The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-03-13
0v 4 Thousand Golfers Peril Il
Pas de Calais,
FLAMES FOLLOW AN EXPLOSION

Attempts at Rescue Given Up. Gal
lerlea Having Fallen in-Answerine
Appeals For Aid, lsescuers Lose Their
Lives--Forcs Their Way Into shafts
FILLED with Poisonous Gases.
Paris. "A mining catastrophe inyolv-
ing the loss Of over 1000 lives has
stricken the great coal centre Of North
ern France. An explosion of fire
damp at o'clock a. m. carried death
and destruction throughout the net
work Of coal mines centred at Cour-
siers, and fire followed the explosion,
making rescues almost impossible
All France has been profoundly
shocked by the magnitude of the disas-
ter, which is said to be the greatest in
the history of Continental mining
President Fallieres sent his secre
tary, accompanied by M. Gauthier, the
Minister Of Public Works, and M. Du-
bief. the Minister of the Interior. on a
special train to the scene of the disas.
ter.
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
subterranean chambers form d series
of tunnels Six of the outlets are near
Lens, and others are at Courriers, Yer.
dun and many other points.
The catastrophe occurred shortly aft
ter 1895 men had descended into the
mines in the morning. There was a
deafening explosion, which was fol-
lowed by the cages and mining appara-
ius being hurled from the mouth of the
Courrieres mine. Men and horses near
by outside 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 without who sought
to enter and booming those within.
The death list stands at 100. The
tragedy has brought sorrow to 60OO
fathers, mothers, wives and children
The vast mortuary camp :. under
! military guard, 400 soldiers having ar
rived there to assist in holding in check
the crowds of distracted mourners.
For time hope had been held out to
the people that tappings on pipes by
the imprisoned men lad been heard
but gradually this hope vanished, and
the people demanded admission to see
the bodies, and even threatened to
break through the Gordon of troops,
who had the greatest difficulty in keep
ing the crowds from the pit. One man
named Sylvestre succeeded in entering
the mine, but he never returned. 1t is
believed that he CROPPED about inside
until he was O. scome by the gases and
persisted
E'or the time being the mine building
has been transformed into a mortuary
chamber, and all about in it lie the car
bombed and almost unacceptable
bodies Of miners which were taken
there as they were brought up from
the mine. Stricken relatives arrive at
the mine building from time to time,
searching for missing members of their
families, and indescribable scenes of
grief occur as women recognize loved
0nes.
Heartrending scenes, too, ire Wit
messed about the mouth of Pit 4, where
In the presence of Ministers Dubief and
Gauthier, the bands of rescuers are
contia ally descending and returning
with bodies. Women with children In
their arms attemp- 70 break through
the Gordon OF troops, which form lane
through which the body bearers pro-
coed to the Lnortuary chamber. In
nearly very case the body is terribly
iacerated. Only one-half of the bodies
recovered have been IdeEdfed