The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-14
Through the Bravery of FeIIow-Dlg-
ger, Who Entered the CoIIiery by
an Abandoned Opening.
EXCITING SCENE At CLINTON
DURING THE BURNING OF THE TOR
REY SHAFT BUILDINGS.
Large Quantity of Powder Carried to
Safety While the Flames Were
Leaping About the Workers.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
CLINTON, Ind, June 13.-The dump and
other huge structures belonging to the Tor
rey mine were destroyed by fire this after
noon, causing loss of perhaps $4,000. 1t
is not known just how the fire originated
but it is certain there was no incendiary.
Ten men at work in the mine two hundred
feet below the flames were unconscious of
the fire and their danger until the burning
timbers tumbled to the ground, and then
they barely escaped with their lives They
made their way out by cropping through
the smoke and crawling through an air
shaft abandoned more than a year ago, and
half mile from any leads OF the mines
new being worked. 1t was a close call for
the imprisoned men and it was only by the
bravery and almost foolhardiness of
brother miner that the mems lives were
saved
1t was about 2 o'clock when the fire
broke out and a moment later the flames
were leaping through every creyice in the
huge dump. The tinlbers were dry, and
impregnated with grease and they burned
like tinder. The engineer and fireman had
barely time to stop the engine, and shut off
the big fan. Had they been perhaps a
moment later they would have been buried
beneath the burning timbers. Hundreds of
people were soon at the scene, but power
less to check the flames or attempt to res~
cue the men. imprisoned in the mine below.
entrance to the pit being shut off by the
fire.
To add to the peril of the situation an
explosion on top of the ground was mo-
mentariiy expected. On the track were a
number of burning cars and close to the
cars was the mine magazine. This struc-
ture, around which the flames were leaping,
and on which huge live Goals were falling,
was filled to the roof with blasting pow
der-four hundred kegs in ALL Besides this
there were two hundred pounds of dyna-
mite in the building. This prevented any
person Venturing near the shaft in an ef-
fort to rescue the men thought to be per-
ishing in the smoke down in the mine. Some
of the more daring ones would venture
within few hundred yards of the shaft.
but the next moment they would retreat,
and then the excited crowd would stand in
painful suspense, waiting for the tremen-
dous explosion which would have followed
had the flames eaten into the four hundred
kegs of powder.
In the meantime, Al Hardin, coal miner,
made brave by drink. secured compan-
ion and ran over the hill TO the air
shaft of a mine which had been deserted.
The two men made their way to the leads
of the new mine. 1t was d muddy, dam
gerous venture, but at last they found the
men, who were growing weak from the
effects of bad air. and led them to the old
air shaft through which they climbed to
sunlight. The men were nearly exhausted.
When the party reached the top of the
ground one man was missing. There was
no time to be lost, and the next moment
Tom Lewis was on his way back through
the old air shaft, needless of danger. He
was gone for half hour, but he returned
with the missing miner, who had lost his
lamp and was cropping about through the
darkness and sitting smoke.
The bravery of Lewis and Hardin and the
presence of mind OF Engineer Hadley
Graves saved the lives of the entombed
men.
When the miners had been rescued the
men decided to risk their lives in an ef-
fort to prevent an explosion of the masa-
zine. They rushed almost through the
flames, tore the doors and sides off the
structure and began to move the powder,
despite the appeals of their wives and
friends. who called on them to leave the
perilous work. Finally the last keg was
safe distance from the fire, and the dam
ger was past. 1t was daring work-almost
foolhardiness-but there is no telling how
many lives or how much property was
saved by their efforts.
The mine is owned by w. S. and d. Boz
gle, of Chicago, and is valuable one. The
dump was built two years ago and was one
of the largest in the coal regions and pro-
vided with all modern appliances. 1t is
said to have cost, with machinery, $4,000.
xuae aartly fueureI iS undprgtOod
work on 0 new dump will be begun as soon
as Mr. Boyle returns from Chicago. Much
of the machinery, it is thought is not se-
r;ouSIv fpitrad