The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-08-21

burned fercelY, raising quantities Of
smoke. simultaneously the electric
lights on the trains went out, leaving
the passengers in total darkness, ex-
cept for the light Of the burning en-.
| igne far ahead. This impeded the
progress OF the trains toward Menil-
montant. The terror-stricken passen-
gers got out and tried ta gropc their
way back to Les Couronnes. The
powerful electric current, which con-
tinued in the rails, is believed to have
stunned or killed many. A number
Of the passengers tried to reach Les
Couronnes Station, but the maih body
of the passengers who overcome by tile
heat and smoke.
| A TERRIBLE PANIC
occurred among those behind, and the
horror of the situation was increased
Oy third train crashing into tue
fiery mass, and adding another crowd
Of panid-sticken passengers to those
seeking an outlet.
The cars continued to burn until
twenty were consumed. The burning
debris gave forth u fierce heat, which
puffed out of the mouths of the sta
ant. Most Of the trainmen escaped,
but the conductor OF the train caus.
ing the accident was seriously injured.
The escape Of the trainmen is at
tributed not to their lack OF attention
: to the passengers, but to their supe-
| rior knowledge Of the Subterrancan
passage, which enabled them to hasten
forward In spite Of the obscurity. A
for Nf 10
One Of the employees of The road
nearly lost his life in seeking to make
his way through the smoke to aid the
, victims, and is now in the hospital.
Several soldiers and fircmen riskcd
their levcs in attempting to succor the
. passengers. Perfect Lcpine himself
took his lifcin his hands by entering
the tunnel and proceeding CONSIDER
, able distance until the smoke drove
, him back.
ACCOUNT or AN EYE WITNESS.
The chief station master at Les
+, Couronncs, Nj. Didier, has given a
graphic description OF the events pre-
ceding the accident. He says he
saw the flames running along the gear
OF the cars when the first train passed
through tho station and called out to
the engineer to stop, saying there was
not time to reach the next station,
but the engineer declared he had
ample time and proceeded. A few
j minutes later long blue tlamc flashed
through the tunnel, followed by vio-
, lent detOnatiOn. Looking into the
month Of the tunnel NJ. Didier could
@ see flashed from the burning cars.
: Great masses Of smoke began to pour
out, preventing the officials from en-
tering the tunnel. Men struggled
ont through the smoke. Screams
5 could be heard in the distance amid
the cracking Of the fire.
= VICTIMS MOSTLY THE POOR.
q The names and occupations Of the
. victims give pathetic evidence OF their
q humble condition. The names are
: characteristic Of the French working
J. classes, and their occupations are
), given sas given. as painter, mason,
| plumber, tailor, aSeamstreSs, lock-
smith, etc. Outside the workmen,
r about every third name is that Of a
woman Pitiful scenes were enacted at
I the morguc throughout the day as
the relatives gathered seeking to iden-
! tify the bodies, which were arranged
| in long lines on white marble Slabs
The clothing OF many Of the victims is
torn, showing the iierceness Of the
, struggle.
, SCENES IN THE TUNNEL.
A survivor named Jules Bouat, des-
crihes the struggle during the panic in
the tunnel as terrible Women were
screaming, Save mel" An old man
) fell exhausted until they fell asphyxi-
ated.
: M. Gauther, the magistrate for the
district, says one Of the main causes
of the loss OF life was that those escap-
ing took the wrong exit, one passage
letting out to the street, while the
other was barred as 1t was usually
for admitting passengers. Many OF
the victims sought the barred exite,
and were found masscd against the
J wall, where they had been slowly suf-
focoted.
; M. Bienvenuc, the chief engineer of
the metropolitan Railroad, says from
the technical point Of View every pre-
caution to avoid danger had been
taken. The chief misfortune was
that the employees did not organize
, assistance with sufficient rapidlty to
permit the passengers being quickly
drawn out
/; Rnilrond Casualties.
In the first three months OF the cur
rent year says the Hartford Courant,
A ,J<,Ix,. ~ y