Chicago, Illinois
Water Intake Crib Explosion
January 1909
A TERRIBLE DISASTER.
53 Men Blown to Pieces, Burned or Drowned.
Accident Occurs at Crib of Chicago Water Intake
Tunnel Mile and Half Off Shore – Workmen
Awakening When Explosion Occurred.
Blown to pieces by exploding powder, burned to
death by the resultant fire, or drowned in the
icy waters of Lake Michigan, was the fate of 53
or more men who were working on a submarine
tunnel at a wooden crib, a mile and a half from
shore in Chicago.
The crib was used in the construction of a
new submarine water tunnel connecting with the
South Side shore of the city at 73d street.
It is known that 95 workmen were employed in
the crib and the connecting tunnel at the time
of the explosion, which started the fire and
blew or drove the men into the water.
The explosion is thought to have had its
origin in a small boiler house about 100 yards
from the crib structure proper. In this outhouse
the George W. Jackson
Company stored from time to time, just enough
powder and dynamite for urgent use in the work
of constructing the water tunnel and in some
manner, not yet known, the explosives were put
into action.
The detonation, muffled by the crunching of
floating ice against the crib and the atmosphere
laden with heavy fog, simply aroused the
attention of the workmen, according to
survivors, and it was not until the heat of the
flames and stifling smoke penetrated the
so-called “living room,” of the crib and the
tunnel beneath the waters of the lake that the
full impact of the disaster dawned upon them.
Originated in Small Power House.
One of the workmen, with a cooler head than his
fellows, abandoned the shouting and frantic men
on the crib platform and made his way through
the smoke to a little enclosure in which was a
telephone that communicated with the shore
station.
The drowsy attendant on shore was brought into
action by a violent ringing of the telephone
bell and this was the message which set on foot
the work of rescue: “The crib is on fire! For
God's sake send help at once or we will be
burned alive! The tug” ---
At this point communication ceased and
through the fog an occasional burst of flame and
an unmistakable odor of smoke made it known to
the watchers on shore that the telephone message
was in earnest.
The tug T. T. Morford, in charge of
Capt. Johnson,
at anchor within a short distance of the
imperilled [sic] crib, was the first to get into
the work of rescue.
The ice made it impossible for the tug to
reach the improvised pier, but a small boat was
used to carry the injured to the steamer and to
rescue those who had plunged into the waters of
the lake rather than face the flames which were
raging on the crib structure.
After several hours of heroic work, 39
workmen were rescued. When the fire tug, Conway
and its crew had finally quenched the flames, 53
bodies had been carried to the shore and placed
in morgues in South Chicago, awaiting
identification.
Lowhill Journal & Republican New York
1909-01-27
Submitted & transcribed by Stu
Beitler Thank you,
Stu!

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