Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-10-09
A CABIN SWEPT AWAY.
NINE mxS FIND wArERY GRAVES.
A Terrible Disaster on Lake Michigan
Drowned la an angry sea within
nvtta Fem, tno sbnr,

wednesday morning ABOUT O'CLOCK an
accident occurred at the temporary crib Of
the now Hyde Park water works, south of |
Chicago. which resulted in the loss OF nine |
lives. For some time past gang of four |
teen mea have been engaged upon the new |
crib that is being constructed for the |
water works, about a mile from Chelten' |
ham Beach. At the mouth Of the tunnel, |
which leads to the shore anG above the |
crib, had been constructed . large plat. |
form, about forty feet square, supported |
by poles, which were bound together by |
heavy chains. Upon this platform had |
been built n small cabin, in which the |
men slept aud had their meals, they hav-
ing lived there for the past three weeks.
The platform was supported by heavy
timbers resting on the piles.
Wednesday morning about 3 O'Clock, the
sea became so heavy that portions Of the
platforms were washed away. The mon
awoke abont $50 O'Clock, and found spray
with every wave washing the sides of their
hut. They were not much alarmed, aud
proceeded to get their breakfast. The meal
was eaten and preparations made for the
days work. The sea, in the meantime,
ran higher, and about O'Clock, huge
wave struck the hut, tearing it from its
foundation and carrying it into the raging
water.
Then followed scene of tho most har.
| rowing description. Fourteen men were
| struggling in the debris of the building,
| and, 10 short timo not veStigo of the
| wreck was visible. Twelve of the men
succeeded in climbing upon the huge
stringers that he Id the poles together, and,
lying face down, with their arms around
the beam, they waited the arrival of
| assistance, Every moment increased
their danger, and the waves, with terrible
force tore them one by ono from the tim
bers until only eight remained. These.
within sight of the assistance that Was
coming in the shape of the life saving
crew of Chicago, olung with bleeding
hands aud waited.
In the meantime on shore everything
was being done for their rescue. The crew
of the Chicago life saving station had put
off and made for the scene of the accident,
They arrived about II o'clock, and when
they were within throwing distance a line
was made fast by the almost drowning
men to the timbers and mado tight from
the boat. Then each shiveriGg man, with
uncertain grasp, olutched tho rope aud
hand over hand worked his way toward
the boat through the surf.
| Out of eight men who made the attempt
Only four lived to tell tho tale of the terri
BILE hours that they had spent on this
spars. Ths boat, which was then about a
mile from the shore, gave way and in
twenty minutes was landed safe on the
shore, where hundreds Of people awaited
the rescue.
THE LOST.
Thoss who were drowned we're L P.
Corrbyn, contractor William Ertin,
laborer Otto Ertiu, laborer Chas.
Falk, mason; w. III. Hean, contractor ;
| Taianr lahn-ar Charlac hanulyt
laborer Charles Schmidt, laborer n.
Smith, laborer.
THE COOKS STORY.
When the lifeboat drew near the shore
q crowd of men rushed into the water aud
almost lifted the craft upon the sand. The
cook, Peter Thies, who WAS the least
affected by the intense cold and exposure,
told the following graphic story This
morning abort 5 O'Clock l got up tS get
breakfast for the fourteen men who
constituted the party. After the meal was
prepared we sat down TO eat. Before this
noticed the sea was running at a terrible
rate, but none of us'dresmed of the terri
bic thing that was TO befall US before long
Tho meal flushed, went into back
room, which was partitioned of, aud began
washing dishes. IL WAS then about :
O'Clock. had finished my work aud w1s
just about to go out when | heard loud
crack, and in moment the building in
which | stood clreene1 aud was in the
water surrounded by my companions, who
!, struggled to free themselves from the tim.
bers.
II climbed upon ous of the stringers and
helped to get several others out. Then
! began scene which l hope never to SEE
again. Every wave that came struck Us
with such forcs that the flesh was torn
, from our hands, and wo saw several OF the
poor men yield to the terrible power aud
loose their hold. When va frst reached
tho water, Bosses Hean and Corbyn
grasped large timber and were washed
away. They may have reached the shore
: in safety. When We saw tho lfeboat
about mile away new hope was given us
aud the eight then On tho timbers hung ua
until the line was thrown and We tried ouI
luck reaching the boat Only four OF u:
were successful, and man moro thank
full for his life than myself cannot b1
found"
ANOTHER SURVIVORS, NARRATIVE.
Hans ChristiansOn, one of the survivors,
told tho story of the terrible night as ht
sat toasting his feet in the kitchsn of the
engineers house. He said : When the
storm caro- up wo had no fears Tor oui
safety, bus when the storm increased We
began to think We were doomed. About
daylight, when the waves were rolling
, againt the sides OF ths shanty, we left, and
r had just got out when huge billo y
struck it broadsids and swept it off. We
clung TO the chains as best we could, but
it was hard work after Hean and CoTbyr
, were carried off, Twice the waves took
me off, but hung on to the chains, and
pulled myself on again, and stayed until
the life boat came aud took me off,"
1t is reported tonight that Klaus Claw
rem, laborer, was rescued. He had clung
to timber and was driven ashore near
South Chicago. None of the bodies Of the
drowned men have besn recovered. The
men who were rescued say that the struc
ture was not considered safe and that they
had protested against staying there Oyer
night, bat they had besn assured that il
, was perfectly secure aud that the water
would never reach it.
Repeniing suicide too Late.