# Chicago Mystery Submarines? (PLUS! Column by Cecil) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 18, 2010, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mystery-submarines-plus-column-by-cecil/536522 "2010-04-18T10:16:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mystery-submarines-plus-column-by-cecil/536522/1 "2010-04-18T10:16:37Z")
In _Oddball Illinois: A Guide To Some Really Strange Places_, by Jerome Pohlen, page 52-53, 2 odd submarines, sunk in Chicago waters, are mentioned. One was salvaged with the skeletons of a man & a dog inside it, circa 1915-1918. Dubbed the _Foolkiller_, it was put on public display. Does it still exist? Is there more information on it? The second was/is a 31 foot long, hotdog shaped, wooden item, banded with iron straps, with a pipe running end to end. It was found in the Chicago River, and its status as a submarine was uncomfirmed , as it had not been salvaged by publication, circa 2000. Was this in fact a submarine? What was it? Has it been salvaged? ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Zotti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/fbc32d/32.png) [@Ed\_Zotti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ed_Zotti)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mystery-submarines-plus-column-by-cecil/536522/2 "2010-04-18T13:21:22Z")
We’re always up for investigating oddities. Have never heard of either of these. You say the second one hadn’t been salvaged as of 2000. When was it discovered? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mystery-submarines-plus-column-by-cecil/536522/3 "2010-04-18T19:28:33Z")
> [@Ed\_Zotti](#): > > We’re always up for investigating oddities. Have never heard of either of these. You say the second one hadn’t been salvaged as of 2000. When was it discovered? Unknown, Pohen doesn’t go into that. And he doesn’t cite sourses. Second mystery sub to be found “just inside the Chicago River locks in the ship-turning basin”. Coast Guard involvement is indicated. Pohen recommends a book, _The Chicago River_ by David M. Solzman, Wild Onion Press 1998. Does not, however, cite it as source material. No further definate data. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mystery-submarines-plus-column-by-cecil/536522/4 "2010-04-19T03:16:33Z")
Old _Tribune_ stories shed a little light on the _Foolkiller_. In 1904, a fellow named Peter Nissen built a sort of balloon intended to roll on the water’s surface. Imagine a canvas bag shaped like a lemon, with an axle inside from tip to tip. Suspended from the axle, a bench where the inhabitant could sit or sleep. A _Tribune_ story says “Nissen’s plan is to ‘roll’ to the north pole in the bag after testing it by crossing the lake.” He made a successful short test in August 1904, but drowned in November attempting to cross Lake Michigan in \*Foolkiller No. 3. \* ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mystery-submarines-plus-column-by-cecil/536522/5 "2010-04-19T09:26:40Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Unknown, Pohen doesn’t go into that. > > And he doesn’t cite sourses. > Second mystery sub to be found “just inside the Chicago River locks in the ship-turning basin”. Coast Guard involvement is indicated. > > Pohen recommends a book, _The Chicago River_ by David M. Solzman, Wild Onion Press 1998. Does not, however, cite it as source material. > > No further definate data. Note–Pohen’s book was published in 2000. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mystery-submarines-plus-column-by-cecil/536522/6 "2010-04-19T11:34:29Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > In _Oddball Illinois: A Guide To Some Really Strange Places_, by Jerome Pohlen, page 52-53, 2 odd submarines, sunk in Chicago waters, are mentioned. > > One was salvaged with the skeletons of a man & a dog inside it, circa 1915-1918. Dubbed the _Foolkiller_, it was put on public display. Does it still exist? Is there more information on it? > [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > Old _Tribune_ stories shed a little light on the _Foolkiller_. In 1904, a fellow named Peter Nissen built a sort of balloon intended to roll on the water’s surface. Imagine a canvas bag shaped like a lemon, with an axle inside from tip to tip. Suspended from the axle, a bench where the inhabitant could sit or sleep. A _Tribune_ story says “Nissen’s plan is to ‘roll’ to the north pole in the bag after testing it by crossing the lake.” > > He made a successful short test in August 1904, but drowned in November attempting to cross Lake Michigan in \*Foolkiller No. 3. > \* The submarine mentioned by **Bosda** was found in 1915 by a diver laying cable near the Rush Street Bridge. When raised, it was found to contain the bones of a man and the skull of a dog. This submarine was _very possibly_ a craft built by one [Lodner D. Phillips](http://www.therebreathersite.nl/12_Atmospheric%20Diving%20Suits/1856_Phillips/1856_Phillips.htm) There are great photos at that site to which I just linked. ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Zotti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/fbc32d/32.png) [@Ed\_Zotti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ed_Zotti)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mystery-submarines-plus-column-by-cecil/536522/7 "2010-04-19T13:40:14Z")
This looks like a terrific story. Cecil will almost certainly want to write about it. Any other details, sources, etc., are much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mystery-submarines-plus-column-by-cecil/536522/8 "2010-04-19T21:40:36Z")
> [@Ed\_Zotti](#): > > This looks like a terrific story. Cecil will almost certainly want to write about it. Any other details, sources, etc., are much appreciated. You got what I got. Hard to research this, as I no longer live in Chicago. If the Celestiial Font of Wisdom & Henny Youngman Gags can come up with more, I’d be very interested. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mystery-submarines-plus-column-by-cecil/536522/9 "2010-05-14T12:01:31Z")
Congrats, **Bosda** , Cecil has (as Ed thought he would) taken this one up: [http://chicago.straightdope.com/sdc20100513.php](http://chicago.straightdope.com/sdc20100513.php) ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mystery-submarines-plus-column-by-cecil/536522/10 "2010-05-21T04:13:34Z")
Interesting article. The picture of the _Foolkiller_ being raised reminded me not of a submarine, but of a Great Lakes [Whaleback Steamer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaleback) - perhaps an early test model? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mystery-submarines-plus-column-by-cecil/536522/11 "2010-05-21T21:47:02Z")
Many thanks to _Cecil Adams_ for kindly answering my question. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mystery-submarines-plus-column-by-cecil/536522/12 "2010-11-01T01:06:54Z")
Adam Selzer has posted info from newly found Chicago _Examiner_ articles on the sub [http://weirdchicago.blogspot.com/2010/10/finding-fool-killer-submarine-new-info.html](http://weirdchicago.blogspot.com/2010/10/finding-fool-killer-submarine-new-info.html) An excerpt: > [@](#): > > Another Examiner find adds another new tidbit: in addition to touring with Parker’s Greatest Shows and its famous engagement on south State street, the submarine was also, at least briefly, on display at the Riverview amusement park! The date here was June, which is a month AFTER it was on display in Iowa. Apparently, it ended up BACK in Chicago after a short run with Parker’s Greatest Shows - so we now have a new “last known location” on it!