Original subtitles

[ children playing ]

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men--

[ crash ]

That all men are created equal.

That they are endowed by their Creator

with certain inalienable rights.

[ crash ]

[ children screaming ]

We'’ll be buried alive.

Children, children, listen to me.

There'’s been no cave-in.

Everything'’s alright.

Oh no, it isn'’t.

My daddy says the whole town will fall in the mine

if they don'’t stop digging underneath.

No, they'’ll stop long before anything like that happens.

[ crash ]

[ children scream ]

♪♪ [bugle]

Howdy, folks.

I'’m the Old Ranger.

This is the mining camp of Gregory Gulch, Colorado

in the year 1859,

the time of the great Pike'’s Peak Rush.

Now beneath the town, a rich vein of gold zig zags

through ground so soft and unstable

that it takes all the skill

of experienced hard rock miners to prevent daily cave-ins.

A special breed of men, these hard rockers.

Danger and even death are part and parcel

of their work routine.

As we shall see in this story I call...

You think your sister be there this late?

Well, she usually sticks around a while after school.

You think she enroll me?

Well I don'’t know, there's only one way to find out, Rafe. Ask.

Alright, you men, snap it up.

Snap it up, we haven'’t got all day.

Get out the assay bags, Pagoski.

SHORE: Well, Miss Parker--

Oh.

This is a pleasant surprise.

Good afternoon, Mr. Shore.

Has my brother left already?

He'’s up at the assay office.

Anything I can do?

That blasting this afternoon

gave the school quite a shaking up.

Oh, well I'’m sorry if it disturbed you.

Mr. Shore, is there a danger of the town caving in to the mine?

There'’s a rumor around that--

There'’s always a rumor around a mining town.

Remember Miss Parker, I'’m down in that tunnel myself

whenever we set off a blast.

I wouldn'’t worry about it.

I guess you'’re right.

Good.

By the way Miss Parker, I--

I'’ve been wanting to ask you--

GEORGE: Mary!

George!

Excuse me, Miss Parker.

What are you doing here?

I wanted you to come down

and look over the school building.

See if it was damaged any from that blasting this afternoon.

Oh, well sure, we were gonna drop by anyway

after we got washed up.

We?

Oh, Mary, this is Rafe Pogarsky.

Rafe, Mary Parker, my sister.

It'’s good meeting.

Huh, Rafe is from Poland.

He wants to learn to read and write English,

so he can get his papers.

For to be citizen.

I see.

Mr. Pogarsky, my hand.

Of course, excuse me.

I study-- I study very good.

Oh I'’m sure you would, it isn'’t that.

It'’s just that we're terribly overcrowded already.

We hardly have room for the children, even.

I'’m afraid I'd have to say no.

I wish there were some way...

Of course if you would study hard on your own time,

maybe I could guide your work in the evenings.

Oh, I study hard the hardest.

And I pay too.

Oh no, that won'’t be necessary.

Oh yes, you deserve.

But I have something else.

This.

Oh no.

This Papa Pogarsky'’s watch.

It'’s most greatest treasure I own.

It'’s yours.

I wouldn'’t dream of it.

Oh please, is very good watch.

Run for seven days.

I wind back here like this.

[ clock winding ]

It run now maybe 50 years.

Never run down, never stop.

All the more reason.

It'’s a beautiful watch, but it'’s a family heirloom.

It'’s priceless.

For to be citizen is priceless too, so it'’s fair trade.

Alright, Mr. Pogarsky.

Thank you.

You wind every Sunday.

I promise.

[ watch rings ]

It ring the hour.

Oh, it'’s lovely.

Perhaps if you could come tonight at 7:00,

we could begin your lessons.

Oh, I'’d be there.

You bet I'’d be there.

OK, you run along now, sis.

We'’ll wash up and drop by the school.

Oh thanks, bye.

Bye.

Bye, Mr. Shore.

Good afternoon, Miss Parker.

Come on, let'’s go.

Here'’s the rest of them reports.

You know, looks to me like that mucker Pogarsky

and that Parker girl hit it off right smart, eh?

I sure got to hand it to him, though.

What do you mean by that?

Well, him giving her presents and making out like he wants

an education.

You fool enough to believe that?

Why he'’s got it all figured to see her every night.

Now, when did any other man have a chance to do any courting?

I could toss him out of here.

So what'’s stopping you?

He'’s the best man in the crew and everybody knows it.

They'’ll figure it was personal.

There must be a better way.

Could meet up with an accident.

Aw, nothing like that.

What if he quit?

He'’d have to clear out of the country to get another job.

No other hard rocking around here.

[ chuckles ] Why'’d he quit?

Well, we'’ll find some good reason to do that.

Hmm.

Some mighty good reason.

Oh, Pogarsky,

I'’ve run into a little emergency I could use

your help on.

You better not wait. It will take him a while.

I'’ll see you later, Rafe.

I be there, you bet I be there.

The folks in town are getting nervous about a cave-in.

Maybe if we did some double-shoring

back in Number 2, they'’d feel safer.

Why don'’t you take half a dozen of those timbers back

to Number 2 so the crew can set '’em first thing in the morning?

Only one man for this job?

Pogarsky, I always figured you'’re the equivalent of two men.

"I be there. You bet I be there."

[ laughter ]

10 times 9 is 90,

10 times 10is 100,

10 times 11 is 111.

It'’s not true, George.

[ laughs ] Right, I'’ll take Mary'’s word for it.

So you are her prize student.

It'’s true.

Yeah, well then how come you'’re so dumb about other things?

This joke of some kind?

Oh no, is no joke.

Take my sister, for example.

Now why do you think she didn'’t accept

any invitation to that dance tonight?

She don'’t want to go.

Well, of course she does.

She'’s been waiting for you to ask her.

Me? Yeah.

You think she really go if I ask?

Yes. No! No, she never go with me.

What'’s the matter with you, Rafe?

You losing all your courage?

Day after day, you let Short bully you around like a kid.

Now you won'’t even stand up to a girl.

One of these days I'’m gonna punch Short

right in the mouth if you don'’t.

Please, George, no trouble.

Not until I learn to read and write.

I want to speak to you a minute, Pogarsky.

I'’ve got your pay.

This all I get?

It'’s all you earned.

You get paid according to the amount you muck.

You know that.

But I-- But what?

Your production'’s fallen way off, Pogarsky.

The lowest man in the crew.

Because you keep giving extra work.

I'’ve no time for to muck.

Never mind excuses.

Man starve on this.

Well if you don'’t like it, why don'’t you quit?

No. No, I work harder.

You do that.

[ footsteps approaching ]

Pogarsky, we'’re 6 picks short on the tool count.

They must have fallen off the cart.

You go back and find them, eh?

Well, what are you waiting for?

Afternoon, Miss Parker.Afternoon, Mr. Short.

Your brother'’s in the pay line. He'’ll be with you in a minute.

Thank you.

About the dance--

[ rumbling ]

What'’s that?

It'’s just the earth settling a little.

Miss Parker, about the dance, I'’d sure like--

[ crash ]

[ screams ]

Alright you men, we'’ll need a shoring group.

Grab a tool.

MARY:George!

George!

Mary, get out of here, it'’s not safe.

Rafe'’s in there.

Are you sure?

I saw him go in.

Alright, just stay back.

Rafe, can you hear me, Rafe?

Mary, get out here, will you?

It'’s not safe.

We can'’t leave Rafe in there.

[ crash ]

[ bell rings ]

[ shouting ]

[ bell ringing ]

Something'’s happened at the mine.

Something'’s happened at the mine.

[ screams ]

[ sobbing ]

[ crowd screams ]

Come on Mary, come on.

[ coughing ]

[ panting ]

You alright, Mary?

Yes.

Rafe.

He must still be in there.

Oh, no.

[ sobbing ]

Look, we'’ll go after him, Mary.

Just as soon as the dust clears, we'’ll go after him.

Yes, please.

Now I want you to listen to me, all of you.

We were lucky that just a pocket let go. Lucky!

If we go in and reopen that tunnel, the whole town could cave in next.

I can understand how you feel about Pogarsky,

but there'’s not one chance in a thousand

that he'’s still alive.

And even if he is,

it might take us days to reach him.

I say if there'’s one chance in 10,000 he'’s still alive,

we ought to give it a try.

[ crowd ] Yeah.

We'’d be risking your lives and the lives of everyone

in this town.

We'’ll double-shore as we go.

Let'’s get moving, every minute counts.

Alright.

But you remember this, you'’re digging your own graves,

and one big one for this whole town.

[ crowd chattering ]

Is it really as hopeless as he says?

Well, we'’ll just have to wait and see, Mary.

[ sighs ]

Oh please, God.

You should have slept longer.

Any news?

We'’ve had another slide.

Anybody hurt?

5 men, but not seriously.

Honesty, Mr. Bricker, is there a chance?

There'’s always a chance if he'’s getting air.

How long can a person live without food or water?

A man can go a long time without food.

As for water,

10 days at most.

It'’s been 10 days.

This is the tenth day.

He could have found water.

A lot of springs feed into the tunnel.

[ woman gasps ]

Oh, it'’s nothing serious, Mrs. Jensen.

A boulder caught his foot.

He'’ll be alright.

Right here.

Is the work going any faster?

Not much, too risky.

Too risky to go any faster or any further, if you ask me.

No, Martha, what if it was me instead of Rafe?

Well it isn'’t you, and I don'’t want it to be.

[ rumbling ]

Earth'’s settling a little.

When the town caves in, I suppose you'’ll call that

earth settling too.

Martha, why don'’t you go on home and get some rest?

Please do, Mrs. Bricker.

Rest.

[ laughs ]

Let'’s get on with it, George.

I'’ll take over now.

Oh, good morning, Mrs. Bricker.

I hope you got some sleep.

Oh not a wink, but I thought I better give you a hand.

[ groans ]

Will it never stop?

SHORT: No.

It won'’t Mrs. Bricker, until they seal off that tunnel

and quit digging.

Not a man in the tunnel or a person in this town

will be safe until they stop.

But you can'’t stop now.

Miss Parker, I know how you feel.

We all feel the same way.

But I'’ve got a responsibility

not only to keep this operation going,

but to look out for the welfare of these men.

They don'’t have sense enough to do it for themselves.

Let'’s ask these men about it.

They'’re all experienced miners.

Let'’s ask them what they think the chances are now

of finding Pogarsky alive.

They weren'’t good to begin with,

and it'’s been 11 days.

How about it, you men?

Lou?

Frank?

Mr. Bricker?

Parker?

Well that'’s your answer.

Alright,

we'’ll seal off the Number 2 tunnel

and open the new one tomorrow.

MINER: Short!

I reckon we ought to have some kind of services

before we start the new work.

[ sobbing ]

Yeah.

Someone go in and get the rest of the men.

You men bring those benches over here for the women

to sit on.

You see, Sir,

we don'’t have a regular parson,

but my grandfather was one

and others here thought

that might put me in better standing.

I don'’t know much about praying,

but I remember a kind of a prayer

my grandfather used to say

that he said was meant for us miners.

Only part of it I remember,

and I don'’t remember that real good,

was something like,

"Even if I do have to walk through the valley

of the shadow of death,

I'’m not afraid."

[ watch rings ]

[ miner giving eulogy ]

It is 11 days since the accident.

Hmm?

Yeah.

The watch can keep running--

a 7 day watch.

Why couldn'’t a man?

Oh George, he'’s alive.

I know he is. I know he is.

Oh, listen to me, all of you.

It'’s asking so much,

but I know-- I know he'’s alive.

I know he is.

If you could just for a few more hours.

I thought this was understood, Miss Parker.

Yes, it was, but this feeling is so strong.

It is asking a lot.

It is indeed.

Asking these people to give up their lives for a man

they can'’t possibly help.

Or for someone you just would rather not help.

Is that it?

Parker, you'’ve been a miner since you were a kid.

Is this your experience talking or your sister'’s emotion?

I may be putting it on a little bit heavy,

but you were pushing Rafe around for a long time.

and I think I got a good idea why, too.

And it'’s just possible you might be just as happy to leave

him sealed up in that cave.Why--

[ gasps ]

Ow!

[ grunts ]

[ panting ]

Alright men, what do you say we give it another try?

Just a minute, Mr. Parker.

Martha!

I'’m with you, Parker.

Good.

Me too, Mr. Parker.

Anything you want, you just sing out.

You know I'’ve always thought you was the man to run this outfit.

I always thought that.

You better go see if you can help Short.

I, huh--

I think he might wanna leave town.

Yes, sir.

Oh. And York?

If he leaves,

don'’t you think it'’d be a nice idea if you went with him?

Yes, sir.

Okay, men, let'’s go, huh?

[ crowd muttering ]

Hurry.

[ sighs ]

Hurry, please hurry.

Please!

You'’re not giving up?

But he'’s in there, I know he is.

You have to have faith.

Don'’t you understand? Time is running out.

Mary,

Mary there might be a chance.

We'’re coming into a chamber.

The place that we did the double-shoring

the day that the schoolhouse got shaken up.

Now listen, if he stayed there, there might be a chance.

I need a heavier crowbar.

Mrs. Bricker!

Mrs. Bricker, get a doctor,

and hurry, will you please?

Mary! Come back!

It'’s not safe in there!

You see anything, Mr. Bricker?

You shouldn'’t be in here, Miss Parker.

Where'’s George?

Oh, wait. Wait.

Oh.

GEORGE: Mary, you alright?

Yes, but I found him.

Oh hurry, please hurry.

It won'’t be long.

Oh, I almost forgot to wind it.

Oh.

I know you'’re going to be alright now.

I just know you will.

No one knows what happened to the original Pogarsky watch,

which saved Rafe'’s life.

It was however a watch like this.

Now the key inserts here

and it would run for 7 days, no more.

Why then that Rafe Pogarsky'’s watch

continue running four days beyond that period?

Well modern watch experts say the temperature was probably

very low at Gregory'’s Gulch and so was humidity.

Now these are factors that would give the spring

more resiliency

and keep the watch going longer.

It'’s lucky for Rafe Pogarsky that Mary Parker,

the young school teacher he later married,

didn'’t know so much about watch springs.