Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-20
DIE IN ROARING FIRE
ON ICY LAKE WATERS
TWenty-Three Lost Life in Chi
cago Intake Crib Fire.
TUG RESCUES FORTY-FIVE
Terror r-Maddened Men Jump From
Flames Into Lake Michigan.
POWDER MAGAZINE EXPLODES
Twenty Bodies Recovered From Tun-
nel-Survivors' Story of Hor-
rible Experience.
TUG RESCUES FORTY-FIVE
POWDER MAGAZINE EXPLODES

CHICAGO, January 20. - Twenty-three
men lost their lives today In fire which
destroyed the intermediate crib. one and
Il half miles from shore in Lake Michigan
Forty-seven. suffering from burns, cuts
or immersion in the icy waters into which
they jumped to save their lives. were res
cued This statement of casualties was
made by George W. Jackson. whose firm
was constructing the intake tunnel under
the lake and for which the crib served as
base of operations.
The dead are supposed to he imprisoned
in the tunnel under the crib. Death
might have come either from fire, smoke,
an explosion of dynamite stored there, or
the shutting off of air pipes.
In the tunnel the men worked under air
pressure. Little hope was expressed that
any of them escaped. although this can
not be known until the wreckage blocking
the entrance to the bore is removed.
Fire tugs extinguished the flames An
attempt to enter the tunnel was begun.
Story of Survivor.
Charles Rose, one of those who were
rescued his face blistered and bleeding,
told a graphic story of his escape:
FLAMES, flames, nothing but flames,
he said. They were everywhere, all
in an instant.
II knew every nook and Granny of
the place, and was able to save my
life. The other poor fellows-there
must be twenty-five of them-never had
a chance to get away.
They either attempted to rush to the
first floor or did not know on which
side the windows were. They were
more fortunate, however, than those
below in the tunnel who l fear have
perished. Those on the first floor escaped
by "a miracle. L and some others We're on
the second floor, asleep.
There was warning. Everybody
became frightened at the same instant,
for the flames leaped at us from every
direction.
Scene of Mad Terror.
There were screams and yells such as
no one could describe, and every man
rushed madly toward what he thought
were windows or doors.
We did manage somehow to get on to
the pier which the crib is built. A lot
of the men jumped into the lake, while
others of us huddled together at a far
corner of the pier.
1T was only a few minutes before the
building gone. Some boards and
timber fell into the lake and were used as
life preservers by men who might have
drowned otherwise
THE situation of those in the water
WAS awful. | counted a dozen of them.
They screamed for help until strength
to do failed them.
Wind whipped the waters into high
sea. The crashing of the big pieces of
ice together added to the danger Of the
situation
the Morford start from shore
in our direction. | should say that
forty men were asleep when he fire
started
Sixty Men in Danger.
Sixty men. twenty of them at work in
the tunnel under the crib, "A few moving
about the structure and others asleep
in their hunks, were suddenly confronted
with death by an explosion of d powder
magazine. which Immediately wrapped
the wooden structure in flames Those
who were not killed or injured by the
first fiery blasts rushed out of doors to
find no means of escape.
ON every side were the waters of Lake
Michigan, it's surface almost covered by
half distant near the shore at I'D
street lay their only hope, the tug Nor
ford. 1t could be dimly seen through
the haze OF fog and smoke.
ON the shores Il dim black line indi-
Gated the gathering of crowds attracted
by the flames. At the shore Office the
last word received from the crib was
tragic in its incompleteneSs.
The crib is on fire. For Gods sake
send help at once or we will be burned
alive. The tug
Then the telephone wire broke. The
men on shore heard no more.
Tug to the Rescue.
Capt Edward Johnson of the tug had
already hoisted anchor. The sturdy little
craft already bucking the ice. The
tiremen in the hold worked desperately
getting up full head of steam.
From the deck of the boat the crib
could be dimIy seen Black spots ap-
peared and then disappeared into the
waters below. Some OF the imprisoned
men We're seeking to escape By swim
ming. Some of them were seen TO cling
20 cakes of ice for d time and then to
disappear.
The crib is a temporary structure erect
ed in the construction of three
mile tunnel into the lake for the ultimate
purpose Of adding To Chicago's water sup
ply. The first section of the tunnel is
being dug from the shore at 13d street.
The crib marked the beginning of the
second section extending farther into the
lake. II was used the Headquarters
for supplies and men of the second sec
tion.
The wooden material used in the crib
made it an easy prey OF the fire. Powder
and dynamite used in blasting were both
stored there
Ordinarily from sixty to seventy-fve
men were employed. They worked i'm
shifts of eight hours each. eating on the
premises and sleeping in the hunks with
which the place was provided.
Tramway Fails to Work
The suspended tramway connected the
crib with the shore. Immense buckets
suspended from heavy wire cable and
worked by machinery. carried supplies to
the place.
When the tire was first discovered an
GonUnued on Second Page)