The Detroit times., 1909-01-21
50 MEN ARE DEAD
IN CHICAGO CRIB
DISASTER
VICTIMS BLOWN TO PIECES,
BURNED TO DEATH OR DROWN
ED IN ICY WATERs-WERE EN-
PLOYED IN TUNNEL.

CHICAGO, Jan. 21.-Fifty-three men
were killed as the result OF the fire In
the intermediate" crib of Seventy
third-st. yesterday. The work OF the
destroying clements was accomplish
ed so suddenly that the contracting
firm OF George w. Jackson and the
rescuers cannot give an accurate list
of the dead. Fifty-three, though, Ia
considered conservative estimate.
The victims were blown To pieces by
exploding powder. burned to death by
Abe resultant fire or drowned In the
icy waters OF Lake Michigan. They
were employed In submarine tunhel
at the wooden crib. mile and a half
from share The crib was used in the
construction of new submarine wa
ter tunnel connecting with the soutn
side shore OF the city.
Owing to the difficulty experienced
by small craft in reaching the crib
during the winter, most OF the work
men employed on the work. particular
" 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
and subsequent frecaused the pande-
monium which resulted in the great
loss of life.
AS nearly as the investigators have
been able to ascertain the explosion
had its origin in powder house or
h email dimensions, situated about lOO
yards from the crib structure proper,
but at the same time being a part
of the general structure built on found
ations resting on the bottom or the
lake at this point In this Clubhouse
the George w Jackson Co. stored from
time 10 time. just enough powder ana
dynamite for urgent use IN the WORK
Of constructing the water tunnel ana
in some manner, not yet known, the
explosives were put into action.
Workman Gives Alarm.
The dull defamation, muffied as II
was by the crunching OF floating Ice
against the crib and the atmosphef9
laden with heavy fog, simply
aroused the attention OF the work
men, according TO survivors. and 1t
was not until the heat Of the flames
and the sitting smoke penetrated the
so-called ''liying room" OF the crib and
the tunnel beneath the waters OF the
lake that the full import OF the dis
aSter udWneu upon tire WI hh'N"' 49,
OF from quick succor
One of the workemne. with cooler
head than his fellows, abandoned the
shouting and frantic men on the crlD
platform and made his way through
the smok To- little enclosure In
which was telephone that com
municated with the shore station. The
.drowsy attendant on shore was
brought into action by violent ring
ing of the telephone bell, and this was
the message that set on foot the work
of rescue.
The crib is on fire For Gods sake
send help at once or We Will be burn
ed alive. The tug
At this point communication ceased
and, through the fog. an occasional
burst OF flame and an unmnstakable
pdor Of smoke made il known to the
watchers on shore that the telephone
message was in earnest.
The tug r. T. Morford, in charge of
bCapt. Johnson had forced its prov
earlier in the morning to an anchor
age within a short distance OF the i'm
periled crib. and this boat was the
first to get into the work OF rescuing
the frenzied workmen. The ice made
Il impossible for the tug TO reach the
improvised pier, but a small boat was
placed In service to carry the injured
to the steamer and to rescue those
who had plunged into the waters OF
the lake rather than face the flames.
which were raging on the crib stric-
ture.
So Bodies In Moreue.
After several hours Of heroic WORK