The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-08-14
five LIVES
KNOWN TO
Be LOST.
Terrible Result Of Explosion In
WdteTworkS Crib In Lake
Erie, or Cleveland.

Cleveland. Aug H-A fire following an
explosion of boiler destroyed the water
works crib three miles out In Lake Erie
early this morning. There were as per-
sons in the place at the time. Five bodies
have been recovered.
Fourteen are imprisoned In tho tunnel
and Il is believed they have persisted.
Others saved themselves by jumping in
to the lake and were picked up by tugs
which were attracted by the blaze OF the
burning struc -ure. 1t is known that
three of these were drowned.
Eighteen men were rescued from the
water and brought here
few minutes before o'clock boiler
In the crib exploded with terrific force.
One gang OF eight men was al work in
the tunnel beneath the lake and two more
gangs were asleep In the crib at the time.
As soon as the explosion occurred one OF
the gangs above the water started down
the elevator to get the working gang out,
but on the way down the power opersi-
ing the elevator gave out and they were
cut off with their companions.
In few minutes the remainder Of the
party in the crib discovered that their
position was ,Ntremely critical
About twenty-one men and one woman
were hemmed in by the burning crib
which was OF wood and was flies With in
1srmable matter. Too terrified to dress
they were forced step by step 70 ,he wa
ter's edge by the advancing Ere They
were without boats, and three miles from
shore. Soon the flames forced their way
into water and gathering any piece
OF wreckage possible they jumped into the
lake.
There was not even ledge around the
crib for the imperiled people to cling TO-
and they were floating near the crib
screaming for help when the tug Sprankle
reached the scene. Tho tug was In the
harbor when the fire was frst seen and.
though II went at full speed TO tho barge
structure. the building had burned 10 the
waters level when II reached there.
Capt. III. Thorne, OF the tug j. r.
Sprankle, said he found the lake in the
vicinity of the fire swarming with men
They were all naked and were swimming
about in the water almost exhausted
He says that he saw at least one man
throw up his arms In despair and sink
Capt. Thorne and his crew rescued Is
of the men and brought them TO Cleve-
land.
Danlel Hartman was one OF those
brought i'm on the Spranke He said
the first intimation OF anything wrong
was the terrific explosion which awakened
him and the others.
"A fearful panic followed" he said.
many OF the men rushing from their beds
and throwing themselves into the lake
i ran from my bunk and looked arouna
and soon saw that the crib was doomed
The fire spread 40 rapidly that there was
hardly any use fighting It, II soon got
too hot tor me and / Jumped into the
water"
Later Foreman Van Hartman, who had
returned TO the crib on the tug which
rescued him and his fellow workmen
went down into the tunnel shaft. a depti,
of 40 feet. A rope was tied around his
body 30 that II he should have become
overcome by smoke ne would have been
drawn 10 the top. He was down in the
shaft for is minutes and said the men in
the tunnel were alive. for he claimed that
he could hesr them answer his calls.
The tug Immediately returned to this
city to get storage electric batteries so
the bottom OF the shaft can be lighted
and the rescue OF the II men imprisoned
in the tunnel can be effected.
Nine men were subsequently taken from
ths tunnel shaft alive.
Following IL n list OF the dead and In
tina. drowned Mike Snyder drowned:
Arthur Hasty. drowned: Victor Ksuf-
man, Canton. suffocated: Ave men. i>Smea
unknown. burned to death.
Iniured-John Lee broken back: %
Braddock frightfully burned.