Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-23
BELIEF EXPRESSED THAT MANY
MEN WERE WORKING BY THE
EAY WHOSE NAME WERE NOT
tsS,iPANY's PAYROLL.
VICTIMS CANNOT
BE IDENTIFIED
REMAINS OF FoRTY-sEVEN ARE
TIED UP IN SACKS AWAITING
BURIAL IN ONE GRAVE; TO BE
RIGID INVESTIGATION.


sumed at daybreak to ascertain wheth-
er or not any workmen were still liv-
ing in the shaft beneath the crib In
Lake Michigan where fifty or more
men lost their lives yesterday. Tugs
continued to search among the Ice
foes for bodies of any who may have
drowned.
Coroner Hoffman early began the
work Of securing jury to visit the
scene of the holocaust. He expressed
but little hope of identifying the re-
mains enclosed in the forty-seven sacks
resting in Murphy's morgue. Each
sack contained unrecognizable bodies
or portion thereof, as in many cases
only the limbless torso of some hui
man being was in evidence.
Death List Not Known
George w. Jackson of the construc-
ton company which built the crib, to-
day informed the coroner that 1t would
be impossible for several days to give
a complete list of the dead. Many of
the workmen had the choice of living
at the crib or going to their homes
over night and until 1t was learned
how many had availed themselves of
the latter privilege no complete roster
of those remaining at the crib could
be Forthcoming.
Injured Parties Are Recovering
Coroner Hoffman expressed the be-
lief that the list of dead might pos
sibly reach sixty-two. Inquiries have
been received for nineteen men whose
names were not on the company's pay
roll, but who were said by relatives
to have been working at the crib by
the day. Of thirty-nine injured
all but five are on the road to re-
covery, but fifteen remaining in the
hospitals.
Fear 100 May Be Dead.
President D'Andrea of the Sewer
and Tunnel Miners association, ex-
pressed fear today that the death list
may reach hundred
II am told" he said there were
about 175 men working in the crib
when the fire started If this proves
true the number of dead may easily
reach hundred. Many of the men
missing are undoubtedly at the bot
tom of the lake and their bodies prob
ably never will be recovered Our
organization will make an investiga-
ton
To Be Rigid Investigation.
Criminal prosecution of those re.
sponsible for the conditions which, it
is said, contributed to the terrible crib
disaster was threatened last night.
Coroner Peter M Hoffman, on his
return from South Chicago late in the
night, announced that he would i'm.
panel jury this morning to thorough
ly investigate the affair.
"The jury will be impaneled this
morning but the case will be contin.
ued for week or ten days for d
searching investigation" said Coroner
Hoffman IF we find that conditions
were contributory to the catastrophe
we will fix the blame on those who are
responsible.
Wayman to Await Verdict.
States Attorney John E. w. Way
man last night stated that the state
would await the report of the coroner's
Jury before taking any action
The disaster brings into the lime
light officials of the city engineers
Office who had direct supervision O.
the work at the crib In their reports
to the federal authorities. they have
asserted that conditions at the Grill
were good. 1t was learned however
on investigation, that City Engineer
John e. Ericsson and Assistant City En-
gineer ]. H. Spangler knew little o
the conditions at the crib, although tn
latter made reports monthly to thu
government. He intrusted the super
vision of the construction work to Geo
F. Samuel, one of the assistants in tn.
office.
Declare Crib a Fire Trap.
Charges that the crib was fire tra]
and was not properly protected wer
made yesterday by survivors of tn