The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-03-24
MINERS ENTOMBED ALIVE.
FRlGHTFUL COLulERY DISASTER IN
ANDERLEUG. BELGIUM.

Believed 20 Have Met Their Death fa
tho tpths--TerribIe Scenes SIN and
About tho Mines.
BEUSSELLS, March ia frightful
colliery disaster has occurred at An
derlIes. Three hundred miners are
entombed in the pit, and series Of ex-
ploslons have apparently cnt off all ac =
cess to the men. An attempt has been
made to reach the imprisoned miners,
but 81 far without success. The ex-
plorer5 have been beaten back by the
foul fumes, The ShafLing and ventila-
ton are destroyed.
Three female miners have been res
cued, and it seems almost certain that
all the rest are dead. Intense excite
ment prevails, and thousands are flock
ing to the place, which is one of the
leading mining centers of Belgium.
The scenes at the pit mouth are most
pathetic, multitude of people bewail-
ing their relatives, supposed to have
periShed in the NINE.
Dispatches from CharIeroi this even
ing state that four officials Of the COM
pany owing the mine at Anderlues left
for the scene of the explosion this after
noon. Machinery for keeping down the
water in the mine and facilitating the
work Of hOisting out the wreckage has
already been shipped. The Govern
ment is receiving bulletins of the pro-
gress Of the work at the Shaft, and has
sent 4 representative to the spot to as
certain the facts for use in an inveStiga.
ton of the causes Of the accident and in
placing the responsibility for it.
King Leopold has contributed 5000
francs from his private purse TO the
temporary support of the families Of
miners already known to have been
killed. Hundreds of men and women
from nearby villages have gathered near
the mouth OF the pit, and are camping
around honIirts. watching the progress
of the work of rescue. Families and
relatives of the 200 or more men have
made their home in the fields for the
night, aIid are cooking their meals over
oprn-alr fires, soaS to get the earliest
news from those imprisoned by the
shattered shaft.
The place at which the explosion oc-
CURED is III the secOnd gallery, 500 yards
below the surface, and the depth is ditli-
cult and dangerous. Volunteers have
been let down three times in cage.
When half way down on the first trip
the further cAving in of the Shaft.
frightened them, and they returned
Five OF the ten men refused to go down
again, as the min" was il,Oding rapidly,
they said, and loOSened sides of the
shaft Threatened to fail in and bury
them. The other five made tho second
trip and reached the mouth of the
second gallery. they found Il few men
who were nearest the shaft when the
first explosion occurred. These miners
had to run for their lives, but had been
caught at the entrance 10y falling tim
bers. All had broken bones, and three
were so firmly lodged in the wreck that
the RI rtscuing party dared not walt to
eXtricate them. Five Of the wounded
were brought up on the second trip, and
live dead we're brought up on the third.
The rescued men say that twenty five
OF the miners Still imprisoned are wo.
men. There are about 200 in all still
to be accounted for. 1t is thought that
those nearest the first cave-in in the
gallery may be rescued alive. Those
furlhest from the entrance Of the
gallery have probably been sulfocated
before this, and if not will die before
they Can De reached.
The work has been set back twice
this evening by the caving of great
blocks OF SOIL and stone from the sides
OF the wrecked shaft, and since the
third trip no volunteers for the work of
rescue could be found. The Superinten
dent OF the mine has twice gone down
POO feet, but has returned, saying that
the chances would be four to one against
him, If he went lower.
The dead will number at least 100,
and probably $50. About 400 members
of the families Of the missing men will
camp in the lields around the shaft all
night. About fifty of the 300 men in
the gallery at the time of the first ex-
pl0slon got out by the second shalt
Late this evening another rescue
patty descended the scene of the explo-
sion in the mine. They cleared away
the debris at the entrance of the gal.
lery and found twenty-five dead bodies,
five of them women. Most of the bod
les were terribly mutiliated. Others
showed but few fractures Of the limbs,
death having been caused apparently
by Suifocatlon. The rescue party re-
turned and are still ut work in the gall
| lery.
| LATEST FROM TIE HORROR.
| BRUssELLS, March 12-The Ander-
| lues calamity increases in horror. The
pit is now burning, and smoke and
flames bar the Nearchers in their work
OF rescue. 1t is feared now that not
less than 2lO miners have pershed, in
cluding il large number Of women, of
whom there were many employed in
the mine. King Leopold is informed
| hourly OF the situation at Anderlues.
1t is now believed that all thosenot res
cued yesterday were killed at the time
of the explosion, or died soon after.
Nevertheless, the friends and rela-
tlves persist in hoping that some may
have escaped 10y taking refuge in some
working protected from tho effect of
the explosions. Nobody shares this be
lief, however, except the families of the
men and women who are in the pit.
There is no doubt That these who were
| = .lgs,l. 4