The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-15
Men Caught Like Rats in q Trap.
Corpses Found in Attstude
Of Prayer.
SEVERAL OF THE BODIES RECOVERED
Work Of the Tugs in Rescuing Men Imprisoned
by The Flames in the Tunnel. Drag.
ged From Foul and Stiff
ing Tomb.
(By the Associated Press.)


Cleveland, Ohio. August n.-Fire early
today destroyed temporary water-works
crib two miles out in the lake, resulting
in the death of at least ten men, while
Fire and harbor tugs with rescuing par
ties on board reached the crib soon after
the flames broke out, but when they ar
rived the structure was a seething mass
of flames and all hope of saving it was
abandoned
Men could be distinguished swimming
and floating in the water and shouting
for help. Others were swinging to ropes
which they had hitched or tied to the
rafters, but the flames were burning the
ropes away, while the men were stark
naked, and one by one they were falling
into the lake.
The tugs circled around the burning
crib picking up men from the water and
in the meantime playing heavy streams
upon the flames.
After an hours hard work the flames
were diminished enough SO that the fire.
men could climb up the charred steps and
fight the fire from the interior. Then the
horror of the calamity was first realized
Everything was total wreck. While the
firemen were pouring water on the flames
there was a roaring furnace beneath
which could not be reached But the
firemen clung to their places and fought
every inch of the way until the fire was
under control. After two hours of hard
work five charred human bodies were
found burned beyond recognition. Two
ir,f fh<, nff itv,In -
have been awakened by the fire but could
not escape. They were caught like rats
in a trap. One body was burned to al
most nothing All that could be found OF
it were a skull and some bones. The
bodies of two other men lay close to those
that were on their knees and it looked
as though they never knew what hap.
pened to them. They must have been suf-
focated before the flames reached them
As soon as the five bodies were dis
covered the tug Kennedy returned to the
harbor at once and notified the coroner
of the discovery. While this was going
on ways and means we're being devised to
reach the men imprisoned in the tunnel
whose air supply had apparently been
shut off entirely by the burning of the
compressed air machinery. At times it
was thought that voices could be heard
down below and the life-savers and the
firemen peered down with ears intent, but
the sounds ceased again. At the mouth
of the shaft it was like furnace and
the ironwork was red hot from the flames
Finally after deluge water had been
thrown on the smolderng shaft entrance,
a voice was heard from the bottom, call
ing for help.
For Gods sake throw down rope
throw down a rope,' man called.
line was quickly dropped down the
shaft and as it frightened a shout of joy
went up from those about, for it was
quickly observed that the man at the
bottom was able to grasp it.
He yelled again to the rescuers to pull
him up. Slowly and carefully he was
raised His pallid face, covered with
slime. his staring eyes and heaving chest,
told of the horror he had gone through
in the hours he ad spent in te tunnel.
He was William Curry, Of Canton. As soon
as he could gasp Curry said
They are all at the bottom of the
shaft, hurry up.
In quick succession seven others were
brught up from the foul and stiffing air
of the tunnel. All were in a most pitia-