Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-08-15
A DISASTER ON LAKE ERIE.
The Water Works Crib Burned
Yesterday Morning.
RESULT OF A BOILER EXPLOSION
Forty-five People Were There
at the Time.
Five Bodies Have Been Recovered, and
+ Sixteen Men Imprisoned IN u Tunnel Are
supposed to Have Perished- Eighteen
Men Rescued by the Crews of Tugboats.

Associated Press Dispatch by Special Wires.
Cleveland, o., Aug. 14.-Fire, following
an explosion of boiler, destroyed tho water
works crib five miles out In Lake Erie at
an early hour this morning. Forty-fye per-
sons were In the place at the time. Five
bodies have been recovered. Sixteen men
are imprisoned In the tunnel, and 1t Is be-
lieyed they have perisheo. Others were
saved by jumping into the lake anu being
picaed up by tugs, which were attracted by
the blaze OF the burning structure. Eighteen
were snved IN this way, but IT Is known THAI
three we're drowned.
few minutes before O'Clock a boiler
In the crib exploded with terrific force, Ono
Reng of eight men was at work In the TIM
mel beneath the lake, and two more gangs
were asleep IN the crib at the time. As soon
ne the explosion occurIe ], one OF the gangs
above the lake started down the elevator to
get the gang underneath out; but while ON
the way dOwn, the power operating the
elevator gave out, and they were cut off
9Th their companions. In u few minutes,
the remainder of the party In the crib dis
coverd that their position was extremely
serious About q men and one woman we're
hemmed in by the burning crib. which WIS
OF wood and filled with inflammebe ma
terinl. Too tenified to dress they were
forced back step by step TO the waters edge
by tho advancing lire. Smoke enveloprd
them. and their only hope seemed the water
Of the lake. They we're without bouts and
three miles from shore, and had no hope of
aid reaching them. Soon the flames forced
them Into the water; and gathering any
piece OF wf8ckage possible, they jumped
into the lake. There YVES not even a ledge
around the Crib for the imperilled people
TO cling to ana they were floating near the,
burning crib, screaming for help, when The
tug j. X. 5prankle reached the scene. The
tug was in the harbor when the fire was first
seen, and though it went at full eneed to
the burning structure, the building burned
TO the waters level before the boat reached
there. Capt, Thorne OF the Sprnnkle said
he found the lake close to the fire swHrming
with men. They were all naked, and almost
exhausted. He said he saw at least one man,
throw up his arms and sink. Capt. Thorne
and his crew rescued rs of the men, aud
brought them to Cleveland.
The known dead are: Arthur Hastings,
John Martina and Michael Lynder.
A partial list Of the men in the tunnel is:
Charles Smith, Tony Kedcboiski, Frank
barrett, lnig Smirger, Alex Kortchalski,
Martin Schneider, John Martin and ---
Fitzgerald.
Daniel Hartman WAS one of those brought
in on the Sprankle. He said the first init
nation of anything wrong was the terrific
EXPLOSION which awakened him and the
others. "a fearful panic followed" he said,
.many of the men rubbing from their beds,
ind throwing themselves into the lake.
ian from my hunk and looked around, and
soon saw that the crib was doomed. The
lire spread like lightning, and there was
aardly any use fighting it. 1t soon got too
rot tor me, and jumped into the water"
q Men brought in by the tug all united in
aging that there was little hope for the men
oft in the shaft. 1.-THE elevator ia burned.''
hey said, land they are cornered down
there like rats. As soon as the air becomes
dead. they will smother
Later, foreman Van Hartman who had
returned to the crib OH the tug which rescued
him aud his fellow-workers, went down into
the tunnel shalt, depth of 100 feet. A rome
was tied around his body, SO that, If he
should have become overcome by the sinoke,
he would have beea drawn to the top He
was down In the shaft 16 minutes, and said
the men in the tunnel were alive, for he
claimed that he could hear them answer his
calls. The rug Immediately returned 10 this
city to get storage electric batteries so the
bottom of the shaft can be lighted and the
rescue OF the IA men imprisoned in the
tunnel can be effected.
Nine men were subsequently taken from
the tunnel shaft alive.
Cleveland, o., Aug. 14.-The fire
sarIy today ut the water works crib in
Lake Erie resulted In the death OF at
least 10 men and probable fatal in
juries to two others.
AT this writing, it is said that two
men are still in the tunnel, but those
rescued state that one of these, Victor
Kaufman of Canton, is dead.