For seven days, William “Bill” Clelland existed in what newspapers described as a living grave beneath the Cherry Mine in Illinois. Trapped underground with other miners and uncertain whether rescue would ever reach them, Clelland emerged from the disaster not only as a survivor, but as a man newspapers quickly hailed as a hero.
When Clelland was finally brought to the surface in November 1909, he had spent an entire week entombed underground. During that time, according to contemporary reports, he helped maintain order among the trapped men and protected those who were too weak to defend themselves.
At one point, Clelland reportedly confronted two miners who were stealing water from a sick survivor and forced them to stop. He also led the trapped men in prayer as they waited deep beneath the earth, surrounded by darkness and uncertainty.
His actions captured public attention after his rescue. Newspapers across the country told the story of the miner who had endured seven days underground while attempting to protect and encourage the men around him.
One photograph taken only about an hour after Clelland was rescued showed another side of the story. Sitting with the exhausted miner were his children, Willie and Frances, reunited with a father they had every reason to fear they might never see again.
Miners Taken From The Grave At Cherry
CHERRY, Illinois. — This man doesn’t look exactly like you expect heroes to look, does he? Yet he is a hero of heroes — one whose name is praised by hundreds of thousands of people today.
William Clelland — they call him Bill at the Cherry Mine — was rescued after a living death of seven days in the Cherry Mine.
It was Clelland who forced two prowling miners, buried like himself, to stop stealing water from one of the survivors who was sick. He led the victims in prayers from the bowels of the earth.
This remarkable photograph was taken just an hour after Clelland had been dragged out. It shows his children, Willie and Frances.
Are they glad to get their father back? Well, look at the picture and see.
Source: The Tacoma Times. Tacoma, Wash. November 26, 1909.
