The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-07-25
Two ReScuing Parties Without
Oxygen Helmets Also Meet
Tragic Fate.
TWENTY-FIVE MEN DEAD
PARTY Of Trained ReSCuerS from
the Bureau Of Mines in Pitts
buru RuSheS to the Scene.


CLEVELAND. o.. July 25-Twen-
lv-two men are dead and half doE-
IN others are dying as the result OF
an explosion of gas In a waterworks
kunuel five miles from shore under
heath Lake Erie late Monday night
The dead include workmen VINO
we're trapped in the tunnel when the
gas exploded and members OF two
rescue parties who attempted to save
The men first trapped.
or the dead eleven were In the
force trapped by the explosion None
Of these escaped. The first rescue
party consisted Of seven men. -FOUR
Of them persisted and three were
saved, The second rescue party COM
brIsed eleven men Six Of these Iost
their lives and five escaped. me
first rescue party accomplished noun
Ing. The second saved one OF the
9lrst relief expedition. No one mas
ret reached any Of the original eleV-
IN caught in the working. OF the
sight rescuers who got out alive two
Sled later; the others may die. Two
others who did not go into the tun-
ned were overcome by fumes.
A third rescue party entered the
tunnel at $50, and brought out
alive Gustav c. Van Duzen, super
lntendent of waterworks construc-
.ilon, who had headed the second re-
lief force. He may die from his eX-
perience. One body also was brought
but by the third rescue party. This
was member of the second rescue
Van Duzen had persisted.
The tragic fate OF the rescuers in
lhe first and second instances was
due to the fact that they worked
without helmets which were unavail-
able. or those rescued who after
ward died no pulmotors were at
hand for use in attempting to resus-
ritate them. This lack Of rescue ap-
naratus was roundly condemned by
the rescuers and Mayor Harry L..
Davis Tuesday promised to conduct
rigid examination of this short
coming as well as into the catastro-
pbc itself.
The third rescue party was equip
ned with helmets which had been as
sembled but nearly eleven hours had
elapsed following the explosion be-
lore sufficient equipment to fit out
The third party was at hand to per
nit a descent into the tunnel.
The party of workmen caught by
The explosion entered the tunnel at
3 o'clock Monday night. First intl-
nation of the disaster came when
William j. Doan, lock tender in the
mir chamber at the entrance to the
tunnel, heard the dull boom of an
explosion. This was about $50 p. M.
Dolan was thrown against the door
leading from the air chamber into
The TUNED. This door was jammed
by the blast and deadly fumes pour
I'd out of the tunnel almost overcom-
Ing Dolan He finally managed to
close 1t and then releasing the high
pressure from the air chamber he
opened the door leading to the crib
above and gave the alarm to men at
the surface OF the lake. Superin-
tended John Johnson summoned vol
unteers and LED the first rescue par
ty of volunteers down the elevator
and into the tunnel. One hundred
and fifty feet from the bottom Of
the shaft they began to stumble,
crumple, and fall, overcome by fun
es. Dolan, who had resumed his post
In the air chamber, rushed after
them. He saw flash Of light in the
darkness. it proved to be johnson S
flashlight which he still grasped
where he had fallen. Dolan dragged
him to the bottom of the elevator
and then went back. Almost dead
himself, he dragged Peter McKenna
10 safety. Then he collapsed. Others
from the crib took the three up the
elevator and they were placed
aboard boats which had been at
tracted from ashore by rockets.
1t was two hours later than Van
Duzen, who had been summoned