The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-01-21
LABORERS TRAPPED IN BURNING
CRIB AMID lCE-FIlLED
: WATER, PERISH.
F|FTY-THREE ARE MISSING
Explosion Of Powder in Chicago Wa
terworks Structure a Mile and a
Half From Shore Spreads Death and
jority Of Those Not
Rescued Are Known to Be Dead.

men are included among the list of
missing and the majority of these are
known to be dead as the result of a
fire that had its origin today in a
powder vault attached to the interme-
diate crib in Lake Michigan used in
the construction of new water tun-
mel connecting with the south side of
the city at Seventy third street.
Ninety-five workmen were employed
In the crib and in the connecting tun-
mel at the time Of the fire The hos
pitals of the south side are filled with
injured City fire boats, as well as
the tugs Of the construction company
are making frequent trips to the
scene of the disaster through the
heavy ice floes.
Owing to the difficulty small craft
experienced in reaching the crib dur
ing the winter the majority Of the
workmen employed on the work and
particularly those who were without
families. slept in temporary structures
at the crib. Just as these had been
awakened for the days work the ex-
plosion occurred. So far as known, |
the explosion had its origin in a small
powder house about 100 yards from |
the crib structure proper, but part
of the general structure built on foun- |
dations resting on the bottom of the |
lake. In this building the George w. |
Jackson company, contractors, had |
stored enough powder and dynamite |
for urgent use in the construction Of |
the water tunnel. In some manner the |
powder and dynamite exploded.
"Crb Is on Fire."
1t was not until the heat of the |
flames and the sitting smoke pene-
trated the so-called living room Of |
the crib and the tunnel beneath the |
waters of the lake that the full import |
Of the disaster dawned upon the lit
tie colony of workmen cut off almost |
completely from assistance. One Of |
the workmen made his way through |
the smoke to the little enclosure in
which telephone communication has
been established with the shore sta
ton. The drowsy attendant at this
point received this message:
THE crib Is 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 flames and an unmiStakable
odor of smoke made 1t known to the
watchers on shore that tragedy was
probably being enacted a mile and
a half out in the lake. The tug T. T.
Moorford was anchored within a short
distance of the irnperied crib and this
was early placed in service in the
work of rescue. The ice made it i'm
possible for the tug to reach the i'm
provised pier, but a small boat was
placed in service to carry the injured
to the tug and rescue those who had
plunged into the lake.
After several hours of work 80
workmen were rescued. When the fire
tug Conway had succeeded in qunech-
ing the flames So bodies had been
carried to the shore.
Tho Missing.
The contracting firm gave out the
following list of missing:
Barney O'Connor, foreman; H. D.
Mcdonald, timekeeper; J. Thorpe
cook; P. Lynch, waiter; C. Meyer, ell
evator man: E. Jennings elevator man;
Peter Blake. engineer; William Kelley,
carpenter; ]. Foster, carpenters help
er; ]. Kelly, driller: Edward McGree,
Charles Kraper. ]. Gallendis, William
T. Connolly, J. Lucas, J.. Convel, M.
Cassidy, w. Yandolus, A. Kilcoyne, all
muckers: T. Mitchell, tramway opera
tor; o. Kelly, elevator man; J. Thom-
as. Edward Skinner, T. Hanson and C.
Patterson, drillers; ]. Miller, driller's
helper: W. Reynolds, driller's helper;
J. Faddy, J. Barnots, T. Stankus, J.
Mulholan. c. Soc, F. Miller and T.
Gavel, muckers: J. Driscoll, npper; J.
Fultz, drill foreman; M. Shodisk, drill
er's helper; j. Brennan, j. Anderson,
M. Mickson and F. Tamehuis, muck
ers.
The tunnel was built by the George
w. Jackson company. The first Sec
lion of the tunnel starts from shore.
The crib, a mile and half out,
marked the beginning of the second
section being built still further into the
lake. The two sections had not Joined
each other as yet
Must Have Perished.
Until such time as the rescuers are !
able to enter the water tunnel 1t will
not be known how many perished be-
low the surface of the lake. Air pres
sure was used in this portion Of the
work and as the air generating plant
became disabled soon after the fire
started, 1t is probable that those in
the tunnel must have perished.
The south shore was transformed J
into series of receiving hospitals for
the care of the injured Private homes
were thrown open by the residents,
but the need Of physicians and nurses
were small after the tugs had made {
two or three trips to the shore.
Not shred Of clothing was found
on the bodies Of the workmen who per- t
ished in the flames.
When the news Of the disaster {