Recover Body Of St. Stephen Man From Pit
Well Digger, Who Died in Cave-in,
to Be Buried Friday Morning
Volunteers recruited from the countryside recovered the body of Christ Robich, St. Stephen farmer and well driller at about 2 p.m. Tuesday, at a 20-foot level, three hours after the pit on the John Blenkush farm, where he was digging a well collapsed and buried him beneath almost six feet of loose sand.
Fire Chief J. A. Gillis and a crew of St. Cloud firemen who had made a record run to St. Stephen after being called there to use the inhalator, remained at the Blenkush farm until after the body was recovered.
Robich had gone to the Blenkush farm early Tuesday morning to dig the well. He had dug the hole to a depth of 20 feet without any curbings placed to hold up the strata of sand which is loose and pliable in that section. John Blenkush and his brother, Ed., were helping Robich dig the well, the two brothers pulling up the sand in a bucket as Robich filled it. The two men heard a warming cry from Robich, who asked the men to pull him up. They attempted to do this, but could not get him out of the sand which had already buried him to the waist. John then went down the rope and attempted to get Robich out of the sand, but was down a few seconds when the real cave-in of the well started. The rescuer was buried in sand to such an extent that his brother was barely able to get him to the surface.
Many of the farmers in the neighborhood responded to the call for help, but willing hands were held back until a wooden curb to hold back the sand was built. This was lowered into the hole as the workers descended.
Robert, who was 53[sic] years of age, was born in Czecho-Slovakia, and came to America about 20 years ago, living in St. Stephen since that time. One brother, Andrew, also resides at St. Stephen, and there the body is being held until the time of the funeral, which has been set for Friday morning in the St. Stephen Catholic church, with interment in the cemetery there. Robich also leaves his father and one sister, who reside in Czecho-Slovakia, and another sister who lives in Italy.
The St. Stephen man was unmarried, and in addition to his occupation of well driller, was a stone mason and farmed a small piece of land on which he lived. Friends commented Wednesday afternoon on his lack of caution in digging the well without putting up curbing. Robich had dug 500 wells, many in the vicinity of St. Stephen, and was familiar with the type of sand in which he was working.
Dr. M. J. Kern, St. Cloud, Stearns county coroner, found death due to accidental suffocation.
The St. Cloud Daily Times and Daily Journal-Press, St. Cloud, Minn. Thursday, August 10, 1933. Pages 1-2
Christ Robich
In the death of Christ Robich another well-known mason and well digger is gone. Mr. Robich dug more than 500 wells, many of them in the vicinity of St. Stephen.
Born in the year 1881[sic] in the village of Kronau, Carniola, Jugoslavia, he emigrated to this country in the spring of 1904 and settled at Eveleth, Minnesota, where he lived until 1913 when he moved to St. Stephen where he continued to reside the remainder of his life. Surviving him in Jugoslavia are his father who is 86 years old; one sister, Agnes, and one brother, Frank; one sister, Anna, In Milan, Italy, and one brother, Andrew, in St. Stephen. His mother died seven years ago. He also leaves one nephew and five nieces.
excerpts from The St. Cloud Daily Times and Daily Journal-Press, St. Cloud, Minn. Monday, August 21, 1933. Page 5
Well Digger, Who Died in Cave-in,
to Be Buried Friday Morning
Volunteers recruited from the countryside recovered the body of Christ Robich, St. Stephen farmer and well driller at about 2 p.m. Tuesday, at a 20-foot level, three hours after the pit on the John Blenkush farm, where he was digging a well collapsed and buried him beneath almost six feet of loose sand.
Fire Chief J. A. Gillis and a crew of St. Cloud firemen who had made a record run to St. Stephen after being called there to use the inhalator, remained at the Blenkush farm until after the body was recovered.
Robich had gone to the Blenkush farm early Tuesday morning to dig the well. He had dug the hole to a depth of 20 feet without any curbings placed to hold up the strata of sand which is loose and pliable in that section. John Blenkush and his brother, Ed., were helping Robich dig the well, the two brothers pulling up the sand in a bucket as Robich filled it. The two men heard a warming cry from Robich, who asked the men to pull him up. They attempted to do this, but could not get him out of the sand which had already buried him to the waist. John then went down the rope and attempted to get Robich out of the sand, but was down a few seconds when the real cave-in of the well started. The rescuer was buried in sand to such an extent that his brother was barely able to get him to the surface.
Many of the farmers in the neighborhood responded to the call for help, but willing hands were held back until a wooden curb to hold back the sand was built. This was lowered into the hole as the workers descended.
Robert, who was 53[sic] years of age, was born in Czecho-Slovakia, and came to America about 20 years ago, living in St. Stephen since that time. One brother, Andrew, also resides at St. Stephen, and there the body is being held until the time of the funeral, which has been set for Friday morning in the St. Stephen Catholic church, with interment in the cemetery there. Robich also leaves his father and one sister, who reside in Czecho-Slovakia, and another sister who lives in Italy.
The St. Stephen man was unmarried, and in addition to his occupation of well driller, was a stone mason and farmed a small piece of land on which he lived. Friends commented Wednesday afternoon on his lack of caution in digging the well without putting up curbing. Robich had dug 500 wells, many in the vicinity of St. Stephen, and was familiar with the type of sand in which he was working.
Dr. M. J. Kern, St. Cloud, Stearns county coroner, found death due to accidental suffocation.
The St. Cloud Daily Times and Daily Journal-Press, St. Cloud, Minn. Thursday, August 10, 1933. Pages 1-2
Christ Robich
In the death of Christ Robich another well-known mason and well digger is gone. Mr. Robich dug more than 500 wells, many of them in the vicinity of St. Stephen.
Born in the year 1881[sic] in the village of Kronau, Carniola, Jugoslavia, he emigrated to this country in the spring of 1904 and settled at Eveleth, Minnesota, where he lived until 1913 when he moved to St. Stephen where he continued to reside the remainder of his life. Surviving him in Jugoslavia are his father who is 86 years old; one sister, Agnes, and one brother, Frank; one sister, Anna, In Milan, Italy, and one brother, Andrew, in St. Stephen. His mother died seven years ago. He also leaves one nephew and five nieces.
excerpts from The St. Cloud Daily Times and Daily Journal-Press, St. Cloud, Minn. Monday, August 21, 1933. Page 5
Recover Body Of St. Stephen Man From Pit
Well Digger, Who Died in Cave-in,
to Be Buried Friday Morning
Volunteers recruited from the countryside recovered the body of Christ Robich, St. Stephen farmer and well driller at about 2 p.m. Tuesday, at a 20-foot level, three hours after the pit on the John Blenkush farm, where he was digging a well collapsed and buried him beneath almost six feet of loose sand.
Fire Chief J. A. Gillis and a crew of St. Cloud firemen who had made a record run to St. Stephen after being called there to use the inhalator, remained at the Blenkush farm until after the body was recovered.
Robich had gone to the Blenkush farm early Tuesday morning to dig the well. He had dug the hole to a depth of 20 feet without any curbings placed to hold up the strata of sand which is loose and pliable in that section. John Blenkush and his brother, Ed., were helping Robich dig the well, the two brothers pulling up the sand in a bucket as Robich filled it. The two men heard a warming cry from Robich, who asked the men to pull him up. They attempted to do this, but could not get him out of the sand which had already buried him to the waist. John then went down the rope and attempted to get Robich out of the sand, but was down a few seconds when the real cave-in of the well started. The rescuer was buried in sand to such an extent that his brother was barely able to get him to the surface.
Many of the farmers in the neighborhood responded to the call for help, but willing hands were held back until a wooden curb to hold back the sand was built. This was lowered into the hole as the workers descended.
Robert, who was 53[sic] years of age, was born in Czecho-Slovakia, and came to America about 20 years ago, living in St. Stephen since that time. One brother, Andrew, also resides at St. Stephen, and there the body is being held until the time of the funeral, which has been set for Friday morning in the St. Stephen Catholic church, with interment in the cemetery there. Robich also leaves his father and one sister, who reside in Czecho-Slovakia, and another sister who lives in Italy.
The St. Stephen man was unmarried, and in addition to his occupation of well driller, was a stone mason and farmed a small piece of land on which he lived. Friends commented Wednesday afternoon on his lack of caution in digging the well without putting up curbing. Robich had dug 500 wells, many in the vicinity of St. Stephen, and was familiar with the type of sand in which he was working.
Dr. M. J. Kern, St. Cloud, Stearns county coroner, found death due to accidental suffocation.
The St. Cloud Daily Times and Daily Journal-Press, St. Cloud, Minn. Thursday, August 10, 1933. Pages 1-2
Christ Robich
In the death of Christ Robich another well-known mason and well digger is gone. Mr. Robich dug more than 500 wells, many of them in the vicinity of St. Stephen.
Born in the year 1881[sic] in the village of Kronau, Carniola, Jugoslavia, he emigrated to this country in the spring of 1904 and settled at Eveleth, Minnesota, where he lived until 1913 when he moved to St. Stephen where he continued to reside the remainder of his life. Surviving him in Jugoslavia are his father who is 86 years old; one sister, Agnes, and one brother, Frank; one sister, Anna, In Milan, Italy, and one brother, Andrew, in St. Stephen. His mother died seven years ago. He also leaves one nephew and five nieces.
excerpts from The St. Cloud Daily Times and Daily Journal-Press, St. Cloud, Minn. Monday, August 21, 1933. Page 5
Well Digger, Who Died in Cave-in,
to Be Buried Friday Morning
Volunteers recruited from the countryside recovered the body of Christ Robich, St. Stephen farmer and well driller at about 2 p.m. Tuesday, at a 20-foot level, three hours after the pit on the John Blenkush farm, where he was digging a well collapsed and buried him beneath almost six feet of loose sand.
Fire Chief J. A. Gillis and a crew of St. Cloud firemen who had made a record run to St. Stephen after being called there to use the inhalator, remained at the Blenkush farm until after the body was recovered.
Robich had gone to the Blenkush farm early Tuesday morning to dig the well. He had dug the hole to a depth of 20 feet without any curbings placed to hold up the strata of sand which is loose and pliable in that section. John Blenkush and his brother, Ed., were helping Robich dig the well, the two brothers pulling up the sand in a bucket as Robich filled it. The two men heard a warming cry from Robich, who asked the men to pull him up. They attempted to do this, but could not get him out of the sand which had already buried him to the waist. John then went down the rope and attempted to get Robich out of the sand, but was down a few seconds when the real cave-in of the well started. The rescuer was buried in sand to such an extent that his brother was barely able to get him to the surface.
Many of the farmers in the neighborhood responded to the call for help, but willing hands were held back until a wooden curb to hold back the sand was built. This was lowered into the hole as the workers descended.
Robert, who was 53[sic] years of age, was born in Czecho-Slovakia, and came to America about 20 years ago, living in St. Stephen since that time. One brother, Andrew, also resides at St. Stephen, and there the body is being held until the time of the funeral, which has been set for Friday morning in the St. Stephen Catholic church, with interment in the cemetery there. Robich also leaves his father and one sister, who reside in Czecho-Slovakia, and another sister who lives in Italy.
The St. Stephen man was unmarried, and in addition to his occupation of well driller, was a stone mason and farmed a small piece of land on which he lived. Friends commented Wednesday afternoon on his lack of caution in digging the well without putting up curbing. Robich had dug 500 wells, many in the vicinity of St. Stephen, and was familiar with the type of sand in which he was working.
Dr. M. J. Kern, St. Cloud, Stearns county coroner, found death due to accidental suffocation.
The St. Cloud Daily Times and Daily Journal-Press, St. Cloud, Minn. Thursday, August 10, 1933. Pages 1-2
Christ Robich
In the death of Christ Robich another well-known mason and well digger is gone. Mr. Robich dug more than 500 wells, many of them in the vicinity of St. Stephen.
Born in the year 1881[sic] in the village of Kronau, Carniola, Jugoslavia, he emigrated to this country in the spring of 1904 and settled at Eveleth, Minnesota, where he lived until 1913 when he moved to St. Stephen where he continued to reside the remainder of his life. Surviving him in Jugoslavia are his father who is 86 years old; one sister, Agnes, and one brother, Frank; one sister, Anna, In Milan, Italy, and one brother, Andrew, in St. Stephen. His mother died seven years ago. He also leaves one nephew and five nieces.
excerpts from The St. Cloud Daily Times and Daily Journal-Press, St. Cloud, Minn. Monday, August 21, 1933. Page 5
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Christopher
Robich
1883 - 1933
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