The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-03-14
AWFUL DISASTER
In FRENCH NINE
Nearly LOO Men Reported Killed By
An Explosion.
A NUMBER WERE BROUGHT CUT.
But q Majority Of the l,79S Are Believed Dead
Explosion Occurred rs Feet updsr Ground
snd Flames Belched From the Mouths Of The
Pits, Burning Many to Desth-Seene 10 the
Chamber Of Deiih lhteJeribsbe. e.

Sbamber OF Ueith lhCeycfbsb c.
Paris, (By Cable).-A mining catas-
trophe OF incalculable horror and magni-
tude has stricken the great coal center OF
Northern France An explosion OF fire
damp at 7 o'clock carried death and de-
struction throughout the network OF coal
mines centered at Courrieres, and fire
followed the explosion, making rescue
almost impossible.
The intense excitement and confusion
in the vicinity peveuted early estimates
OF rhc exact loss of life, but a dispatch
received here at 43s p. NJ gave 1,4o4
miners cntombcd and probably lost. At
645 p. NJ a brief dispatch from Lille
announced the total Of I,Io3 dead.
All France has been profoundly shock
cd by the magnitude OF the disaster,
which is said to be the greatest in the
history OF Continental mining
President Fallieres sent his secretary,
accompanied by Minister Of Public
Works Gauter and Minister Of the In
terror Dubief on special train to the
scene OF the disaster
The ministerial crisis was temporarily
forgotten, Senators and Deputies JOIN
ing in the universal public manifesto
tions Of sorrow.
The scene OF the catastrophe is the
mountainous mining region near Lens,
in the department OF Pas dc Calais.
There are huddled small hamlets OF the
mineworkers, who operate the most pro-
ductvc coal mines in France. The sub7
terranean chambers form series OF un-
nels. Six OF the outlets are near Lens
and others are at Courrieres Nerdun and
many other points. The output of these
mines is particularly comblstible and IS
used largely in the manufacture Of gas
and in smelling. About 1900 miners
work the group OF mines and with their
families, make a population Of from 6,ooo
to 5000 souls.
The catastrophe occurred shortly after
LOS men had descended into the mine.
There was a deafening explosion, which
was followed by the cages and mining
apparatus being hurled from the mouth
OF the Courrieres mine Men and horses
near by outside the mine were either
killed or stunned. The roof OF the
mine Office was torn off. Later the CALLER
les caved in, and further attempt at res
cue was useless.
Immediately following the explosion
flames burst from the mouth Of the pit,
driving back those outside who sought
90 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 par
ties and made heroic efforts to penetrate
the smoke and foul gases and bring out
the imprisoned men.
The families OF the eutombed miners
crowded about the shaft, seeking faith
ers 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
Those persons who were rescued were
terribly burned The latest estimates
place those taken out at 5oI.
Throughout the afternoon the heroic
efforts at rescue were continued. but
nightfall brought the conviction that the
entombed men had been sufocated and
the dispatch from Lille at 845 p. NJ
announcing the number Of dead at I,I93
seems to remove the last hope that Others
may be brought TO the surface alive.
During the evening a dispatch was re-
ceived from Lille which seemed to give
some clue to the origin OF the explosion
II was stated that a smoldcring fire broke
out in the Cecil pit Of the Courrierc
Mines, near Mcricourt, at a depth OF
about US feet, where masonary works
were proceeding The cages in which
the miners descended into pits ?. 3 and 4
were hurled 80 feet from the mouth OF
the shaft A miner working near the
mouth was killed and horse was blowr
into the air. Some OF the imprisoned
miners sought to escape TO the pits which
remained intact and several rescues were
made The first cages came up at IC
o'clock with about a dozen half-suffo.
Gated men, who were pomptly taken tc
the hospital Among them was NJ Vol
sir, an engineer, who had attempted tc
organize succor.