The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-25
GAS EXPLOSION

Continued from Page One.)
moned volunteers and led the first res
cue party of volunteers down the Gle
vator and into the tunnel. One hum
dred and fifty feet from the bottom of
the shaft they began 10 stumble,
crumple and fall, overcome by fumes.
Rescue Overcome Rescuers.
Dolan, who had resumed his post
in the air chamber rushed after them.
He saw a flash of light in the dark
ness. 1t proved to be Johnson's flash
light, which he still grasped where he
had fallen. Dolan dragged him back
to the bottom Of the elevator and
went back. Almost dead himself he
dragged Peter McKenna to safety
Then he collapsed.
up the elevator and they were placed
aboard boats which had been at
tracted from shore by rockets.
1t was two hours later that Van
his home by telegraph, organized the
second rescue party on shore and went
to the crib. With his men he descend
ed into the tunnel They found
Michael Keough of the first rescue
party still alive and dragged him out.
same fate which had befallen the first
party. Finally four of them managed
to stagger back to safety.
The others did not come out until
and went after them. 1t was then that
Van Duzen was brought out. 1t be-
came known today that work In the
tunnel had been suspended three days
ago because gas was found. The men
sent into the tunnel last night went
to work believing the gas had been
eliminated. -
Thought Gas Eliminated
eve should never have gone into
the tunnel last night" said Dolan to-
day I'VE never got a report from the
chemist whether the place was safe
and clear of gas but they said 1t was
all right for us to go"
Mayor Davis and Chief of Police w.
S. Rowe went to the scene of the
horror in a tug early today.
The construction job on which the
loss of life occurred is being done by
the city with direct labor. 1t consists
in building a tunnel from the water
works in Lake Crib known as crib No.
8. to the new filtration plant being
built at West ifty-eighth street. This
tunnel will carry water to the filter
plant, now nearing completion, which
is called the west side" section of
the city.
The tunnl is fifty feet under the bot
tom of the lake.
II Workers, Rest Dead Rescuers.
trapped were members of a night gang
working towards shore in the tunnel.
The rest were members of three rescue
/ parties which went down the crib
4 shaft and into the tunnel in a des-
! perate effort to drag their comrades
| back to safety.
Twelve hours after the accident only
/ eight of the rescuers had been able TO
| drag themselves out of the tunnel. Two
of these died later. Two of the res
/ cuers who came out alive, were Pat
/ trick Keough and Martin Nelson,
pulled to safety at 1880 a. m.
Every man still in that tunnel is
dead" both declared.
Greatest in City History.
If the twenty-three men are dead,
the tragedy, the greatest in the history
will be laid partly at the door of I'M
preparedness. There were no gas
/ helmets, no physician at crib No. and
no pulmoters. The crib had no COM
munication whatever with the shore.
At $3.50 p. m, George Ellis, operator
of the crib elevator, smelled gas and
noticed the gauge on the compressed
air tank bobbing up and down.
! Ellis woke John johnson, night SUI
perintendent at. Grip No. s.
Something is wrong in this tunnel
Ellis shouted.
Johnson was up instantly, remem-
oering workmen had struck a pocket
of gas Saturday which forced them to
quit work until Monday.
Come on, boys, we got to go down
for Them yelled Johnson
Seven volunteers shot down the crit
elevator with johnson. When the res
cuers failed to return, other crib work.
men went down the shaft
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