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Show 100 MINERS SUFFOCATED IN A COLORADO MINE Disaster Occurred in S-nuggler-Unlon, Near Telluride. Buildings at the Mouth of tbe Tunnel Destroyed De-stroyed by Fire, the Smoke From Which Poured Into the Aline and Suffocated all who Could Not Reach an Outlet. I What is likely to prove the most dis astrous accident that has ever occurred in a metallic mine in Colorado resulted Wednesday from a fire which burned the buildings at the mouth of the Bullion Bul-lion tunnel at Telluride, Colo., through which the Smuggler-Union mine is worked, and which filled the mine with deadly gas and smoke. It is impossible impossi-ble to give even an approximate estimate esti-mate of the loss of life, but it is believed be-lieved that it will reach nearly, if not quite, 100. Seventy-two are known to have perished. The fire started about 7 o'clock in the morning from a defective flue in the bunkhouse at the mouth of the tunnel-It tunnel-It quickly communicated with the other buildings. The dense smoke from the burning converterhouse, which was saturated with oil, began pouring into the tunnel, which, with the shafts of the mine, acted as a chimney. . ; The day shift had just gone on duty, and before they could be warned of their danger the levels and slopes were filled with smoke and gas. As soon as the men became aware of their danger efforts were made to reach the surface through various exits, and about half of those in the mine escaped. Although the buildings were quickly consumed, the dense smoke continued to pour into the tunnel, and it was not until 3 o'clock in the afternoon that it occurred to the management to shut off the draft by blasting rock into the tunnel. It is believed by mining men that had this been done as soon as the fire started all loss of life might have been avoided. The property loss is about 850,000, fully covered by insurance. insur-ance. The Smuggler-Union is one of the oldest mines in the district and has several abandoned openings, some of which were available. Most of those who escaped did so through the old Union workings and the old Sheridan -tmneL A rescuing party out a connection con-nection through from the commission workings adjoining and took out part of the men. |