Evening star., 1901-11-21
Terrible Disaster in God Mine at
Telluride, Colorado.
MEN SUFFOCkFED BY SMOKE
Remains of twenty-five Have Al
ready Been Recovered.
SURFACE PLANT BU Ms

TELLURIDE, Col, November 21.-Nearly
a hundred men were probably suffocated
to death in the Smuggler- Union mine in
Marshall Basin as the result of a fire which
consumed the building at the mouth OF
Bullion tunnel Twenty-Five miners are
known to be dead, and scores of others are
in the mine working, either suffocated TO
death seeking safety in remote parts OF
the mine until the place is cleared of foul
gases and smoke.
Fire broke out in the tramway bunk
house at the mouth of the Bullion tunnel.
the principal opening, from which the prop
erty is worked, and spread rapidly to the
boiler and engine house, blacksmith shop.
The tramway terminal with its great ore
bins and several smaller buildings, were all
soon wrapped in flames.
A strong draft drew the smoke from the
burning buildings directly into the tunnel
and the mile of drifts. upraises and slopes
connecting with it began to fill rapidly with
the smoke.
Forgot Men i'm the Mine.
In the excitement Of trying to control the
fire in the outside buildings the mine was
forgotten and before the situation was real
lied the workings were fast filling with
dense smoke BY this time the buildings
about the mouth Of the tunnel were all
ablaze and nothing could be done to stop
the smoke from going in.
AS soon it was possible great bodies
of rock were blown down into the tunnel
mouth and the opening stopped, but aot
until Che workings were filled and the
smoke working it's way through the shafts
to the surface, mile or more up the noun
tain from the tunnel house.
The day shift, some 300 men. had gone
into the mine and reached their stations
before the fire started.
1t is known that some of the men escaped
through the old Sheridan tunnel and also
through the old Union workings, but they
are thought to have been but a small part
of the force in the mine
The Smuggler-U Union is the largest mine
in the Telluride district, the output being
about two-thirds of the total from the
camp. 1t is owned by New York and BJs-
ton capitalists.
Little Information at the Office.
DENVER, Col, November H--only a
meager report concerning the disastrous
fire at the Smuggler Union mine near TED
luride, Col, has been received at the local
office of the company. 1t is not known
here this morning whether the loss Of life
will reach 100, as feared. or whether any
bodies have been found in addition to the
twenty-five which were recovered and iden-
titled last night The damage caused by
the fire in the loss of the buildings is eSti-
mated at $4,000, but the mine will have to
be closed for at least a month
The mouth of Bullion tunnel, through
which the Smuggler Union mines are
worked, is located not over fifty or sixty
feet from the burned buildings. From the
start the smoke seemed to be drawn to the
mouth of the tunnel, and it encirclCd that
point as If there were no other place of
escape. This was due to suction, as the
air in the mine was warmer than that out
side.
On account of the suction movement the
majority of mine and tunnel entrances have
iron doors ready to lower in place at
minutes notice to stop smoke or fire Cn-
fortunately, the Bullion tunnel did not pos
sess one of these safeguards.
Little Hope for the Miners.
Persons who came into town early today
from the Smuggler-Union mine, which is
four miles distant, between Marshall gulch
and the mountains, said the workers lad
almost abandoned hope of finding any of
the imprisoned men alive. Every entrance
to the property is the scene of active work,
and repeated attempts are made TO onter
the mine, but in vain. as the men crawl
back helpless and strangled from the foul
smoke which fills the tunnels and levels.
Notwithstanding the dangers and :lifficul-
ties, the officers declare the efforts ~ill be
continued until every body has been re-
covered, and will be hastened as rapidly as
possible in the hope that many may be
found alive.
The telegraph and telephone wires were
destroyed by fire, and the only means of
communication is by messengers.
Location of the Fire.
1t appears that much of the stupefying
effect of the fire was due to the flames
from the converter house. which was sat
urated with oil, and which emitted the
darkest smoke imaginable. The tunnel is
situated about midway between the top or
apex of the mine and the ninth level IL
iS int n di.af.a xxrnr ring oil
The seventh level is 1,15o feet below the
surface, and the ninth level, where be-
tween seyenty-five and ninety miners were
working when the fire occurred, is 1000
feet below the surface At last accounts
all attempts TO explore this level had been
frustrated by the smoke. Seventeen of the
twenty-five bodies recovered were found
in the seventh level The fire did not pen
citrate the mine workings. and the frightfuI
loss of life was due entirely to smoke.
The mine was originally owned by a
company, of which John Porter of this
city was president and A. II. Fowler sec
retary and treasurer About two years
ago the mine, with a number of others In
the same locality, was absorbed by the
New England Exploration Company, of
which b. ]. Lawrence is now the head and
one of the principal stockholders. The
New England company is controlled by
Boston capitalists Mr. Lawrence went TO
New York about a week ago. Arthur Col
Inns, manager of the mine. is also absent
on a trip to Mexico. Jacob Films. attor-
ney for the company, left for Telluride last
night to. make an investigation.
The executive board of the Western Fed
Grafton of Miners now in session in this
CITY, discussed the disaster at their meet
ing today.
The members averred that agitation
would commence in labor circles to procure
legislation which would remedy the evils
which caused the fire at the Smuggler
mine.
In 1878 a snowslide occurred just above
Bullion tunnel, in which twenty-seven peo-
pie lost their lives, and it was here. on July
5 last that the fighting consequent on the
strike of Smuggler miners occurred.
MRS. DALE ARRAIGNED.