The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1893-04-27
Tale of a Fearful Nichf. :.


Eben Allen tcOlorcdl co TX.
jim Murphy, miner
Tom Healey, miner
Jim dast name uni nownl, II incr
Joe McCarty, miner.
Flo Spenner. miner.
The dreadful storm raging through
out the night had dashed the lake into a
seething mass of foam Immense waves
We're rolled toward the shore by furi-
GUS east wind and carried away the
house built on top OF the crib at the
mouth OF the tunnel about threc.quar-
tiers of mile from the rumiing works
at the foot OF North street The horse
gnes and the tools used by the men.
1t was built Of heavy timbers fast
ened with iron bands. yet it was
swept into the roaring waters like
an eggshel' and washed asho G. For a
mile o. two the shore of the lake was
strewn with tlmle S, loards, tools an.
artic cs of clothing worn 10y tho men in
the Hated crib. At Gaybrcak the men
at the pumping stat on noticed that the
house on the crib lad dis a: pearc1, and
the tug Welcome took a life! oat with
crew of five in tow and headed for the
tunnel.
The yro.ress of the Welcome was
watched 10y thou a1s's OF people. When
Capt Petersen succeeded in reaching
the crib he was met 10y "A horr.b sight.
One nan, James Mile, was sti ali' Q
and cling'ng 10 a post. About him
were the 10 lies OF two or three Of his
comrades.
Miller was safely brought ashore, and
told story of peril and su fering which
has rarely teen equalcd on the lakes.
Fifteen men were On the crib. The
lake had been very rough, the men en-
land lad not tecn able TO get out to
them, the provision gave out. and the
doomed men ate their asst meal think
ing that Ger amy before n chtfall the
bo:t would b, allie t. reach them.
In the evening the storm increased
and the men b, came alarmed. They
had cCnfidtn in the strength of Il cir
ouse, however, a d confined their
work. 1t was not un IL abou. @ clock
at the men i y appreciated her po-
sition. Work was opped a the men,
one and all, determined 20 seei safety
in The air shaft The big cast-iron
cover was raised and the fifteen men
de cenuel into the tub, clinSing rs best
they could to the ladder.
There out in the lake in the midst of
the furious gale they listened TO the
Storm outside an h ard the waves beat
against their rcfI e and literally tear
t cir shelter apart. Eu- they know they
were safe The water could not get
into he sEcft, and under .hc ,ircum-
stances they could live there for many
i hours. Thu steady click o: the auto
| ma ic pump fer ing air and life into
their subteranean prison cheered hem
| to further efforts TO save their lives.
SO the hours sped en-. All through
! that fearful night he men hung to the
| ladder and heard the w. cs which every
second were smash n AMI pounding
and tearing at the lite house on top.
Piece ~ piece and part by part the
| cribhouse was washed away. and at : X
o'clock TIE air pump. thu mainstay o.
| tho impriscnc men. was washed ava
! They did not hear it ! o. but its loss
| was plainly made known to them 10y the
| slow but steady rise o the wa'eT in the
| tube and the increasing fou!ness of
| the atmosphere. Slowly but surely
| the water climbed up on the men.
AMI they knew that the time had
! come for action. A consultation Was
held and for over two hours the men
| Eesitated. Some We're in favor Of wait
| in, in the shaft Until the last moment.
others thought break for the top of
the crib at once their hest chance. It
/ was ut best choice OF two evils and
almost ,crta n death in either case.
| 1t was decided to leave, Only five
succeeded in reaching the outs!dh. The
nine men who were not st cny enough
+, to get cut were drowned ly the wa sr
coming into he shaft, and UT ont of
the five who got cut were manGlcd or
drowned by til" tremendous coils which
were dashed oyer the crib.
| The first known OF the disaster was
| Thursday morn NJ when those living
on the shore missed the familiar build
! ing out in the lake. TIE shanty was
gene and the beach WAS strewn with its
broken remnants. The beach was filled
, with weeping women whose cries for
! lost husbands and fathers arose even
above the su.lcn loar OF the waves.
crowd gazing h,lrl ss'y across the
| water. Finally some forms we c
seen on the deck of tie crib. With
the aid OF telescopes it was made out
that there were six men there who were
way n, their arms to The people on
shore. Every huge wave SWEET over
them and it seemed a, if they would be
washed away at any instant. For he urs
! the crowd watched the men. and no.
un il 1l:.J ha | the weather moderate d
sufficiently 10 allow the life Oat 10 &C
out
AS none of the 10 lies have bee.
washed ashore the supposition is that
they are in the airshaft where the men
were drowned. Miller. the II an rescued
went from Chicago not long ago. His
family now lives in milwaukee,.
Thursday evening at & O'Clock the
revenue cutter Andy Johnson, with tho
life-savins crew and boat aboard, made
two attempts 10 r. arh tn" crib, but the
sea WAS SO heavy that nothing could be
accomplished.
OF the blame of this fearful loss o.
lie little can be sad. There is feel.
jnr that the Chicago contractors were
Mt tault in leaving such numb,r o
men in an unprotected position
Others lay the blame at tho door o
the lifc-savins crew, whCm they accuse
| If diiatory and hil'-hea ted attempts
to save the men. Capt. Peterson of The
life saving sat on was mott ed OF thu
disaster shortly after ) O'clock. and hat
PROMPT action been taken then it is
| POSSIBLE that the six men alive ther
could have been: saved. 4 pier was
within about coo fc of tho crib, ant
how ter could easily have thrown ;
| life-l ne to the men.
AS il was, Petersen did not arrive a
the scene until : o'clock: and then drov,
there in n carriage. with a member o
the crew. He Wake. mp and down thu
beach for n time and decided then tina
nothing conld be done. and that he couf'
not get his Loaf ous. This, however
was housed some five mics away from
the scene OF the disaster, 1t is not i'm
prot ehIe hat po..llar sentiment viii
demand an investigation OF his conduct
| ETiefict:.