Don,
I was one of many folks that were there that day (3 days and nights). It
has been 20 years ago as of today and I am working on and successfully have
made repairs to a mobile HF antenna, there are no celebrations, no parades, not
much local coverage at all. Of cavers I do remember Jerry Atkinson, Pat
Kambesis, Pat Hill, Terry Hill & Tom Hill. All from the PBSS I might add. I was
originally called out to raise the cable TV lines. The dispatcher for the cable
company that I worked for called me to meet with the PD in the alley at 3309
Tanner Drive here in Midland. I was sort of apprehensive and was starting to go
over in my mind, no just what all possible illegal activities had I been up to
and just why would the cops be wanting to meet with me? Curiosity got the
better part of fear and I drove over there. At this point there were maybe 6
people there. I am guessing she had been down in the abandoned water well about
30 minutes and had dropped and slipped down to a depth of 6 to 10 feet. How did
she get in there you might ask? Well the oldest eye witness was 2 years old so
we will never know.
Ronnie Burgess with Bettle Womack Construction was asked to bring in a
backhoe and try to dig down beside the old water well. This only shook the
ground and hard rock causing her to slip even further. Somewhere around 12-15
feet as I remember. Interesting point is that I have since then used Ronnie and
his company as contractors since then to this very day.
The Fire Chief and Police Chief had decided to bring in a auger truck
that had been working on the Loop 250 highway (which was being built back then)
and see if that would have any better luck. This was why I was called to raise
the cable TV lines up, but as it turned out I didn't have to. It was at this
point that I walked up to the Fire Chief and told him that what they were
dealing with was more like a mine or a cave and that I have been exploring
caves and digging in them and had some experience. He thanked me and asked me
if I would go down the 48' diameter after it was drilled, I agreed but said I
needed my gear. I got to ride in a police car at break neck speeds through town
to my apartment and back after retrieving my climbing gear. It was fun to see
people move out of the way. Although triple digit speeds on city streets is
dangerous. Once back we all waited and watched. It took 8 hours for the auger
truck to drill down a hole 48' diameter to a depth of 27 feet. I think Jessica
has slipped down to a depth of 23 to 24 feet and did not slip any farther. She
was also below the end of the metal casing and resting against solid rock. It
was now around 6 PM on Wednesday October 14th, 1987, Channel 2 had a live
report from the scene on their 6 PM Newscast. At this point there were maybe 60
people there and most of them were firemen and police and emergency workers.
I remember Fred Poe then the City Manager running around trying to get
all non-city workers to sign a waiver saying we would not sue the city. My
Dentist is his son, Dr Keith Poe (small world) but I digress. Once the rescue
shaft was drilled out and when you looked down it you could see it was solid
rock all the way except for the top couple of feet. I was rigged in my seat
harness and lowered down the shaft. I remember the noise from the diesel auger
truck rig slowly getting quieter and quieter as I was lowered down. I remember
the smell of the fresh cut rock, which I could still smell even though I was
wearing a positive pressure mask that was donated by a H2S safety company. Once
on the bottom of the shaft I noticed that water was seeping in very slowly. I
was told that was normal and not to worry about it. I didn't. I was lowered
down a air powered pneumatic chisel which was donated by then Energas (Now
Atmos Energy) I remember being disoriented at the bottom of the rescue shaft
and since it was circular I did not know which way to start digging. Jerry
Atkinson lowed down some flagging tape that had been lined up with the water
well. This gave me my reference and I started drilling and hammering and
chiseling away against the hard rock. I had been working about 2 hours when
they cut the air supply to the tool and that was done to get my attention. I
thought I had only been working about 30 minutes and they made me come out of
the rescue shaft to give me a rest. My progress was pitiful as I had cut a hole
maybe 18" wide and 12" tall and about 6" deep in the side of the shaft. Once
out this would be the last time I would go in and dig. ( I wish someone had
taken pictures down in that rescue shaft) I did spend the rest of the time
helping diggers rig up for the digging shifts.
I had organized the cavers to bring helmets wheat lamps, chargers and seat
harnesses. I lost 1 helmet which was green and had NSS on it and also 150' of
super bluewater III static rope in the ordeal. The cavers all spent the rest of
the time rigging up people in harnesses and lights so they could go down in the
rescue shaft and dig across to the well. Night came and it sprinkled a little
bit.
By Thursday October 15th, 1987 there were well over several hundred people and
most of them were sight seers and concerned Midlanders. I can't remember every
single detail of the entire 58 hours on the rescue site, but I do remember the
following.
Our cable construction truck with the aerial lift helped allow Scott Shaw to
get his Pulitzer Prize winning photograph when they pulled her out.
A roof of a storage building collapsed across the alley after too many people
were on it to gain a better vantage point.
The street over to the West called Waverly looked like broadcast central, there
were giant uplink dish trucks from CNN, CBS ABC, and NBC. Wires and cable
running everywhere.
The yard next door to the North looked like a forest of step ladders with media
people all trying to get a peek or a advantageous picture. I remember thinking
if one ever fell they would all go down like dominos.
I remember standing next to a fence to rest and being interviewed by the Dallas
Timers Herald newspaper.
I remember the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army providing free coffee,
drinks and food. In fact every place in town donated a lot of food. Way more
than was needed. I remember seeing piles of burritos and pizza all going to
waste.
I remember the nut cases calling in to the TV stations with hair brained ideas
of how to get her out. Everything from a double jointed midget on a rope to
sending down a giant whisk down the well shaft to tangle up in Jessica's
clothes to then pull her out.
I remember that of the co-workers from Dimension Cable were Robert Jordan, Carl
Hill, Stacey Hughes, Bobby Collins, Bill Moye and Kelly Boob.
Southwestern Bell provided a fresh air ventilation that blew warm fresh air
down the well to Jessica.
I was on the Opra Winfrey show and got to ride in a parade.
I remember at the celebration after the parade in downtown Midland there was
suppose to be free food and a stuffed toy (one of the ones that was donated)
given to all the rescuers. I will call them the low class people from the East
side came in by the thousands and I did not get any food or a stuffed toy. Only
Later did I get a stuffed squirrel from the trunk of a police officers car that
had been saving them for such things.
And Don to answer your questions. I was wearing my green caving helmet
and or a red ball cap, I did not have a beard at that time and was not shown in
most of the video that is used today and I was active only when it first
started and there were no filming going on at that time. I was behind the
scenes or action later on. I do have 4 DVD's of footage that was transferred
from VHS tapes and I see myself a few times in that . I think it is a
compilation of those 3 days and is some 18 hours worth. When they lifted her
out I was standing on top of the construction buck lift truck in the alley and
had a birds eye view. The moment is etched in my mind. I broke down and cried,
as did so many others. It was an emotional moment.
Yes I have been told that Robert O'Donnell had some troubles and would have
probably ended his life anyway, but who knows I did not know him all that well,
even after the rescue I went by the fire station and visited Steve Forbes and
Robert O'Donnell once.
I never have watch the Simpson's.
An interesting note is that the Water Drill which was shipped from Nashville by
Fed Ex was loaded by a man named Mark Stewart who worked for Fed Ex in 1987, in
the early late 90's he worked for Cox Communications in the Lubbock Warehouse
and we were talking about it and put two and two together.
There is much more that would take too long to write about. It was like I have
said before an event that happened and I won't soon forget. It doesn't seem
like 20 years ago to me.
Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: Don Cooper
To: Bill Bentley
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2007 9:55 AM
Subject: 20 Years Ago...
Recently I've seen several "remember then" news features about the Baby
Jessica rescue in Midland 20 years ago.
I was disappointed, (of course) that I didn't hear your name mentioned.
I mean... you went DOWN that adjacent hole, didn't you?
I tried to pick out your head from the crowd as they lifted her out - were
you wearing a white or green cap? Or perhaps at that point were you still in
the hole?
On TV this morning was an interview with the Fire Chief who was there - they
mentioned the fireman that ended his own life. I have to wonder if the guy had
problems with depression BEFORE the event.
Oh - on an old "Simpsons" episode - I think 'Chief Wiggums' mentioned getting
some kind of digging machine from Shreveport. That is where one of the boring
machines was dispatched from, wasn't it?
-Don C
P_S Please CC 'Texascavers' - I'm sure others would be interested.
