5 o'clock with all the necessary surgical and medical appliances. Their attentions were very much appreciated by the injured men, who epeafc in the warmest terms of their kindness. THE LATEST NEWS. The latest news is that good progress is boing made with the cross drive to the tunnel heading. Thero is a general feeling of thankfulness hore that the occurrence, which in some respects is a serious not result in any loss of 'life • The Telegraph Department placed a special instrument at Bealey Plat, in tho charge of Mr. Rendle, and a lares number of messages were expeditiously dealt with.

THE INJURED. (By TelefrraDh.—Press Asaoolatlon.l Grcymoirth, May 2. The names of the injured men are:— ; James Shaw, leg broken in two places. James MTCeich, crushed foot and head cut. / Claude Bray, injured back and head. Walter Ike, ent about the head and hands. J. Afahoney, badly crushed while resouing others. * BROUGHT TO CHRISTCHURCH. (By Telecraph.—Press Association.' Christcliurch, May 2. Two of tho men injured in tho Otira Tunnel accident—M'Koich, underground foreman, and J. Shaw, trucker—arrived by tho lato train from Broken River tonight, and were taken to the hospital, whero tlioy aro being opornted on. bhaw. is suffering from a broken leg, and jlTveioh ftoui cemsrfl.l bodily iaiurica.