Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-11-21
25 MEN In BURNING MINE
Flames Spread With Great Rapdy to Building Over Mouth
of Tunnel and Heavy Draft Drew Binding Smoke
into Mine Several Attempts Made to Enfer
Mine from Different Points, but
Smoke Drives Men Back
Special Telephone to The Herald.

Special Telephone to The Herald
TELLURIDE, Nov~ 2O-The great.
est disaster in the history of San
Miguel county took place this fore.
noon at the Smuggler- -Uuion mines.
and In addition to property loss
twenty-five to thirty lives have NJ
doubt been sacrificed.
This morning at the upper terminal
III trs tramway known as the Bullion
tunnel of the Smuggler. where is To-
Gated the postoffice, boarding house.
bunk house, store rooms, etc, bo-
ing headquarters for 400 to 500 men,
a fire started in small room of one
of the buildings from stove pipe
passing through the ceiling. When
discovered the blaze was small, aIc
had proper exertion been made, the
disaster could have been aver.ed. lie
doubt. The plug of the tank filled
with water for fire protection was ont
of order. and before water was seot
ed the flames gained considerable
headway, and soon the building Iii
which the fire originated was
mass OF flames. along with adjoining
buildings, including the ore house ana
building over the mouth of the tun.
mel. The smoke and flames Iilled the
air and the deadly vapors, smoke ana
gas were taken into the tunnel by
strong draft.
Immediately after the fire started
and before the buildings close to and
over the tunnel caught, Hugh O'Neil
well known miner in this count,
and other San Juan sections. witn
Joseph Nelson, Sweede who arrived
few days ago. entered the tunnel
and were lowered in the cage by thr
engineer, Richard Cogar. to the NINTH
level, In order to warn the twenty.
five or thirty miners working there
of the danger. They had arranged
for the engineer to raise the cage bv
certain alarm. but this failing, the
engineer raised the cage and to the
CONSERVATION of those who went to
the tunnel level, it was found thai
sensible from the smoke, not having
left the cage. Nelson was found to
be dead and his body was brought to
town. O'Neil shows some signs OF
life, but there is no respiration and
no response to the process of restor
ing consciousness, and at this houl
l 80, no hope is entertained of his re-
covery.
Under these conditions it is certain
the men working in the mine al,
dead. OF the number five are well
known, being P. Torkelson, Carry
Barkley, Ira Sundstron, w. H. Jones
aid William Merryfield. Th, latter
is one of the old-timers, having rur a
barber shop. in Telluride eighteen is
years ago. He was also prominent
in Grand Army circles. E.
When the true situation and dan
ger of the men were realized, several
miners were sent over the mountain
to the Sheridan tunnel, which is On
the same level as the Bullion tunne
The men entered the Sheridan t,n-
mel and progressed as far as chute
No. 36. when they were driven bacf
by the binding smoke. However,
few miners had already escaped
by this tunnel, or the loss OF life
would have been still greater.
An effort was also made to reat
the men through the old Cimaron
tunnel, but without success.
At 80 the buildings are still smOul-
dering and it has not been possible
to enter the tunnel and the workings,
This viii be done just es soon rs
conditions will permit.
BY the burning of the tramway
house and supports the cable gave way
and the buckets and cable went down
the hill. carrying away towers and
supports.
The tramway cable fell across the
line OF the Telluride Power Co. and
broke 1t In two.
The loss by the fire will figure up
over $4,000. partially insured, but at
this hour the insurance Is not known.