The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-25
Twenty-Five Men Dead: Hall
Dozen Are Dying.
Two Rescue Parties Are Caught
in Fatal Trap.
DIGGERS HIT A GAS POCKET
Extending WaterwOrks Tunnel
Five Miles From Shore.
Brave Men Sacrifice Lives Try
ing to Save Comrades.

ing to Save Comrades.
Cleveland. Ohio, July 25.-Twenty-
two lives were snuffed out in the
new waterworks tunnel, it was es-
timated at one o'clock today when
workmen were trapped in a gas pock-
ct 12O feet below the surface of Lake
Erie The gas. ignited by electrical
machinery, exploded with terrlflc
force.
Ten bodies of the victims have been
taken from the death hole. These
were members of three rescue parties
who descended into the death trap,
although they had no helmets. Res
cuers estimated thirteen more men are
dead in the tunnel Ten escaped with
injuries.
Burrowing towards shore little
band of work1nen ten feet below the
surface of Lake Erie, plunged show
els INTO a monster natural gas pocket.
With tremendous force, gas sw ept in
upon the helpless workmen, rapping
them in the ten foot concrete tube
Then came a terrific explosion as the
gas ignited from a spark in electrical
machinery, and the tunnel was turned
into death hole in twinkling.
Revised List of Dead in Morgue.
HATCHER, HARRY, Toedo. sec
retary international Compressed Air
and Foundation Workers union
MCCORMICK, JOHN, Richmond,
L. 1.
sCHWIND, c. NJ.
REEP, f. E.
WEI I,SH CLARENCE.
TURNBULL, ARCHIE.
WOOD, G. M.
ZAPPIzOLLI. LOUIS.
YEOMAN, w.
ONE UNIDENTIFIED.
Dead in tunnel:
VOKES. HARRY, assistant super
intendent.
CLARK, THOMAS. engineer.
HAYES, STEPH.
LANSTEIN. WILLIAM.
MACKEY. JACK.
CAPTAIN, FRANK.
CAMPILLA, NICOLA.
KEARNS, PATRICK.
PATTON, ].
WELSH. JACK.
TWO UNIDENTIFIED.
Five others unidentified.
Injured in hospitals, and all Of
whom may die:
John johnson, foreman, in charge
of first rescue party.
Michael Keough.
Martin McFad0en.
Michael Nolan.
Gustav c. Van Duzen, waterWorks
construction superintendent.
Patrick Keough.
CareIessness COntributOry Cause.
Failure to make proper tests of gas
strength. and lack of sufficient air
pressure in the tube were pointed out
as contributing causes of the disaster.
Il ffnV- ooi
dent before pulmotors and helmets
were secured. 1t was two hours be-
fore help arrived. Three men taken
from the tunnel died before pulmotors
arrived. A triple probe, by city,
county and state officials. will be held
to fix the cause and responsibility for
the disaster. Officials will meet Mon
day with Mayor Davis to set the time
for the inquest and inquiry.
Capt. Hans Hansen of the United
States life saving station was the first
on the scene, but he had no helmets
or pulmOtors, so went back for them.
Two small boats from the ore freight
er, Star of Jupiter, next arrived but
they had no apparatus with which to
cope with the deadly fumes.
None of II In Tube Escaped.
Finally word was telephoned from
shore to c. c. Van Dusen, superin-
tendent of tunnel work. He gathered
a gang of Workmen, seized a tug and
led in the rescue work.
The dead include workmen who
were trapped in the tunnel when gas
exploded and members of two rescue
parties who attempted to save the men
first trapped.
OF the dead, eleven were in the
force trapped by the explosion. None
OF them escaped. The first rescue
party consisted of seven men. Four
of them perished and three were
saved. The second rescue party com
prised eleven men. Six of these lost
their lives and five escaped.
The first rescue party accomplished
nothing. The second saved one mem
ber of the first relief expedition No
one has yet reached any of the orig
NAL eleven caught in the workings OF
the eight rescuers who got out alive
two died later. Another may die.
The explosion occurred about a
hundred feet from the crib in a new
tunnel which will connect with the
big filtration plant recently erected on
the west side. Ten men were caught
in the shaft.
Cuts Way in With Axe.
Eight men who were in the crib
at the time and heard the explosion
rushed down to investigate. They
found the air lock jammed but Will
lam Dolan. lock tender cut his way
through from the inside with an az
plunged into the tunnel but themselves
were overcome. Dolan managed tc
drag John johnson and Peter McKen-
ma out and get them to the elevator
In the crib shaft. All three were in a
dazed condition from the gas but man.
aged to reach the Grip and the alarm
Ras given Rockets were sent Up and
he telephone was used to bring aid
Aife savers and fire department