Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-04-06
Thirteen LIVING.
OUT OF TWELVE HUNDRED EN-
ToMBEp COAL MINERS.
MINE DISASTER IN FRANCE


In Darkness and Foul Air-Their
Food Hay. Bark and Putrefyins
Horse Flesh.
Lens, France.-Thirteen OF the ! 200
miners who were entombed in the
coal mines at Courieres twenty days
ago were taken from the mine alive
and well Friday. They had lived on
hay found IN cne OF the underground
stables. and the morsels OF food which
they took into the mine with them
nearly three weeks ago. All attempts
to rescue the entombed men had been
abandoned more than two weeks ago.
Tho sudden appearance OF the i'm
prIsoned men caused stupefaction. 4
gang OF salvagers had Just completed
their nights work when they were
startled TO see group OF miners. ter
ribly haggard and exhausted and with
eyes sunken. appear from remote
part OF pit No. 2. The strongest OF tho
party said they had broken out OF a
dIstan, gallery where they had been
cntombed since tho disaster of March
| 10th. The rescued men were taken up
the elevator but were unable to sec
owing TO the dazzling daylight.
The mine officials were deeply NJ
| fected as the weeping survivors We're
taken TO n hospital. The men were
able to talk feebly but andibly. They
all asked for news OF relatives or
friends and wished to 80 home imme-
| dlntely. The doctors. however. pre-
vented them with difficulty from so
| doing.
Later crowds bcslegcd the mines In
the hope OF hearing OF further escapes.
| ncccssItatin6 the employment OF n
| strong police force and detachments OF
troops to maintain order. II Is said
| thnt others of tho cntombcd miners
are alive and about to be brought out.
their signals having been heard.
One OF the men rescued to-day. n
man named Scmy. said that for the
| iirSt eight days the party ate the bark
| on tho umbcrS OF the mine. Later
they found tho dceomposcd body OF
horse which they cut up and ate with
hay.
The survivors brought up portions
OF tho dccomposcd hors. meat.
Srmy, who was the most lucid OF tn.
miners, who escaped. graphically de-
scrIbcd their imprisonment rs fol-
lows:
After tho explosion gropcd my
way about. stumbling Over bodies and
seeking refuge from the gases.
found some comrades sheltered In
remote niche. We ate earth and bark
for eight days.
I'VE continued to sropc among the
bodies seeking for nm outlet from our
prison. but were forced back time and
again. We found some hay which VIC
ate and two days after we found n
dead horse. which We cut up and ate
with the hay and bark. We suffered
most for the want OF water. Finally
We became desperate and separated
into three parties and communicated
with each other by shouts.
Last night We felt draft OF fresh
mir which finally guided us to an open
Ing"
The doctors have forbidden the SUR
| yivors to do any further talking. Vast
crowds OF people surrounded the hos
pItal where the escaped men are being
treated.
The families OF the miners are In
tcnscly indignant. They claim that
salvage operations were never under
taken in the part OF the mine from
which Ncmy and his companions cs-
| capped and disorders are expected. The
| most severe rcprcssiyc measures have
been taken. Crowds OF women de-
nouncc the directors and engineers.
| crying:
III you had given us tools we would
have saved our own husbands