Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-20


men lost their lives today in fire
which destroyed the intermediate crib,
one mile and q half from shore in Lake
Michigan. Forty-seven, suffering from
burns and cuts, were rescued.
This statement Of casualties was
made by George w. Jackson. whose
firm Is constructing the intake tunnel
under the lake. The dead are supposed
to be imprisoned in the tunnel under
the crib. I'eath might have come either
from Are, smoke, the explosion Of dyn-
amite stored, or the shutting of Of the
air pipes. Little hope is expressed that
any OF them escaped. altho this can
not be known until the wreckage
blocking the entrance to the bore is
removed
q E.orty-fvs Rescued.
F,orty-f1ve men were rescued by the
tug Morford, which was stationed near
the crib, nineteen OF whom have landed
at an adjacent crib. The remainder
were brought to the city and placed in
hospitals suffering from hurts and
burns.
The crib is temporary structure
erected In the construction of q new
tunnel into the lake for the ultimate
purpose Of adding to Chicago's water
supply. The crib was used as head
quarters for supplies and the living
quarters for the men. The wooden ma
terial used in the crib made 1t an easy
nrey Of fire. Powder and dynamite used
IN blasting were both stored there. Or
dinarily from sixty to ssventy-h
men are employed.
Attempt At Rescue Fails.
4 suspended tramway connected the
9th with the shore. Immense buckets.
.nsnended from Q heavy wire cable
uorted by machinery, carried supplies
to the place. When the explosion ana
DANES came an attempt was made by
: few daring spirits to reach shore IN
the buckets but the motive mechanism
failed to work and the attempt was
abandoned.
when the explosion took place twen-
&y men were at work in the tunnel, q
NV were moving about the crib, While
many were asleep in their hunks. me
nanes Immediately broke forth and the
only means of escape lay in jumping
into the icy waters Of Lake Michigan
nr be,nr rescued by the tug Morford,
stationed on shore.
Horrible Sight Revealed.
The tug Immediately started thru
fields Of ice for the crib. and upon
raach,ne that structure the crew met
. sight that made their hearts fairly
stop beating The frantic victims OF
the fire, their hair singed OFF, ana
skins blackened, were struggling in the
water and ice. Some Of them fought
against their rescuers, only to sink un-
conscious on the deck when forcau
aboard the tug. When everybody IN
sirht had been taken aboard, second
mnffled explosion was heard, probably
marking the snuffing out of more lives
In the tunnel under the crib.
blazing Men Jump Into Lake.
aw,1en neared crib g." said Captain
johnson. '1 saw a number Of men, their
c,othinr ablaze, run out Of the blazing
structure and jump into the lake. 9th
ers RAPIDLY twisted ropes about any
thing they could find, and jumped into
4beN water to prevent being drowned.
others used boxes and pieces of TIM
her as life preservers. When we got
within fifty feet Of the crib we began
throwing out ropes and life belts to
tbe men in the water. Some OF the men
tonight us. while others were SO cold
and stiff from their Icy baths. that we
had to reach out and drag them IN.
1Ipon reaching the crib we found
dozen or more men huddled together
on the far section Of pihngs which haa
NOT been reached by the flames crying
for assistance. When we bumped
against the structure some OF the mon
.g-s .,,o,-d 1,,,f others were so un.