Paul A. Kaelin, 42, construction superintendent, assisted in an attempt to rescue Donald R. Daggs, 18, construction laborer, from a cave-in in an excavation, Fort Smith, Arkansas, December 13, 1955. Daggs, William B. Medley, and Autry L. Barnes were working in an excavation 27 feet deep inside a paper plant when two slides, 15 seconds apart, buried Daggs and almost completely covered Medley and Barnes. Kaelin sent the plant manager to summon aid and then descended a wooden ladder into the excavation. Seeing that Medley and Barnes already were starting to dig out, Kaelin used his hands to dig dirt from over the head of Daggs. A plant employee arrived and, after obtaining a shovel for Kaelin, helped to dig until Kaelin sent him to summon others. Firemen arrived, and the fire chief asked for volunteers. From those who volunteered he selected Leotis G. Sivley, Hoyle Sallis, and Robert N. Hudgen. Lest use of the wooden ladder cause further slides, the three men entered the excavation by means of ropes suspended from a timber placed across the opening, and shovels then were lowered to them. Sivley helped to uncover Medley, Hudgen assisted Barnes, and Sallis relieved Kaelin, who by then had uncovered Daggs to his chest. Kaelin ascended a chain ladder, which had been lowered at one corner of the excavation. He had been in the excavation 20 minutes, half of that time without assistance. Other construction men arrived and decided to enter the excavation one at a time, relieving each other at set intervals. After two of the men had helped with the digging for 15-minute periods, Burl H. Titsworth entered the excavation and aided Sivley in trying to free Medley. Hudgen continued to assist Barnes, and Sallis uncovered Daggs to the knees. Daggs was in a sitting position with his thighs beneath a timber, which Sallis could not pry loose. The men on top of the excavation attempted to hoist the timber with ropes, causing a lesser slide, and Sallis then began to dig under Daggs instead. Lawrence F. Komp descended the chain ladder and assisted in hoisting buckets of dirt to the top of the excavation. When Barnes had been uncovered to his knees, ropes were tied around him, and the men on top pulled him free. He was hoisted from the excavation and removed to a hospital. The five men working in the excavation refused all offers of relief. An electric saw was lowered to Komp, who cut a section from a timber lying across Medley’s back. Ropes were tied around Medley, and the men on top pulled him loose except for one foot. Sallis left Daggs momentarily and aided the others in freeing Medley, who was raised from the excavation and taken to a hospital. All five men then directed their efforts to Daggs, who refused to allow Komp to saw the timber lying across his thighs, and Komp then ascended the chain ladder. He had been in the excavation 50 minutes. Titsworth also ascended the chain ladder after having been in the excavation 65 minutes. Sallis returned to work digging a hole beside and under Daggs, and shortly thereafter was relieved by Sivley. Five minutes later another slide buried both Daggs and Sivley and partially covered Sallis and Hudgen. Hudgen dug himself clear as far as a timber lying across his legs, and the men on top again used ropes to pull him loose. Hudgen then assisted Sallis to dig out as far as his knees, and the men on top also pulled Sallis free. Sallis immediately felt Sivley’s right hand, which was uncovered, but found no pulse. He then dug into the dirt to Sivley’s left hand, which also was without pulse. Sallis and Hudgen then ascended the chain ladder. They had been in the excavation two hours and 10 minutes. Concentrated searching efforts by the construction company later recovered the bodies of Daggs and Sivley. Barnes was bruised but recovered. Medley suffered extensive injuries. Kaelin was fatigued but recovered. 43855-4051
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