Chicago, IL Water Intake Explosion, Jan 1909 - A Terrible Disaster

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