Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-11-25
TELLURIDE HALocAUsT.
cia, Telephone to The Herald.

q TELLURIDE, Nov. 21.-A gloom is
CAST over this entire community b,
the terrible disaster which occurred
at the Smuggler mine.
The facts are about as stated yes
terday, the predictions as to the prob
able loss of life proving only too true
n Miners and workmen labored in
and around the workings until 9 this
morning taking out bodies. 20 being
brought to town last night. and this
.morning two more were taken out and
brought down.
According to the mine roster fol
this section, there are still seven re
naming in the workings. Rescue
parties this morning were driven back
owing to vapors. gas and smoke, one
man being overcome and taken out
unconscious by his comrades, but he
later recovered.
At noon men were engaged in clean
ing out the tunnel, which had beer
blasted full of rock and debris tC
keep out the smoke. This caused
the tunnel to partially fill with water
making progress difficult. 1t will
DS hight DelOIt tNe
oSthe ninth level can be fully explor
ed and the bodies of those remaining
kken out.
With the seven known to be in the
mine and the % already at the
morgue, the list of fatalities numbers
%, with another life hanging in the
balance-that of Hugh O'Neil. one OF
the men who went to warn the miners
after the fire started The doctors
worked with ONeil all night, and a
physician has been with him co...
stantly today, and while he breathes
it has not been possible to restore con
seriousness, and the doctors hold out
little hope OF his recovery, and this
being the case, the dead will number
80. 1t is possible that one or two
additional may be found, but it is be-
lieved all have been accounted for
except seven.
OF the 22 taken out. 10 are union
SSniners, the other three being William
Merrifeld, p. Torkelson and C. Bark
ly. Mr.. Merrifield was 73 years OF
age. He was track walker in the
mine. and his body was one of the
first to be taken out. AS stated yes
terday. he was an oldtimer in this
section, and a member of the Grand
Army. He has son here about 20
years of age. who will take the re-
mains to Hotchkiss for burial, being
where the family resides. He has a
daughter married to one of the Duke
boys of Delta county.
Mr. xy,, ,bift l,nes II,
is native of Norway where his ia
ther is manager of one OF the big
mines of that country. Torkelson' S
wife left here couple of weeks ago
for Stavanger. Norway, to visit her
parents. as well as those of her hus-
band. A cablegram was sent her
this morning informing her of the ca
tastrophe, which will be received by
her just about as she arrives at the
old home.
Joseph Nelson. the Sweede who
was overcome with O'Neil yesterday
while going to warn the workmen,
has wife residing at Spanish Forks.
Utah, where the remains will be
shipped.
William Jones, one of the dead is
well know in San Miguel county as
, well as other portions of the Sar
Juan.
A miner by the name of w. A.
Carhn has brother here,
The balance of the dead so far as
taken out are mostly Austrians and
. Finlanders, and little is known as to
their families or if they We're married
or single.
Up to noon today no arrangements
had been made for the burial of the
men. Those remaining in the mine
will be first taken out, and then they
will probably all be buried the same
day under the direction of the min
ers' union, when it is likely every
mine in the county will close down
out of respect for the dead.
Manager Collins of the Smugglel
property is in Old Mexico, leaving
Telluride some three or four week:
ago. His brother is at the mine
looking after things. OF course nc
steps will be taken to repair the dam
ages occasioned by the fire until af
ter the bodies have been recovered
and buried. Although this is had
time of the year to get up lumber ano
other supplies, no doubt temporary
buildings will be erected for winter
working. The first thing will be the
rebuilding of the tramways which
may require some weeks. the rea
damage not being fully known. a.
the least calculation it will take ;
couple of months to rebuild so th'
mine can be worked by the us'ia
force.
Should bad weather set IN. worl
may be delayed much longer /
showed some last night, and at noo'
today the air is filled with sncw an
Indications point to heavy storm
If the storm blows over and tn
= weather remains good the work o
repairing the damage caused by th'
Are win proceed rapidly.