A pheasant hunt near Pottsville turned into a nightmare when 22-year-old Joseph Schrader stepped into an old mine shaft and plunged 400 feet into the darkness.
For nearly twelve hours, Schrader lay at the bottom, badly injured and alone, believing in his pain and confusion that weeks had passed. Above him, rescuers worked to reach him, splicing together four lengths of rope before they could descend far enough.
When he was finally brought out alive, doctors found both of his hips dislocated and feared he might be crippled for life. But against the odds, the young hunter had survived a fall that should have killed him.
Falls 400 Feet and Lives
POTTSVILLE, Pennsylvania. — While hunting pheasants, Joseph Schrader, aged 22, son of an official of the Reading Company, fell 400 feet down an old mine shaft and was rescued alive after nearly twelve hours with both hips dislocated and other hurts which are not believed to be of a fatal character.
Four lengths of rope had to be spliced before his rescuers could reach him.
The physicians say that he may be crippled for life but will live.
Schrader said he thought weeks had passed during the long hours he lay crippled and alone at the bottom of the shaft.
Source: The Citizen. Frederick City, Md. November 16, 1906.
