A Brave Deed
Monroe Enquirer
Mrs. Vernon Lockhart, who lives two miles east of Monroe on the Wadesboro road, believes credit should be given when credit is due. Mrs. Lockhart relates an occurrence on her husband’s farm on August 28th of last year which should have been chronicled at that time.
William Porter was digging a well for Charlie Strawn, a tenant on the Lockhart farm. Porter was overcome by foul air in the 40-foot well, and there was no one to rescue him, or who would take the risk. Stanley Strawn, who lived nearby, heard the commotion at the well of those who had gathered, rank quickly to the aid of the smothering man. He did not hesitate, even when he was taking his own life in his hands, and went down into the well, brought the unconscious man to the surface, and thus saving his life. Mr. Strawn collapsed when he reached the top of the well and would have fallen back had not other hands reached out and saved him.
Mrs. Lockhart says nothing ever appeared in the papers of Stanley Strawn’s brave act and that it should be done even at this late date.
From page 4 of The Concord Daily Tribune, June 9, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-06-09/ed-1/seq-4/
Editor’s Note: Here’s what AI said about the cause of the foul air in a well: The most likely culprit was carbon dioxide (CO₂), the classic “foul air” of wells. It is: Heavier than air, so it settles at the bottom of pits, cisterns, and wells, Odorless, so workers don’t realize anything is wrong, and Produced naturally by rotting organic matter in soil, decaying roots, microbial activity, and sometimes limestone–acid reactions.
When CO₂ displaces oxygen, a person collapses within seconds. The rescuer then collapses too — exactly what happened in your article. This is why so many historical accounts describe the first man going down and collapsing, the rescuer going down and collapsing, and both being pulled out unconscious. That is the signature pattern of oxygen displacement, not poisoning by a toxic gas. Thanks, Copilot.
