The sun., 1901-08-15
LAKE TUNNEL HORROR
Flames Bring Death to Ten In New
Cleveland WaterwOrks.
HEROIC WORK SAVES MANY.
Big Crib Two Miles Out In the lake
Was burned, and Air Had been
Cut or From Deep Sub
marine Tunnel.

Cleveland, o., Aug. 14.-Fire has de-
stroyed a temporary waterworks crib
two miles out in the lake, resulting in
the death of at least ten men, while
two others were probably fatally in
jured.
In addition to a large number of
workmen who We're In the crib, III
others were at work in the tunnel lead
ing from it 200 feet below the bottom
of the lake. As air which was pumped
from the crib to supply the men work
ing in the tunnel was cut off as re-
suit of its destruction, it was at first
supposed that these men had all per-
ished. subsequently, however, nine of
the men in the tunnel We're rescued
after heroic work upon the part of their
fellow workmen.
Following is n list of the dead and
injured so far as now known: John
Martina. drowned; Mike Snyder,
drowned: Arthur TASTY, drowned; Vic
tor Kaufman. Canton. sutfocated; five
men, names unknown. burned to death;
John Lee. broken back; o. Braddock,
frightfully burned.
Fire and harhor tugs with rcscuing
parties OH board reached the crib soon
after the flames broke out but when
they arrived the structure was seeth-
Ing mass of flames and all hope of saw
ing it was abandoned.
Men could br distinguished swim
ming and floating In the water shouting
for help. The tugs circled around the
burning crib, picking up men from the
water ana meantime playing heavy
streams upon tho flames.
Grent work by the Firemen.
After an hours hard work the flames
were diminished enough so that the
firemen could climb up the charrcd
steps ana fight the fire from the inte-
ri0r. Then the horror of the calamity
was first realized. Everything WAS Il
total wreck. While the iiremcn We're
! pouring water on the flames there was
a roaring furnace beneath which could
not be reached. But the tircmcn clnng
to their places and fought every incl
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 wer,
| In the attitude of prayer, They must
have been awakened by the fire, but
could not escape They were caught
4 like rats III Il trap. one body was
| burned to almost nothing. All that
could DO found Of It was n skull and
some bones, The bodies Of two Other
men lay close 10 those that were OF
their knees. ana ii looked az though
they never knew what happened K
them. They must have been Suifocatet
! before the flames reached them.
Ways and means were being devised
meantime to reach the men imprisone,
in the tunnel, whose air supply ha'
apparently been shut off entirely b,
the burning of the compressed mir ma
chinery. A times II was thought tina
voices could nr heard down below. \
the mouth of the Shaft il was like
furnace. and the iro> work was rcdho
from lHt llilllPS. NV NHt'l tiihI WI
thrown ON il turned into steam ut once
Appeal For Help HNard.
Finally. after Il drlugc of water hat
been thrown on the Sm0ldering Shaf
entrance. voice was heard from TIL
bottom calling for help.
For Gods sake throw down rope
throw dswn rope 4 man called.
? A line was quickly dropped down til
, Shaft ana as it tightened shout o
I. joy wen, up from those about. for
: was quickly observed that the man 4
=. the bottom was able 10 grasp il.
He yelled again to tile mscucrs t
/. pull Him mp. Slowly and carefully Ii
+ was raised. His pnllil face covere
T. with slime. his staring eyes and hraN
ing chest. told of the horror lie lii
gone through in the hours lie La
spent in the tunnel. lie was Wllai
Curry of Canton. As soon as he coul
. gasp he said:
"rhry are III at the bottom Of I'll
shaft; hurry up
In quick succession seven Other
We're brought NJ from the foul and st
ding air of the tunnel. All were in
most pitiablr condition. They repoltc
that two other men were lying unco
I sciouS AT the bottom of the shaft.
workman volunteered to rescue the.
> men and he was quickly lowered in
the shaft. In a few moments tho ii
conscious men were brought up mo-
dead than alive.
!. II" lire which destroyed the crib W.
: due 10 an 0verhcatcd boiler smok
, stack. The boiler exploded soon art
: the ilampS broke out