Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-08-12


disaster and at the angle the entire |
mass OF humanity apparently became |
tightly wedged. The panic which took |
place at this point within this dark |
Eubterranean passage must have been |
terrible.
Prefect Lepino summoned a large |
force OF doctors and municipal Off |
cials. who superintended the removal
OF the bodies The number of corpses
brought up from the angle where the
mass was wedged was so large that
four ard eight bodies were placed in
each ambulance. Many of the victims
had handkerchiefs stuffed in their
mouths. they having evidently tried
to keep out the asphyXiating smoke.
The faces of the dead were red and
congested. Many poor people claimed
the bodies of their children and rela-
tives and tried to take them home, but
the police gently and firmly insisted
upon the bodies being taken to the
morgue and barracks in order that the
magnitude Of the catastrophe might be
determined. Train No. 43, which
Caused the Accident,
came from Porte Dauphin, at the en-
trance to Bois de Boulogne, in the
western part Of Paris, and. passing uu-
der the Place de lEtoile, circled the
northerly quarter of the city. In this
northern Quarter-a manufacturing
Section-the train picked up numbers
Of workmen who, after their days
work, were returning to their homes
IN the populOus eastern portion OF the
atty
In reaching the neighborhood OF the
cemetery of Pere la Chaise the eiec-
trical motor failed to act properly and
the train waited at the station OF Les
Charonnes until the arrival OF a Sec
Ond train which pushed the crippled
train forward, making total OF SIX
| teen coaches.
After proceeding about 200 yards to-
wards Menilmontant station the dam
aged dynamo set fire to the engine OF
The first train. The fire burned fiercely.
raising quantities of smoke. Slmul-
taneously the electric lights on the
trains went out. leaving the passen-
gers in total darkness except for the
light of the burning engine far ahead.
This impeded the progress OF the
trains toward Menilmontant. The ter
/ ror stricken passengers got out ana
tried to grope their way back. Inc
powerful electric current, which con-
iiDusd in the rails, is believed to have
stunned or killed many. A number
OF the passengers managed to reach
Les Charonnes station, but the main
body of the passengers was overcome
by the heat and smoke.
A terrible panic occurred among
those behind and the terror Of the sit
uation was increased by third train
Crashing Into the Fiery Mass
and adding another crowd Of panic
stricken passengers to those seeking
an outlet. The olncials at the stations
were the first to become aware OF the
disaster 10y tLe clouds of smoke rising
from the tunnel and the staggering
forms OF a few OF the stronger men
and two women who had been able to
make their way through the dense
smoke Those who got out were un-
able to give any information concern
ing the others LETT behind, but they
told of stumbling over dead people all
along the tracks.
The cars continued to burn until
twenty were consumed. The burning
debris gave forth a fierce heat, which
puffed out of the mouths of the sta
. tions of Les Charonnes and Menllmon
tant. Most of the trainmen escaped
but the conductor of the train causing
the accident was seriously injured
The escape of the trainmen is attrib
uted. not to their lack Of attention te
! the passengers, but of their superior
| knowledge of the subterranean pas
f sage, which enabled them to haster
forward in spite of the obscurity
, A number of heroic incidents oc
: Cured One of the employees OF the
1 road nearly lost his life in trying tt
make his way through the smoke t1
aid the victims and is now in the nos
pital. .,a nc,
D Prefect Lepine himself took his lift
r in his hands by entering the tunne
l. and proceeding conslderapie uls
v tanca until the smoke drove him back
d Arouses Berlin Officials.
e Berlin, Aug. 12.-The tunnel dlsas
d ter on the Paris Metropolitan raliroa'
q boc caucod the MANAGEMENT Oh DEL