Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-25
Workmen Employed Five,
Miles Under Lake Killed
By Gases.
RESCUE PARTIES
MEET SAME FATE
Brave Members Of First and Second
Rescue Crews Overcome and Few
Escape AIive-six Of Those over.
come Believed to Be Dying-Lack
II Of Rescue Apparatus Responsible
For Deaths Of Life Savers.

N Of Rescue Apparatus Responsible
For Deaths Of Life Savers.
Cleveland, July 25.-Twenty-two
men are dead and half a dozen others
dying as the result Of an explosion Of
gas in a water works tunnel under
Lake Erie, five miles from shore.
The dead are workmen and members
of two rescue parties who attempted
to, save the first men trapped.
OF the dead eleven are Of the party
first trapped. None Of this party
escaped. The second rescue party
comprised eleven men. Six OF these
lost their lives and five escaped. The
first rescue party accomplished Moth
ing. The second saved one Of the first
relief expedition.
Resousrs May Die.
OF the eight rescuers who got out
alive. two died later. The others may
die. Two men were also overcome by
fumes who did not go into the tunnel.
third rescue party entered the tun-
mel at 8: 80 and brought out alive Gus
taye Van Duzen, superintendent Of
water works construction, who had
headed the second relief force. Van
Dnzen may die from. his experiences:
One body was also brought out by
the third rescue party. This was 4
member Of the second rescue crew.
Worked Unprotected.
The death Of the rescuers in the
first and second instances was due to
the fact that they worked without
oxygen helmets, which were unavail-
able.
OF those rescued who died later no
pulmotors were at hand to attempt
to resuscitate them. This lack Of
rescue apparatus was condemned by
the rescuers and Mayor Davis today
promised to- conduct q rigid tnvesti-
;SAtiop into this shortcoming a. wei
Al Into the tragedy itself. a4s
Ths third rescue party was equipped
with helmets, but nearly eleven hours
had elapsed following the explosion
before sufficient equipment to fit out
the party was at hand to permit q de:
scent into the tunnel.
Cause Of Explosion Unknown.
The cause Of the explosion has not
been ascertained. It Is supposed
some workmen struck pocket Of gas
with pick or possibly gas collected
In the tunnel and became ignited by
an electric spark.
The tunnel was equipped with elec-
trically driven machinery for exca-
waiting.
The party Of worlmen caught by
a
last night. First intimation Of the
disaster came when w. H. Nolan, lock
tender in the air chamber at the en-
trance to the tunnel. heard the dull
boom Of an explosion. This was about
$3.50 p. m. Dolan was thrown against
a door This door was jammed by the
blast and deadly fumes poured out OF
the tunnel. Dolan managed to close
the door and then releasing the high
pressure from the air chamber, he
opened the door leading to the crib
above and gave the alarm.
Reseuers Overcome.
Superintendent John johnson sum-
moned volunteers and led the first res
cue party down the elevator and into
the tunnel. One hundred fifty fe.t
from the bottom Of the shaft they be-
gan to stumble and fall, overcome by
fumes Dolan rushed after them. Ho
saw flash of light in the darkness. It
proved to be Johnson's f1ash,ipht
which he still grasped where he had
fallen. Dolan dragged him to the bot
tom of the elevator shaft and went
back. Almost dead himself he dragged
Peter McKenna to safety.
Others from the crib took the three
on the elevator and they were placed
on boats attracted from shore by
rockets.
It was two hours later that Van
Duzen, who had been summoned from
his home by telegraph, organized the
second rescue party on shore and went
to the crib.
Meet Same Fate.
With his men he entered the tunnel.
His men found Michael Keough, Of the
first rescue party, still alive, and
dragged him out. They went in again,
only to suffer the 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 the third rescue party was or
ganized.
- - S0AiiS hhoWh lOudy tHdl "OTk III
the tunnel had been suspended three
days ago because gas was found. The
men sent in last night went to worN
believing the gas had been eliminated.
we should never have gone into tho
tunnel last night" said Dolan today.
We never got report whether the
place was safe but they said it was all
right for us to co.
Mayor Starts Investigation.
Mayor Davis issued statement
saying an investigation into the entire
disaster would start Wednesday to fix
any responsibility for the tragedy and
lack of rescue apparatus.
The tunnel was begun under the
previous administration, headed by
Newton D. Baker, now secretary of
war. and supervision had been in
charge Of officers selected by that adj
III addition to the city inquiry there