Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-08-17

Cleveland, Aug. 15.-Five men We're
burned TO death, four We're drowned,
three, and possibly four, were suifo-
Gated, ana several injured rs the result
Of II fire which destroyed II temporary
water-works crib, two miles off the
Cleveland harbor, yesterday.
Twcnty.siX men Obcyed the order of
Manager Van Dcusen when the flames
broke ont, and took refuge in the water
on tloating pieces OF wrrcknge. -Four
Of them lost their hold and sank just ns
help reached their comrades.
The crew of the tug j. Il. Sprankle
heard the fire whistle blown from the
crib, and raced to the scene from the
harbor. She picked up Is of the sur
vivUrs.
Van Deusen and three of his men
We're hanging in the water from q
pinch line suspended from the crib,
Just as the line was burning away
above the mems heads, Il ynwl boat
from the barge Wilhelm, manned by
two men, dashed into the veil Of heat
and smoke that enyelopcd the crib and
ltSNuN' thN iptl oii iol''' e' 'hS
risk Of the boatmen's lives. The men
picked up in the water We're brought
to the city on the tug Spranilr, They
We're naked. exhausted and badly
burned. Many Of them We're cut by
falling timbers.
The crib is Il total loss. 1t was II
frame building 200 by 80 feet the sides
sheathcd with iron. 1t contained val
liable machinery. 1t is now Il charrcd,
shapeless mass of wreckagr. and
mingled with the hlnckencd timbers
are twisted pieces of plates of iron and
steel.
The crib ana machinery were the
property of Smaller n Srhnlnglau, con-
tractors. Their loss will exceed $780,
900.
Fire and harhor tugs reached the
crib soon after the flames broke out.
but the structure was beyond saving.
The tugs circled around the burning
and playing heavy streams upon the
flames. After an hours work the fire
men obtained n foUthold on the crib
above the roaring furnace and fought
every inch. and finally 50; the fire under
control.
Efforts were made to reach the men
imprisoned in the tunnel. whose air
by the breaking of the compressed air
machinery. but the iron work at the
mouth of the shaft WAS red hot and
water thrown on it turned into steam.
Finally. after Il delu.r Of water had
been thrown OH the shaft entrance. Il
voice was heard from the bottom. call
ing for help. a lin" was quickly
dropped and the man ut the bottom was
pulled to the surface. In quick sue
cessOn seven others were brought up.
They reported two others lying uncOn-
SciOus on the bottom. \ volunteer was
lowered, and they were brought up.
Three men are lying dead in the tunnel
too far from the shaft to he reached.
The fire was due to an Ovcrhrntel
boiler smOkcStack. The boiler pXplOd-
ed soon after the flames broke ont. The
tunnel. which has been under course of
construction for several years past, and
is still far from complete. has been the
cause of the loss of more than 80 lives.
Mayor Johnson expressed great in
dignatio when he learned that no boats
or life prcServcrs were provided as Il
safety measure by the contractors ut
the crib. He declared that the casl.
would receive the closest investigation
and those found guilty of criminal ne
glect in thu matter would be prosecuted
to the full extent of the law.
Late yesterday, afternoon Plummer
Jones. an employe of the tunnel con
tractors, and one of party of re cuc.s
who descended into the shaft to look for
the missing men. was overcome by gas
and expired within few minutes. His
body lies in the tunnel, - feet from
the bottom of the shaft, and is covered
with water. The life line attached to
the body became fouled. and could not
be pulled out. David Kelly. another
member of the rescuing party, was over
come by gas, and is in a precariOus cen
dition.