The Lamar register., 1892-03-19
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION
TWO HUNDRED MINERS KILLED.
Three Hundred Men and Women En-
tombed In a Belgian Coal Nine

DISPATCHES from Brussels dated March tith
give particulars ot an explosion that oceurred
IN a coal mine near Charlerol. The explosion
had all the force OF an earthquake upon the
surrounding district. For souie seconds after
the explosion was heard immense columns OF
smoke we're seen to rise to the sky from Tue
surface Of the e=-.h near the pits mouth
vibrating and trembling.
When the real nature Of the calamity was
known thousand people rushed 70 the i'ouiA
OF the pit, where, bewildcred and pAnle-
stricken, they waited for udings OF the Tate
Of their relations and friends, the cn'omhed
miners, with frantic grief Mounted gems
darmes, with drawn swords, succeeded after
great trouble, In driving the excited people
away from the mouth Of the shaft The IRE
damp exploded about 400 feet below the sur
face, and the cage by which the miners as
cendei and descended was shattered 70 pieees,
II is stated that there were 250 miners la
this gallery, some OF them women. A. The
walls Of the shaft were eaylnG in q vas very
dangerous to descend, the mine was also be-
ing flooded with water Finally volunteer
crew descended and found sixteen mes near
the shaft They had run for their Hives and
had been terribly hurt by falling iimoer', la
the mean time ffty men had escaped by way
OF the second shaft
After thlrty-thrcc dead bo,Iies had been re-
covered the officers and owners decided that
all who where In the mine must Dc dead. and
IL was decided to food The mine to pryyra'
frr, but before any water could tc pgEfi-od ia
cries OF fire were heard ON an sitics s1d az
3 o'clock flames asccnled 20 the pirs mouth
and sparks were scctterrd In every dlgesi.1n.
A few minutes later an immense column at
fame shot through the yrutiiaun- sazftst
piercing the thick clouds ot sE0kg that vrrc
oyeEhangiug the shafts. The sight was grand
Is magnificent ~ the mass 0f famc shot up
ward, but Ct meant the certain death for every
person In the mine, This fact was fuzzy nse-
ognized by the on-looEcrs, and the Sa5iiu-
and shriebs Of those near the piss mouth ln-
creased In violence a. the lurll fame tore the.r
last faint hope from them. The buIi-uEs
about the pits mugth tsgcht Gre, ard D. Z
o'clock only the wall, we've standing Al. che
heavy machinery al The mouth % the pit was
destroyed and Zen crashing down ihr sbafl
This aeted as a dampcr against the aamds AZ
eeuding the shaft 10 the surface, aud therr-
after little hre could be seen. But lt ool!l be-
heard roaring and serthing through the gal
leries far below the surface.
The total Of the dcsth r0Il Is sI5. or thls
number ii Is estimates that l70 ugrr buried
and burned alive The calamity has crgshrl
the entire Charlerol district SoihIar ls
heard save lamentations for The deaths Muuy
Of the women who have Lost their oaly sup
port have become hystoFlJal through grief
and the doctors aFc t-sy attending 60 them
In soHlc cases all the surviving rneuhe-s q
families stu surround The hiaCkcnod pits
mouth, aitTaeiej by The very horror tlzi has
rendered them without a heal.
Suffering Is boana 10 follow the disaster. f1g
many Of the miners families have los; thcir
only means Of support The government has
taken promp; action to relieve 90 far pa Das.l-
bic the suffering entaIlctl hy the sudden aud
appalling catastrophe The minister of pub
lie works has ordered the disiribaii1a q relief
and the work i HoH being carried on.
According to the lat report, 90 persons
were rescued unhurt, - injured. II vham Is
will die, and la9 were Killed outright
Twenty thousand persons attended tEr fuuer-
ais Of thirty7one Of the victims