The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-01-21
CRIB BURNS AND
So MEN LOSE
THEIR LIVES
Holocaust in Temporary Struc-
ture on Lake Michigan
BODIES ARE UNRECOGNIzABLE
Wooden Structure Was Nearly Mile
From shore-Many Victims
Were Drowned.

Chicago. Jan 21.-Blown to pieces
by exploding powder. burned to death
~ the resultant fire. or drowned in
the icy waters of Lake Michigan, was
the rate yesterday of some SO work.
men who were working on a subma-
rlne tunnel at wooden crib, a mile
and half from shore. The crib was
used in the construction of a new sub
marine water tunnel connecting with
the South Side shore of the civ
IL Is known that 80 workmen were
employed In the crib and the con.
meeting tunnel at the time OF the ex.
plosion, which started the fire and
blew or drove the men into the water
The work of the destroying element
was begun so Unexpectedly and reap
ed its harvest of dead and injured
with such swiftness, that the con
tracing firm of George w. Jackson
and the rescuers have been unable Ia
arrive at anything like an accurate
list Of those who persisted. All South
Side hospitals are filed with injured
men.
Owing to the difficulty experienced
by small craft in reaching the Grill
during the winter most OF the work
men employed on the work. particu
larry those who had no families. SLEPT
in temporary hunks at the crib. II
was just as these men had been
awakened for the days work that the
explosion occurred. The explosion
is thought to have had its origin in q
small powder house about 100 yards
from the crib structure proper.
The defamation, muffied by the
crunching OF floating ice against the
crib and the atmosphere laden with
heavy fog. simply aroused the atten
ton of the workmen, according tC
survivors, and 1t was not until the
heat of the flames and the stifiinf
smoke penetrated the so-called "liv
I ling room" of the crib and the tunne
beneath the waters of the lake, tina
the full import of the disaster dawn
ed upon them
One OF the workmen. with a cooler
head than his fellows. abandoned tn,
shouting and frantic men on the Grill
! platform. and made his way through
the smoke to little inclosure IL
which was telephone that communi
Gated with the shore station. Tn,
drowsy attendant on shore wa.
brought into action by violent ring
ing OF the telephone bell. and this wal
the message which set on foot tbs
work of rescue:
The crib is on fire. For Godi
sake send help at once or we will b.
burned alive. The Tug" AT THU
point communication ceased.
The tug in charge of Captain John
son, at anchor within a short dis
lance of the imperiled crib, was the
first to get into the work of rescue
The ice made II impossible for tn,
tug to reach the improvised pier, bu
small boat was used to carry the in
iured to the steamer and to rescue
those who had plunged into the wat
ers OF the lake rather than face tht
flames which were raging in th'
crib structure.
After several hours Of heroic worl
thirty-nine workmen were rescued
When the fire tug Conway and it
crew had finally Quenched the flames
80 bodies had been carried to thu
shore and placed in the morgues IL
South Chicago, awaiting identified
ton. The bodies of the victims IL
the majority of instances were unre
| cogniZable