Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-01-10
1InEY FOUGHT FOR LIFE.
Twenty Men Caught Like Rats
in a Caisson.
SIXTEEN ARE PROBABLY DEAD.

The water Rushed Into the Caisson and
but -Four oat OF Twenty Men Escaped.
They Fought Like Demons with Their
Desperate Companions.
LOUISVILLE, Jan. l0-sixteen men work
ing in a caisson used ia tho excavation Of a
foundasi6a for pier OF the new bridge
across the Ohio river between this city and
Jacksonville were caught by a sudden burst
of water, causes, II is thought, by too
rapid excavation, and are believed to have
been drowned Engines and workmen were at
work all night trying to pump out the water,
repair the break and extricate the men, but
thus far without success. The caisson is To-
Gated 200 yards from the Kentucky bank, in
about twenty-five feet Of water. Twenty
snen were at work in it The caisson proper
is twelve feet under water, and is reached
by manhole shaft, which projects above
the waters surface. This shaft is reached
by four trap doors from the interior Of the
caisson.
Caught Like Rats In a Trap.
Shortly before o'clock last evening, while
the men were excavating the bottom Of the
caisson, the water from the river burst I'M
der the edge Of the huge machine and the
unfortunate workmen were caught like rats
in trap. OF the twenty men in the caisson
when the flooding was first noticed Abe Tay-
Tor, Frank Haddox, Louis Couch and James
Morrill, succeeded in reaching the traps to
the manhole shaft and escaped.
sixteen Have Probably Persisted.
The fate OF the others is yet unknown, but
there is hardly a possibility that any Of them
are alive Those still in the caisson ares
Thomas Johnston, Monroe Boiling, John
Knox, foreman; Frank Mayer, Fred. Soaper,
Joseph McAdams, Tom Ash, Hamilton Nor
ris, w. r. Haynes Reuben Tyler, Chris
Childs Thomas Smith, John Gordon, Louis
Cox and Peter Nailor.
A Survivors, story.
Abe Taylor, one Of the survivors. tells the
following story Of the accident, and the
horrible fight for life OF the panic stricken
workmen imprisoned IL the air chamber be-
meath the bed Of the river The men were
at work in the soft bottom Of the river
They made such rapid progress in the muddy
surface that the excavation went down
faster than the caisson, whose grent weight
was expected TO carry it gradually down.
keeping pace with the work Of excavating,
to a rock foundation.
They Fought Like Demons.
An unusual quantity Of water began to
trickle from under the caisson's edges, but
the pumps were at work taking il out and
no apprehension was felt Gradually the
incoming tide increased until suddenly from
under the edge Of the caisson on every side
a food rushed in. The men too late realized
their deadly peril, and all rushed for the
exit into the escape pipe Immediately
around the little trap door which admitted
70 liberty and life the unfortunates fought
like demons, all knowing that but few of
them could pass through the inner trap be-
fore the air chamber was completely filed
by the inrushing tide
Only one could 60 through at a time, and
as one man gained a pre-eminence, he was
snatched by his frenzied companions and
drawn back into the struggling crowd.
Meanwhile the food rose swiftly and re-
lentlessly. The caisson roof was scarcely
higher than the mems heads, and to be left
behind was Thought TO be certain death.
Tho Foreman's Despairing Cry.
Taylor says no was the last OF the sur
vivors to escape into the outer lock- As he
escaped from the clutches Of dozen hands
and leaped through the trap into the outer
lock ne heard Knox the foreman, shouting,
s'For Gods sake, boys it's getting over my
head; let the shortest men 60 first
The trap fell back behind Taylor and shut
his doomed comrades from view. 1t is sup
posed that before any others could escape
they were ali drowned.
Some May Possibly BE Rescued.
The workmen at the pumps however,
think there is chance that some Of the inn
gauge on the engine which pumps air into
the caisson shows strong and steady pres
sure of air in the air shaft and caisson, and
1t is thought possible that the compressed
air in the caisson will be sufficient to keep
the water from rising TO the top, and that
some Of the men may be able TO keep their
heads above water until relieved