REMARKABLE ESCAPE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9034, 21 April 1888, Page 5

REMARKABLE ESCAPE.

A BOY BURIED ALIVE. [from our own correspondent.] Hashlton, Friday. A son of Mr. Reed, saddler, of East Hamilton, named Frank, about S years of ago, had a narrow escape from death yesterday. Hβ was playing with two other children, named Bell and Kelly, of about the same age, in the gravel pits adjoining Bridgestreet. The borough gravel contractors had left the sides of the pits undermined, to save removing the strippings or top surface of soil, and while underneath tho overhanging mass a quantity of it fell upon the child as ho stood, completely covering him. His companions ran homo but were too frightened to tell of what had happened, and Mr. Reed started in search of his missing son, whom ho supposed to have gone down to the river. Not finding him he returned home, and then on again questioning the boys, learned what had happened. Assistance was at hand, and the party went to tho gravel pits, but could see nothing but tho newly-fallen earth. Carefully removing it, they came to the child's head some six inches below the surface. He was apparently uninjured, though much frightened. He seems to have escaped without injury, except a few Blight bruises. Mr. Reed has a peculiar whistle with which he calls his children home, and on this occasion when crossing the gravel pit on his way to the river to search for the boy he blow the whistle loudly. When asked if he had heard the whistle tho boy said ho had distinctly heard it, but wna unable to call out as he could not move, and his mouth was half tilled with dirt.