Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-11-22
MANY MINERS PERISH
IN BULLION TUNNEL
Disaster In smuggler- Union
Mine In Colorado.
suFFocArED BY DENSE SMOKE

Twenty-Five Are Known to Be Dead
and Scores of Others Are Still In
the Shaft, Either suffocated or Seek
Ing Safety In Remote Parts of Mine.
Telluride, Colo, Nov. 21-Nearly a
hundred men were probably suffo-
| Gated in the Smuggler-Un mine in
Marshall basin as a result of the fire
which consumed the buildings at the
mouth of the Bullion tunnel. Twenty
two miners are known to be dead and
scores of others are in the mine work
fngs, either suffocated or seeking
safety in remote parts of the mine
until the place is cleared of foul gases
and smoke, Fire broke out in the
tramWay bunkhouse at the mouth of
Bullion tunnel, the principal opening
from which the property is worked,
and spread rapidly to the boiler and
eNginehouse blacksmith shop. The
tramway terminal with it's 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 miles of drifts,
rises and slopes connecting with it
began to fill rapidly with the smoke.
Fast Filled With Smoke.
In the excitement of trying to con-
troll the fire in the outside buildings
the mine was forgotten and before
the situation was realized the work
ings were fast filing with dense
smoke. By this time the buildings
about the mouth of the mine were
ablaze and nothing could be done to
stop the fire. AS soon as it was pos
sible great bodies of stock were blown
down into the tunnel mouth and the
operations stopped, but not until the
workings were filed and the smoke
working it's way through the shafts
to the surface a mile or more up the
mountains from the tunnel house.
The day shift, some 200 men, had
gone into the mine and reached their
stations before the fire started. It 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 small part of the force in the
mine.
The Smuggler-Uni is the largest
mine in the Telluride district, it's out.
put being about two-thirds of the total
from the camp. 1t is owned by New
York and Boston capitalists.
Men Have Probably Pershed.
Persons who have come into town
this forenoon from the Smuggler.
Union mine, which is 4 miles distant,
between Marshall gulch and the noun
tains, say the managers have almost
abandoned hope of finding any of the
imprisoned men alive. Every en-
trance to the property is a scene of
activity and the willing hands are
only stayed by fear of certain death
if they entered the smoke filled levels.
Every few minutes men make
rush inside, only to crawl back help
less and strangling as they meet the
foul smoke which fills the tunnels and
levels
The officers refuse to talk, either in
giving information or expressing opin.
ions as to the likelihood of early res
cue of the unfortunates yet in the
mine. They will only say that the
work will be continued until every.
body has been recovered, and will be
hastened 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 mes.
senger.