The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-03-16
DEADLY HORROR
TN FRENCH MINE
Over Thousand Men Victims Of
FrightfuI Firedamp Explosion.
SCENE MOST APPALLING
Out of Eighteen Hundred Coal Diggers
Who Went Into Pits Less Than
Seven Hundred are Alive.

A Paris special says: A mining Ca
tasTophe of incalculable horror and
magnitude has stricken the great coal
center Of northern France.
An explosion of fire damp at seven
o'clock Saturday morning carried
death and destruction throughout the
net work of coal mines centered at
Courrieres. Fire followed the explo-
sion, making rescue difficult and al
most impossible.
All France has been profoundly
shocked by the magnitude of the dis
aster, which is said to be the greatest
in the history of cintinental mining.
President Fallieres sent his secre-
tary, accompanied by Minister of Pub
lie Works Gautier and Minister of the
Interior Dubief on a special train 20
the scene of the disaster
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
series of tunnels.
Six of the outlets are near Lens
and others at Courriers, Verdun and
many other points. The output of
these mines is particularly combusti-
bic, and is largely used in the man
pfacture of gas and in smelling. About
! 1000 miners work the group of mines
and with their families make a popu-
Iation of from 5000 to 5000 souls.
The catastrophe took place shortly
after 1895 men had descended into
the mine early Saturday morning
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 stunned or killed
! The roof of the mine Office was torn
off
Immediately following the explo-
sion danes burst from the mouth of
the pit, driving back those who
sought to enter and booming those
within.
The work of attempting to rescue
the imprisoned miners was hastily
begun by officials, engineers and min
ers from the surrounding mines, who
formed parties and made heroic efforts
to obtain details to force back the gen
darmcs who kept them from the
mouth of the pit.
Later dispatches state that the
worst fears as to the enormity Of
the disaster have been realized. The
death list numbers LOO, and the
whole of the region stands appalled,
at the terrible tragedy which has
brought sorrow to 5000 fathers, mo-
theirs, wives and children,
The vast mortuary camp is under
military guard, four hundred soldiers
having arrived there to assist in hold
ing in check the crowds of distract
ed momners.
Ministers of Public Works Gautier,
Minister of the Interior Dubief and
the secretary CT President Fallleres
remain on the ground endeavoring to
comfort the distressed families of the
miners. President Falliers has given
$4,000 to aid in relief measures. The
ministry will add a further sum to
this, and the chamber of deputies will
be asked to vote 100000 for the pur-
pose of alternating distress.
Ministers Gautier and Dubief have
received compile details of the ca
tastrophe from M. Lavaurs, the di-
rector of the mine.
"Of 1900 miners who were down
in the pits when the explosion oc-
Cured" he said, 1918 were working
in Pit No. 4; 4S2 were in Pit No
3; 571 were in Pit No. 2, and the re-
mainder were in Pit NO. 10.