The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-11
Explosion of Fire Damp
 Causes Holocaust.
I.Is3 REPORTED TO BE DEAD
The Ministerial Crisis is Forgotten
 For the Moment.
Scene of the Catastrophe Is in ths Mountainous Region of Lens, Where are the Most Produce
 tive Coal Mines in the
 French Republic.

Paris, March 10.--A mining catas- trophe of incalcclabie horror and mag nitude, has stricken the great coal centre of Northern France.
 An explosion of fire damp at o'clock this morning carried death and de- struction throughout the network of coal mines centered at Courrieres. Fire followed the explosion, making rescue difficult and almost impossible.
 The intense excitement and confus- ion in the vicinity prevented early es- inmates of the exact loss of life, but & dispatch received here at .4:S5 p. m. gave 1,404 miners entombed and prob ably lost.
 At s:45 D. m. a brief dispatch from Lille announced the total of 1.1eS dead.
 All France has been profoundly shocked by the magnitude of the dis aster. which is said to be the greatest in the history of continental mining.
 President Fallieres sent his secre- tary, accompanied by Minister of Pub lie Works Gautier and Minister ot the Interior Dubier. on a special train to the scene of the disaster.
 The ministerial crisis was tempora rily forgotten, Senators and Deputies joining in the universal public mani festations of sorrow.
 The scene of the catastrophe is the mountainous mining region near Lens, in the Department of Pas de Calais. Here are huddled small hamlets of the mine workers who operate the most productive coal mines in France. The subterrannean chambers form a series of tunnels.
 Six of the outlets are near Lens and others at Courrieres, Verdun and many other points. The output of these mines is particularly combustible and is largely used in the manufacture of gas and in smelting.
 Hurled from Mouth of Mines.
 About 2.0o0 miners work the group of mines and with their families make a population of from 5000 to S,00o souls.
 The catastrophe took place shortly after 1,795 men had descended into the mine this morning. There was a deaf . ening explosion, which was followed by the cages and mining apparatus being hurled from the mouth of the Cour- rieres Mine. Men and horses nearly outside of the mine were either stunned or killed. The roof of the mine office was torn off
 Immediately following the explosion flames burst from the mouth of the pit, driving back those who sought to enter and dooming those within
 The work of attempting to rescue the imprisoned miners was hastily begun by the officials, engineers and miners from the surrounding mines, who form ed parties and made heroic efforts to penetrate the smoke and foul gases and bring out the imprisoned men.
 The families of the entombed miners crowded about the shaft seeking fath- CTS or husbands and threatening in their efforts to obtain details to force back the gendarmes who kept them from the mouth of the pit.
 The poLulace of the district is ap- palled by the disaster, which affects every household.
 Those persons who were rescued were terribly burned. the latest esti- mates place those taken out at 591.
 Throughout the afternoon the heroic efforts at rescue were continued, but nightfall brought the conviction that the entombed men had been suffocated and the death from Lille at S:45 p. m announcing the number of dead at 1193 appears to remove the last hope that others may be brought to the sur face alive.