Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1906-03-16
over THOUSAND
LIVES LOST.
Mine Disaster in France Re.
suits in Terrible
Loss
MINE is A VEGETABLE TOMB
Explosion Of Firedamp in a Mountain
Mine near Lens Entombs Entire
Working Force Under Ground
All Hope Gone.

Paris, March ia mining catas
trophe of incalculable horror and
magnitude has stricken the great coal
center of northern France. An ex.
plosion of fire damp at Z o'clock yes,
terday morning carried death and de
struction throughout the network of
coal mines centered at Courrieres,
and fire followed the explosion, max,
ing rescue difficult and almost impos.
sible.
The intense excitement and confu,
sion in the vicinity prevented early
estimates of the exact loss of life, but
a dispatch received here at 4:35 p. m.
cave 1,404 miners entombed and pro.
badly lost. At S:45 p. m. brief dis.
patch from Lille announced the total
of 1893 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.
The scene of the catastrophe is the
mountainous mining region near Lens
in the department of Pasde.Calais.
Here are huddled small hamlets OF
the mine workers, who operate the
most productive mines in France
The subterranean chambers form q
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 combust,
ible and is largely used in the m;nu.
facture of gas and in smelling.
About 1000 miners work the group OF
mines and, with their families, make
population of from 5000 to 5000
souls.
The catastrophe took place shortly
after the men had descended into the
mine. There was deafening explo
sion which was followed by the cages
and mining apparatus being hurled
from the mouth of the Courrieres
mine. Men and horses nearby out.
side 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 Ct the
pit, driving back those without who
sought to enter and booming those
within. The work of attempting to
rescue the imprisoned miners was
hastily begun by officials. engineers
and miners from the surrounding
mines, who formed parties and made
heroic efforts to penetrate the smoke
and foul gases and bring out the i'm.
p)iscned men.
The families of the entombed min
ers crowded about the shaft, seeking
fathers 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
populace OF the district IS appalled, by
the disaster. which affects every
household.
Paris, March 12.-The worst fears
as to the enormity of the mine dis,
aster in the Courrieres district of the
Pas-de-Calais Saturday morning have
been realized. The death list mum,
bers LOO and the whole Of the region
stands appalled, at the terrible trag.
edy. which has brought sorrow to
5000 fathers, mothers, wives and chill.
dren.
For time hope had been held out
to the people that tappings on pipes
by the imprisoned men had been
heard, but gradually this hope van
ished and the people demanded ad.
mission to see the bodies, and even
threatened to break through the cor.
don of troops, who had the greatest
difficulty in keeping the crowds from
the pit.
Ministers Gauthier and Dubief
have received complete details of the
catastrophe from M. Lavaurs, the di.
rector of the mine.
"Of 1900 miners who we're down
in the pits when the explosion occur.
red" he said, 1918 we're working in
pit No. a; 1872 were in pit No. 3; 571
in pit No. 2, and the remainder in pit
No. 10.
"Those rescued were taken oat as
follows:
From pit No. 4, 100; from pit No.
8, fifteen escaped through pit No. H.;
400 came up from pit No. 2, and "a
from pit No. 10. IA number Of these
were injured, and some of them have
died since. At the present moment
over 1000 men remain imprisoned"
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