The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-12
sengers was overcome by the heat and
smoke.
Crowd Panic struck.

smoke.
Crowd Panic struck.
A terrible panic occurred among
those behind, and the horror of the
situation was increased by a third train
crashing into the fiery mass and add
ing another crowd of panic-stricken
passengers to those seeking an out
let.
The cars continued to burn until
twenty were consumed. The burning
debris gave forth a fierce heat, which
puned out of the mouths of the stations
of Les Couronnes and Menilmontant.
Most of the trainmen escaped, but the
conductor of the train causing the &C
cident was seriously injured.
The eescApe of the trainmen is at
tributed not to their lack of attention
to the passengers. but to their superior
knowledge of the subterranean pas
sage which enabled them to hasten
forward in spite of the obscurity.
Many Heroic Acts.
A number OF heroic incidents occur
red. 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 now is in the hospital.
Several soldiers and fremen risked
their lives in attempting to succor the
passengers. Project Lepine, himself,
took his life in his hands by entering
the tunnel and proceeding a considera-
bic distance until the smoke drove him
back.
The chief station master at Les Cou-
ronnes, NJ. Didier, has given a graphic
description of the events preceding the
accident. He says he saw the flames
running along the gear of the cars
when the first train passed through the
station, and called out to the engineer
to stop, saying there was not time to
reach the next station, but the engin-
eer declared he had ample time and
proceeded.
A few minutes later long blue flame
flashed through the tunnel, followed
by violent defamation. Looking into
the mouth of the tunnel, M. Didier
could see flashes from the burning cars.
Great masses of smoke began to pour
out, preventing the officials from enter
ing the tunnel. Men struggled out
through the smoke. Screams could be
heard in the distance amid the crack
ling of the fire.
Victims of Humble Life.
The names and occupations Of the
victims give pathetic evidence of
their humble condition. The names are
characteristic of the French working
classes and occupations are given as
painter, mason, plumber, tailor, seam
stress, locksmith, etc. Outside the
workmen, about every third name is
that of a woman.
Pitiful scenes were enacted at the
n1orgue throughout the day as the rel
atives gathered seeking to identify the
bodies, which were ranged in long lines
on white marble slabs. The clothing
of many of the victims is torn, show
ing the fierceness Of the struggle.
COmbes Entered Tunnel.
Premier Combes descended into the
tunnel and made a personal lengthy
inspection. He asked the chief of po-
lice for speedy report on the causes
of the disaster and a list of the vic
tins, and announced his intention of
proposing at a council of ministers
measures for the relief of the poor
families of the victims. The flag over
the Hotel DeVille has been lowered to
half mast as a sign of the city's mourn
ing.
A survivor named Jules Bouat de-
| scribes the struggle during the panic
| In the tunnel as terrible. Women were
screaming: Save mel" Save mel" An
old man fell suffocated at his feet
The women screamed until they fell
asphyxiated.
Took Wrong Exit.
M. Gauthier, the magistrate for the
district, says one of the main causes
of the loss of life was that those es-
Gaping took the wrong exit, one. pas
sage letting out to the street, while
the other was barred, as II was US
ualy used for admitting passengers.
Many of the victims sought the bar
red exit and were found massed against
the wall, where they had been slow
ly suffocated
M. Bienvenne. the chief engineer of
the Metropolitan Railway, says from
the technical point of view every pre-
caution to avoid danger had been TAX
en-. The chief misfortune was that
the employees did not organize assist
ance with sufficient rapidity to per-
NIT the passengers being quickly drawn
out.
No Americans Killed.
At the American consulate it was
learned that there were no Ameri-
cans among the victims. The prefec-
ture of police confirms this
President Loubet has sent a telegram
to the president of the Municipal
Council saying he shares the profound
grief into which the city has been
plunged.