Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-08-11
DEATH IN TIE TUNNEL.
Trains Stalled and Afterward
 Took Fire.

located or Asphyxiated-Th Scenes
 Last Night and This Morning
 Around the Tunnel Were Something
 That Cannot Be Described.
 Paris, Aug 11.-Eghty-four bodies have been recovered and the death list will probably exceed 100 in the under ground railway disaster which occurred here last night.
 The accident, which occurred on the Metropolitan electric railway, assumed the proportions of an awful catastrophe during the early hours this morning, when more than four score bodies of the burned and suffocated victims were removed from the subterranean pass age. The work continues and indica- tions are that the death list will, per haps, exceed five score.
 The scenes at the mouth of the tun- nel where the victims were brought forth were of the most heartrending description. crowds of weeping men, women and children struggling forward in an effort to recognize their missing
  tims are from the middle and working classes, as the trains were carrylhS them home from their work.
 Although the accident occurred at $ o'clock last night, the officials and fire men were unable, until early this morn ing to descend into the tunnel, owing to the blinding clouds of smoke from the burning train. Frequent attempts were made by heroic volunteers, whom it was necessary to rescue, half suno~ cated and carry to the hospitals.
 At ten minutes after 3 Sergeant Aherns. wearing a respirator, succeed ed in making the descent. He re- mained seven minutes and brought the first information to the effect that corpses were strewn all about the road way of the tunnel. Then he collapsed and was taken to the hospital. TWen- ty minutes later firemen forced their way down through the tunnel station at Menilmontant and returned soon ar terward with seven bodies, two men, two young boys and three women. These persons had been asphyxiated, asstheir positions showed they had been groping through the smoke that filled the tunnel seeking a way to escape, when they were overcome.
 The work of bringing up bodies went on steadily after that, under the per sonal direction of Prefect of Police Lepine. who summoned a large reserve force to hold back the surging crowd, including the relatives of the victims.
 AS the firemen brought out the bod ies agonizing cries went up from wo- men and children who recognized their dead husbands and fathers. The clothing of the victims indicated that they were almost entirely second class passengers. There, were several first class coaches on the trains and it is believed that their occupants were also among the victims. The body of one of the women was handsomely dressed, while two among the male victims were evidently persons of inn portance. .,-.-... About a. m the bodies of ten wo- men were brought out at the same time. They had evidently been to- gether in the compartment for women and had sought to escape in company when they were overcome. The bod ies of two little girls and three in- fants were found with them, clinging to their mothers. .
 Many poor people claimed the bod ies of their children and relatives and tried to take them home, but the po- lice gently but firmly insisted on the bodies being taken to the morgue and barracks in order that the magnitude of the catastrophe might be deter mined.
 The president of the municipal coun- cil announced that the city of Paris would bear the entire expense of the funerals of the victims.
 By S:3O a. m. the total of the bodies lying at the morgue had reached 40, and the total at the barracks of the municipal guard A, making S4 alto- gether. s,.,. ., .. -s
 At 9 o'clock the number of bodies was unofficially estimated at above 100
 The causes of the accident are en- gazing the attention of the officials. Several versions of the disaster are given, but the main facts established are: The train which caused the acci- dent came from Porte Dauphine. in the western part of Paris, and circled the northerly quarter of the city. Tn this quarter, manufacturing section, the train picked up numbers of workmen, who, after their days work, were re- turning to their homes in the eastern srrondissements of the city. On reach ing the neighborhood of the cemetery of Pere Lachaise the electrical motor failed to act properly and the train waited at the station of Les Charonnes until the arrival of second train. which pushed the crippled train for ward. making a total of sixteen coach es. After proceeding about 200 yards towards Menilmontant station the dam aged dynamo set fire to the engine of the first train. The fire burned fiercely, raising quantities of smoke. Simul- taneously the electric lights on the trains went out, leaving the passengers in total darkness except for the light of the burning engine far ahead. This impeded the progress of the trains to- ward Menilmontant. The ,terror-strick- en passengers got out and tried to grope their way back to Les Charonnes. olontrip current which