The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-15
MET DEATH ON EVERY SIDE.
Wen mt WaterwOrks Crib Burned,
Drowned, md sufYocnted.

CLEVELAND, OHIO Aug. 14.-Twelve
lives were lost today through the destruc-
ton by fire of the water works crib. three
miles from shore. Caught like rats in a
burning ship, eleven men were burned to
death, suffocated, or drowned, and one of
rescuing party was also killed
The dead ara:
p. SCHMIDT
JOHN MARTIN.
PETER HASTINGS.
MICHAEL LANDER. drowned
VICTOR KAUFMAN.
ADAMS hEST, suifocated in tunnel
Five unknown men. burned to death.
PLuMNER JONES, rescuer sufocated.
1t was only by miracle that the loss
of life did not reach two score. as there
was not boat or raft at hand which the
men could use to save themselves Thirty
three men were employed at the crib.
which is at the outer end OF the water
works tunnel the gang being composed
of three shifts, each of eleven men. Two
shifts we're sleeping on the roof, while
the third was working in the tunnel, 1So
feet beneath the bottom OF the lake.
1t was little before a. m. when the
sleeping worknien were awakened by
flames burning through the roof near
them. The great stack through which the
come red hot and set the roof afiame.
The men pulled the fire whistle as a sig
nal to the shore of their danger and hur-
riod down to warn their comrades This
whistle, heard by the tug J. r. Sprankle,
was the means Of saving twenty-five
lives.
The men from the roof found the in
terror of the crib full of smoke and flame
The building was wooden shell, sheath
ed with iron. The walls were dry as tin
der and the crib was all on fire in a few
minutes after the blaze caught The men
became panicstricken and jumped into
the water. preferring to drown rather
than be burned to death. Fortunately,
one or two preserved their presence of
mind and hurled several loose boards into
the lake To -these many of the men chung
until rescued by the tug crew
Nine persisted, however. before aid ar
rived, five burning to death and four
drowning
In the meantime the men in the tunnel
were working totally unconscious that
anything was wrong above. Finally the
air became foul and they endeavored to
make their way to the shaft Several
times they were driven back by the
smoke. rescue party was formed and
u I. van DuZen was the nrSt to be
lowered down the shaft. In answer to
his calls he received a faint halo" The
gas. however, was too sitting and he was
forced to give signals to be drawn up.
a few minutes later he tried again, his
calls this time being answered by voices
much nearer. Before they reached him,
however. he WIS overcome by the gas
and was drawn up unconscious August
Mort. one of those rescued from drown
ing. was the next volunteer With a
storage battery slung on his back to give
a light in the tunnel he descended and
soon guided the imprisoned men to safety,
carrying Charles Smith, who was sup
posed to be dead, in his arms. An hours
work. however, restored Smith to con-
seriousness. Two men, Victor Kaufman
and Adams Kest, are still in the tunnel
Kaufman is known to be dead and it is
supposed that Kest is also.
Late this afternoon another rescuing
party went down into the tunnel. Plum
mer Jones. one of the members of the
party. was overcome by gas and died.