The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-04-22
Terrible Result of the Storm Which
Has Ragged Throughout the
Country.
The House at the Milwaukee Water
Crib swept Into Lake
Michigan.
Nearly Twenty Workmen Employed
There Observation-Disclosures At
tempt at Rescue.

MILWAUKEE, April 2l.-In a gale,
which for years mas lot been equaled on
the Great Lakes. the crib at the end of
the intake tunnel, situated some 5000
feet out in the lake, was washed away,
and of II men who were employed there
in the shaft which reaches to the shore,
but six are now known to be alive. The
balance are believed to have been
drowned. Some were doubtless
washed off by the huge bill
lows which have been tumbling
on the shore, and others persisted in the
air shaft where they sought shelter and
which is now, filed with water. The
following are known to have been in
the crib: Michael Dwyer, engineer;
Jack McBaine, engineer: George Gregg.
lockman; Joe Mueller, miner; William
Priestly, miner; Joseph Mccarthy,
miner; Eben. Allan, cook; George
Wholly, miner. and Fred Spanner,
miner.
At daylight no vestige either of the
crib or the house that surrounded it,
could be seen. and but faint traces of
the government breakwater that WIS
hidden in the mountains of surf that
broke over it. The entire prospect, as
far as the eye could reach, was one
awful spectacle of
Boiling, Roaring BiIlows
that seemed to unite with the clouds in
the bays. On the beach were two lum-
Der laden craft hat had vainly sought
shelter behind the breakwater, while
the shore was strewn with the wreck
age. About 200 feet of the breakwater
which was thought to be staunch
enough to withstand the severest storm
had been washed away and the mas
sive timbers and planks were tumbled
in disordered heaps upon the shore.
The perspective was n of destruc-
ton, and instantly the wind reverted to
The Dreadful Situation
of the men, who were every morning
such familiar figures on the works. The
people acquainted with this state of
affairs on the shore concluded that the
men had, as soon as there was danger,
made for the shaft and secured them
selves. But the trouble was that the
opening to the shaft could not be Sc
cured from the inside, and, again,
it was likely that when the crib was
torn from its fastenings it would
tear away the connecting pipes and let
the water into the shaft. Another fear
was that the leak in the bottom of the
shaft would soon fill and drown the
men. 1t was an awful sight at 8 o'clock
to see the huge waves washing over the
bottom of the crib, which, being an
chored by stonework to the bottom of
the lake, still remained. Foreman Bar
bour said that he knew that there were
at least seventeen men in the crib.
Was Hope For Some.
At $50 o'clock a great shout arose
from the watchers on the beach. There
they are! There they arei" cried a little
one, dancing up and down ~excitedly.
See. they are out on top. See them,
see themi" Sure enough on the top of
the little pier could be discerned the
dim forms moving about. Cries of
THANK God" wen upfrom the women.
Telescopes were procured, but owing
to the flying surf it was with difficulty
that the men could oe seen. But there
were six of them, the remainder pre-
sumably in the lock. A little flag sent
mp on the pumping station as a signal,
was answered with a waving of hats,
and one man swung his coat. At IL
o'clock an effort wa made to reach the
wreck of the crib on a tug, but it was
unsuccessful.
Sent Out h Life Boat.
An hour later the tug Welcome took
a life boat in tow and steamed out into
the furious waves where the life boat
was cast loose and set out on its peril
Gus journey to the crib. 1t was fire.
quently hidden from view in the hollows
of the great waves, but being equipped
with self bailing apparatus it suffered
no harm and made the trip in safety.
Only One Alive.
Only Il man was found alive at the
crib, howeyerS, and he was brought
ashore in an unconscious condition and
will probably die. 1t is not known
what his name is. Late in the after,
moo the gale began to subside, and the
sea became less rough, though ths
waves still rolled very high. A search
will be made for the bodies of thu
drowned men as soon as the lake be
comes a little safer.
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