St. Paul daily globe., 1891-12-07
Seventy-Three Men Perish in
a Coal Mine Near st. Ell
enne, France.
Heartpending Scenes When
the Wives Of the En-
tombed Men Arrive.
England Rejoicing Over the
Betrothal of Prince Al
bert Victor.
Dom Pedro's Last Prayer for
the Peace and Prosperity
Of Brazil.

PARIS, Dec. 6.-The report of a terri
bic mining accident comes from st.
Etienne, IN the department of Loire,
and the center of one of the richest
coal fields in France. An explosion of
fire damp occurred at noon today in one
OF the numerous coal pits in that region
and many of the workers were un-
able to escape from the mine. Ac-
cOrding to advlces so far received
eighty men perished in the pit.
Later dispatches concerning the disaS-
ter at st. Etlenne give the following
details: The explosion occurred in the
Puts de la Manufacture belonging to
the st. Exienne Colliery company. In
mediately after the explosion dense
volumes of evil-smelllng smoke issued
from the months of this and connect
ing pit, and in a short time crowds of
relatives and friends of the imprisoned
workman gathered about the entrances
OF the pit. and prepared for the work of
rescue. Fortunately today was being
observed as fete day, and a eompara-
lively small number of men was at work
in the mine. If the accident had hap
pened on an ordinary working day the
loss would have been appalling. When
the first attempt was made to rescue
The Imprisoned Men
the rescuers were driven back by the
foul fumes that poured from the shaft,
and for nearly an hour nothing could be
done to aid the unfortunate miners in
the pit. In order to disperse the smoke
that ho
cred and drawn up again rapidly num-
Der of times, and at length the shaft
was sufficiently clear to enable
the reScuers to descend in the cage
and begin the work of exploration.
At the very outset the rescuers encoun-
tered serious obstacle, as the main
gallery was found to have collapsed,
thus preventing access to the impris-
oned men. After working several hours
III relays the party of rescuerS had
cleared away a portion of the debris,
and after a few minutes labor they
came across the bodies of four miners,
The men, although unconscious, were
still alive, and were quickly sent to
the surface, where they soon revived, to
the delight of the bystanders and sor-
rowing wives and families who had col
lected at the pits mouth. While the
reScuerS were at work several doctors
and number of ambulances had been
summoned from st. Etienne and a sup
ply of
RestOratiVes Procured,
so that the prOmptest assistance might
be given to all who should be brought
from the pit alive. This speedy revival
of the men rescued gave hope that the
others i'll the pit might be saved, and
this hope was strengthened when, a
short time afterwards, another rescuing
party, which had entered the con-
Meeting pit, sept to The surface
four more of the victims, all of whom
were quickly restored to consciousness.
The second party of rescuerS, however,
found that it was utterly impossible to
reach the other imprisoned men, aud
there is hardly doubt that all Of the
latter have succumbed to the poisonous
gases that ill the chambers of the mine.
The work of rescue will be resumed to-
night, when it is hoped the gases will
have dispersed.
Midnight-It has been ascertained that
seventy-three miners have persisted.
The wives, children and relatives of the
entOmbed miners still surround the
mouth of the pit, and the most heart
rending scenes are witnessed as the
bodies of the victims are brought to the
surface.