Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-07-28
2 MEN DIE IN GAS
EXPLOSION IN TUNNEL
BENEATH LAKE ERIE
Workmen Are Trapped by
Blast in Cleveland and Die
Before Help Can Be Sent to
Them
(By Associated Press.)

cue parties.
OF the dead eleven was in the force
| trapped by the explosion. None or
these escaped. The first rescue party
consisted of seven men, four persisted.
The second rescue party comprised
eleven men, and six of them lost their
lives. The first rescue party accom-
plished nothing. The second saved one
member of the first relief expedition.
None has yet reached any of the men
trapped by the explosion. The others
may die. Two men were also overcome
by fumes who did not go into the tun-
mel.
A third rescue party entered the tun-
mel at $3.50 and brought out alive Gus
tav V. Van Duzen, superintendent OF
waterworks construction. who had head
ed the second relief force. Van Duzen
may die. The bouy of a member of the
second rescue crew was also brought
out by the third rescue party. 1t had
been supposed Van Duzen had per-
ished.
NO OXYGEN HELMETS.
The tragic fate of the first two rescue
crews was due to the fact that they
worked without oxygen helmets, which
were unavailable OF those rescued
who afterward died no pulmotors were
at hand for use in attempting to re-
suscitate them.
Mayor Davis today announced that a
rigid investigation into the explosion
would be held.
The third rescue party was equipped
with helmets which had been assembled,
but nearly eleven hours had elapsed
following the explosion before sufficient
equipment to ht out the third rescue
party was at hand to permit a descent
into the tunnel
The cause of the explosion has not
been determined. 1t IL supposed
workman STRUCK a pocket of gas with
pick or possibly gas had collected in
the tunnel and became ignited by an
electric spark. The tunnel was equip
ped with electrically driven machinery
for excavating.
The party of eleven workmen caught
by the explosion entered the tunnel
carly last night. First intimation of
the disaster came when William ]. Dolan,
lock tender in the air chamber at the
entrance to the tunnel, heard an explo-
sion. This was about $3.50 p. m. Dolan
was thrown against the door leading
from the air chamber into the tunnel.
This 'door was damned with the blast
and deadly fumes poured out of the
tunnel almost overcoming Dolan. He
finally closed it and then opened the
door leading to the crib above and gave
the alarm to men at the surface of the
lake.
Superintendent John Johnson sum-
moned volunteers and led the first res
cue party into the tunnel. One hundred
and fifty feet from the bottom of the
shaft they began to stumble and fall,
overcome by fumes.
BUSHES TO RESCUE.
Dolan, who had resumed his post in
the air chamber, rushed after them. He
saw a flash of light in the darkness. 1t
a. srrhk ,4nla
he still grasped where he had fallen.
Dolan dragged HIM 10 the bottom of the
elevator shaft and went back. Almost
dead himself he dragged Peter McKenna
to safety. Then he collapsed. Others
from the crib took the three up the ele-
vator and they were placed aboard boats
summoned by rockets.
1t was two hours later that Van
Duzen, who had been notified at his
home organized the second rescue par
ty. The party found Michael Keough
of the first rescue crew, still alive and
dragged him out. They went in again,
only to suffer the fate of the first par
ty. Finally four of them managed to
stagger back to safety. The others were
brought out by the third rescue party.
1t became known today that work in
the tunnel had been suspended three
DAVIS ago because gas was found. The
to work believing the gas had peen
eliminated.
The explosion of gas occurred about
a hundred feet from the crib in the new
tunnel which will connect with the big
filtration plant recently erected on the
west side Ten men were caught in the
shaft Eight men who were in the CRIB
at the time and heard the explosion,
rushed down to investigate. They found
IN hut 10
lock tender. cut his way through from
the inside with AN AK and admitted the
rescuers They plunged into the tunnel,
but themselves were overcome. Dolan
managed to drag John Johnson and Pc
ter McKenna out and get them to the
elevator in the crib shaft. All three
were in a dazed condition from the gas
but managed TO reach the crib and the
alarm was given. Rockets were sent
up and the telephone was used to bring
aid.
Life savers and the fire tug crews
rushed to the crib and organized the re-
naming workers at the crib into a res
cue party in an effort to reach the six
teen imprisoned men, but no Roadway
could be made on account OF the gas.
Finally Van Duzen arrived and with
ten picked men started into the tunnel
They got through the air lock and res
cued Michael Keough, one of the first
party of rescuers, but nine of the Van
Duzen party were overcome by the gas
and the rescue was abandoned.
MANS MIND AFFECTED.
Michael Galliger and Leroy Dunn, the
only survivors of the second rescue par
ty, took Keough to the crib shaft where
he was partially revived by use of
pulmotor. When the elevator car de-
scended, Keough, temporarily unbalanced
by his experiences, threw himself under
the car and was injured. He was taken
to the crib and rushed to a hospital.
A third rescue party was organized IN
an effort to reach some Of the Van Du-
zen party. Thomas T. Clancy, stepson Of
Van Duzen, taking the lead. They
reached the air lock and through the
bulPs-eye could see four men of the Van
Duzen party lying inside BY smashing
the glass Clancy and the others al
though partially overcome by the poi
sonous gas, managed to drag out three
men. When they got them to the sur
face the men were apparently dead, but
strenuous efforts made to revive them,
succeeded.
Rescuers working with oxygen rel
mits later succeeded in bringing out of
the tunnel eight more bodies of mem-
bers of the first and second rescue par
ties. All of the men originally en-.
tombed by the explosion are still buried
and ii is feared they are under tons of
mud. due to the wrecking of the tunnel