The state herald., 1895-06-14
ALPINE VICTIMS.
TRAGEDY IN THE BIO TUNNEL
-Four Men smothorod While at Work
Cleaning Out tho Debris. Accident
Caused by tho Engine RunninE Into
Water, Thus Generating Gas

Leadville, June 1O.-Another fatal nc
cident occurred In the Alpine tunnel Sat
urday afternoon by which four men lost
thelr lives.
A force has been at work removing
the accumulation of rock which blocks
the tunnel about 25O feet from the east,
ern end. After working for some time
on the dirt, IN opening was made from
the east 10 the west side, through
which a man might crawl very handily.
Since this vcntilator was secured re-
moving dirt from both ends has been
done by means of locomotive and
hand-cars.
The engine and tank car on which the
men were riding last saturday after
noon, rushed INFO the tunnel and when
the caXe-!n was approached a greater
accumulation Of water was found than
was expected, and as the fire boxes, well
down us they are on a narrow. .ralge
engine. struck the water d deadly gas
arose, Ike tSat which arises when a
bucket OF water Is thrown on hot ashes.
An attempt was made TO back the en-,
CINE out. when the fumes began to over.
come the engineer. aud lrpman, and
falling In that with d desperate hope
of pushing through the obstruction, the
engineer threw over the lever, pulled
tEe throttle wide open and the little
engine plunged ahead In the dees'tf wa
ter and against an !iipenetrable wall
OF earth q, Tie east end, breaking the
plot damaging the front end. stopping,
with fires out, but with the deadly work
done. four human beings having sue.
cumbed bcf@r lie draft from the open
space above the dirt had cleared the air.
All night long companions and ac.
qlainlances OF the men a,tcmDted ia get
III their remains to rei;iovc ,lsem TO the
outer air. Superintendent La Jeune In
charge 81 the gang of men ut work on
me east end of the tunnel, us soon as he
learned that an engine was Inside, md
tue accumulated gas prevented Hin or
any OF his men entering from that
SIDE, climbed over the hill TO the other
Followed by his men. but when there
they were prevented from entering for
auy distance by the smoke and gas
Luckily, however, they found the body
OF Elmer England, n brakeman, prone
upon the ground. about $50 feet In. and
they picked up his inert form and ear
ried It to the outer air. where in d sliUrc
time he revived. and will ultimately re-
cover from his sad experience. lie had
crawled Oh the ground for fully 500 feet
In his effort to get away from danger.
1t was some time before the bodies Of
the four men could be removed.
NJ. W. Flavin. the conductor OF the
train and superintendent Of the work of
opening the tunnel. is an old resident of
Gunnison and leaves a wife and two
children. He has been for some years
chairman Of the Democratic county com.
mlttec OF Gunnison county. and was n
member OF the Knights Templar com
mandery OF that city. He has been en-.
thusiastic over tie opening OF the South
Park line, and was the first man 10
bring pressure to bear on the manage
mcnt of the road about the dcslrabIlity
of opening the tunnel and the feasible
lily of the plan. The work. so far, had
been done under his direction. and was
proceeding 10 the satisfaction o. all con-
cerned
\. Martenls. the engineer. known In
Gunnison and along the line Of the road
as Dad" leaves u wife aud family 10
mourn him. and has been for many
years prominent Mason In Gunnison
county. lie has been an engineer for
the Denver. Lcadvillc & Gunnison for
many years. and before that had high
standing ms an engineer on the main line
OF the Union Pacific.
mike" Burns, the fireman, was n single
man. but has lived for several years ut
Gunnlson, and was greatly respected
for his many manly qualities. II Is not
known where his relatives reside.
Oscar Comann. the lnborer. has lived
Mt Pltkln for about two years, and be-
fore that was engaged In prospecting
and mining In the vicinity of Lcadvlllc.
and has brother residing there at the
present time.