The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-01-27
TRAPPED IN TUNNEL.
WORKMEN PERISH IN LAKE
MICHIGAN TUNNEL.
Men Who Were Working In Crib Un-
der Surface Blown to Pieces, Burn
ed to Death or Drowned Before Aid
Arrives.


Chicago. Jan. 20.-Blown in pieces
by exploding powder, burned TO
death by the resultant FIRE. or drown
ed In the icy waters Of Lake Michigan
was the fate today Of some so work.
men who were working on a subma-
rine tunnel at a wooden crib. a mile
and half from shore.
The crib was used In the construc-
tion Of tunnel connecting with the
South Side shore Of the city at Sew
enty-third street. 1t is known that s5
workmen were employed in the crib
and the connecting tunnel at the time
of the explosion, which started the
fire and blew or drove men into the
water. The work Of the destroying
elements was begun so unexpectedly
and reaped its harvest of dead and
injured with such swiftness that the
contracting frm of George w. Jack
SON and the rescurers have been un-
to arrive at anything like an accurate
list Of those who perished or of others
who escaped the fury of the fiames or
the ICY waters Of the lake.
All South Side hospitals are filled
with injured men tonight. City fire
boats and tugs OF the constructing
company made frequent trips far into
the night to the scene Of the disaster
through the heavy ice foes.
The disaster apparently had its ori-
gin In q powder house Of small d.
mensions. situated about 100 yards
from the crib structure proper. but
at the same time heing q part of the
general structure.
The dull detonation. muffied as 1t
was by the crunching or floating Ice
against the crib and the atmosphere
laden with heavy fog. simply aroused
the attention Of the workmen. accord
Ing to survivors. and 1t was not until
the heat Of the names and the stifiing
smoke penetrated the so-called civ
ing room" OF the crib and the tunnel
beneath the waters OF the lake that
the full import OF the disaster dawn
cd upon the workmen cut OF from
quick succor. .
One Of the worl;men with q cooler
head than his fellows made his way
through the smoke to q little inclos-
ure in which was q telephone and
gave this hurried message to the
shore station:
The crib II on fire. For Gods
sake send help at once or we will be
burned alive. The tug"
At this point communication ceased
and through the fog an occasional
burst Of fame and the unmistakabie
odor Of smoke made It known to the
watchers on shore that the telephone
message was In earnest.
The TUG T. T. Morford was the frat
to begin rescuing the frensied work
men.
After several hours OF heroic work
ON the part Of the rescuers 30 work
men were rescued. When the iire tug
| Conway and its crew had finally
Qtsnched the flames IS bodies had
been carried to the shore and placed
In morgues in South Chicago, await
ing Identification.
According to the records Of the
construction company, ls men are
missins. the estimate being made
from the latest poy roll. When In.
formed that So bodies had been re-
covered, the construction company
explained that extra men are hired
from day to day. This. II IL said. will
account for the seven additional dead
Acting on . report that men have
been seen clinsing to Ice foes some
distance from the scene of the disas-
ter. Fire Chief Koran has ordered the
f,re tug Illinois to patrol the lake dur
ing the night in the hope Of rescue.
The police already have started an
investigation with view OF placing
the responsibility for the disaster, and
Coroner Hoffman. after impanellng q
jury. will continue the inquest for a
week. In the meantime Geo. W
Jackson. president of the construc.
tion company. has made arrange
ments to provide burial plots for the
victims. the majority OF whom de.
pended upon their hazardous toll In
the tunnel for living for themselves
and their families.
! The only honorable and honest way