The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-12
ELEVEN LIVES WERE LOST
EXPLOSION OF GAS IN A BIG
WATER WORKS TUNNEL
Second That Has Occurred In the
Hole in the Ground, Eight Men
Having Been Killed by the First
Accident, About Six Weeks Since
-Rescuing Party Overcome by
Foul Air-FOund Unconscious.

CLEVELAND, O., July 1.-THE lives
of eleven men were snuffed out in the
twinkling Of an eye this evening in
the big waterworks tunnel tina. IS be-
Lake Erie, as the result of AN explo-
sion of gas.
Following are the names Of tic Sc
who were killed:
Frank Hancy
John Parks. foreman, so years old and
single.
James Parks. brother of John, 80 years old
John Fradey. an Italian, % years Cd and
single.
Tony Brunnetti, Italian, % years old and
SINGLE
Frank Lamba. Italian, IS years old and
single
Emerson Smith, brcklayer, "A years old,
John McCauley, q years old, married
william tucker, colored, 26 years old and
Gus Wattes, % years of age, wife and SOW
eral children.
Fred Clements, married, with several chill
dren.
The tunnel is an immense affair, be-
ing projected to extend outward irc m
the shore to the distance of four and a
half miles, and it has been under con-
struction for more than a year. The
work has been attended with great
difficulty. About six weeks ago there
was an explosion of gas at the shore
end of the big hole, which killed eight
men and injured a number Of others.
Soon afterwards big pocket of quick
sand was struck, and work was stop
ped for some time. The contractors
then asked for permission to defect
| the course of the tunnel from the route
fixed by the committee of engineers,
but it was refused. Work was finally
resumed and had progressed unevent-
fully until this evening, when this lat
est and NEST horrible accident came
EVERY WITNESS DEAD.
The explosion occurred at a few min
utes after Z o'clock this evening, but
| nobody will ever be able to tell what
caused 1t, or how it happened, for
every witness Is dead and the bodies
lying where they fell, 5000 feet from
the shore of the lake.
The only man who escaped death is
Con O'Donnell, who was stationed $3.50
feet from the shore. He heard the ex-
pios1on or series of explosions. There
were ten of them. The effect was ter
rible, as the force threw him off his
feet, and for some time afterwards he
was in such a dazed condition as not
to know what had happened. He final
ly groped his way out.
Patrick Women and Michael Heenay
were the first to enter the tunnel after
the explosion. They made their way
| 5000 feet from the shore, but were
! there overcome by gas and fell to the
foor. When they starred to return.
James Clements, son of one of the men
who was killed, and mule tender,
started to their relief. He found them
almost unconscious over the mule ira OK
and brought them to the surface. The
Would-be rescllrers say all was booked
UP near the 5000 feet lock, and they
! could go no further
A second rescuirg party was made
UP OF Patrick Gaylons, Mike McAuley
| Dan Readers, Barney Hughes and Ed
| Corbett. 1t failed utterly in accom-
pllshinG arything, as the tunnel was
filled with foul gas and smoke In an
interview Ed Corbett said:
| When we got out 800 feet we found
the electric lights were not BURNING
from there out. The gas and smoke
were terrible. We had wet handker-
| ch1eTS over our noses and mouths and
went 200 feet further into the pitchy
| darkness, but the gas ard smoke al
most overcame Us and we were forced
to return. Nothing can be accomp- ish-
ed In the way of getting the bodies un-
til the tunnel is lighted and the sulphur
! gases and smoke are cleared out. 1t l.:
! sure death to try to reach the bodies
now. AS far out as we got the base
| of the tunnel was covered to the depth
| of foot with a substance resembling
snow In its appearance"