The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-12
Vast MofIuaTy Camp in France
Under Military Guard
REScUERS RISK THEIR LIVES
Mine Officials Express Belief That the
100 Men in the Mines at
Courrieres Are All
Dead.

Paris. March 1.-THE worst fears as to
the enormty of the mine disaster in the
Courrieres district of the Pas De Calias
Saturday morning have been realized.
The death list numbers 100 and the whole
of the region stands appalled, at the terri
BILE tragedy which has brought sorrow
to COCO fathers, mothers wives and child
rem.
The last great mine disaster in France
occurred in 1885, when 29s persons were
killed and eighty injured, but that and
all others sink into insgnihcanee before
Courrieres.
The vast mortpary camp is under mil
itary guard. 400 soldiers having arrived
there to assist in holding in check the
crowds Of distracted mourners. For a time
hope had been held out to the people
that tapplngs on pipes by the imprisoned
men had 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 keeping the crowds from the pit. One
man named Sylvestre succeeded In enter
ing the mine. but he never returned. II
| is believed he CROPPED about inside until
he was overcome by the gas and per-
ished. 1t is reported that a rescue party
numbering forty has been cut off by the
caving in of one of the galleries.
viii Be Asked for 100000.
Minister of Public Works Gauther.
Minister of the Interior Dubief and the
secretary of President Fallleres are on
the ground endeavorlng TO comfort the
distracted families of miners. President
Faleres has given $1,000 TO aid in relief
measures The ministry will add a fur
ther sum 10 this ana the Chamber of
Deputies will be asked to vote 100000 for
the purpose of alleviating distress.
Ministers Gauthler and Dubief have re-
ceiyed complete details from NJ. Layaure,
the director of the mine
",Of 1900 miners who were down in the
pits when the explosion occurred he
said. 1913 were working in pit No. 4; 4S2
| were in No. 81 57l in No. ?, and the re-
mainder in pit No. 10. Those rescued were
taken out as follows: From pit No. 4, 1870;
from pit No 3, 10 escaped through pit
/ /
from pit No. 10. number of these were
injured and some of them have died since.
At the present moment over 1900 men re-
main imprisoned
Another director declares that the inn
prisoned men numbered 100.
Minister Dubief inquired:
Have you still any hope?'
| To this the director replied.
"No: | believe all of them are dead"
This was whispered into the ear of the
minister so that his words might not be
overheard by the pale faced miners who
stood anxiously about the mine building
waiting for an official view on the state
of affairs.
Rescued Men Describe Scene.
Then the ministers listened to a graphic
description of the scene in the mine by
Leon CERT one of the men rescued who
still is suffering from the terrible eHects
| of his experience.
~ was working with a gang when the
| exnlosion occurred The foreman i'm
medlately shouted for us to follow him
and dashing into recess In the gallery
were followed by a blast of poisonous
gases which rushed by, however, without
| affecting us. We remained there for eight
hours. when feeling that suffocation was
gradually co1lins '1aa upJn =, s,oaIa sla 10.
| ,yord the shaft hut several of the men
dropped dead on the way. including my
4 son and the foreman. | carried my
/ nephew on my back forty minutes and
! succeeded in saving him. 1t took us four
hours to reach the shaft"
-, =, u.... ch.h
! pou'es lie '"
! For the time pelhs ene mine puliuihs
| ofrrr into a1sU
has been transformed ihto "a ihortualy
chamber ana all ABOUT IL ne the carpoh
ized ana almost uhiecosii1apie pie oouies VI
miners Which "ele laneh tiieie & ~ my
were brought up rom 'iie niilie' S.l,ehen ,,,n
| relatives ailNs a. ~ ns Du,'oiie -,'.,.
from thne 10 tiine ,,s ssa,enns 40, li ,,liss.l,e
members ol tneii "a s'iiiies n alu . iiueaei.D ~
aple scenes ,a ~ e. ~. "o'''e"
cognlze tne ioNeu o,,n ones 80 a.. ,..,,,,oo,
fieartIeluins sos'.s 81, ~. t
aooue 'ns ,' ,losN - sI,,,,ster, Dn,,,aS a,S
,,', -, .nV 49, hands - rasc,,ars a,.a go