Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-11
OVER 1000 MEN
ENTOMBEO IN PITS
Terrible Explosion at a French
Coal Mine
18 MILES FROM BETHUNE
The Miners Cages Were Hurled 80
x,.,es Feet Into the Air. ns,...
1,193 OF 1895 MINERS ARE DEAD
Agonizing Scenes Witnessed at En-
frances to Shafts-.Attempts at
Rescue Declared Useless.

A mining catastrophe of incalculable hor-
ror and magnitude has stricken the great
coal center OF northern France. An explo-
sion of hredamp at o'clock this morning
carried death and destruction throughout
the network of coal mines centered at Cour-
rieres, and fire followed the explosion,
making rescue difficult and almost impossi-
BILE.
The Intense excitement and confusion in
the vicinity prevented early estimates of
the exact loss of life, but dispatch receiv-
ed here at 4:35 pm gave 1.404 miners en-
tombed and probably lost. At $40 o'clock
this evening a brief dispatch from Lille an
nounced the total of 1893 dead.
All France has been profoundly shocked
by the magnitude of the disaster which is
said 10 be the greatest in the history of
continental mining.
President Falleres sent his secretary, ac-
companled by Minister Of Public Works
Gautler and Minister of the Interior Du-
hlef. on a special train to the scene of the
disaster.
The ministerial crisis was temporarily
forgotten. senators and deputies joining IN
the universal manifestations of sorrow.
The scene of the catastrophe is the noun
tainous mining region near Lens, In the de-
partmcnt Of Pas-de-Calais. Here are hud-
died 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 are at Courrieres,
Verdun and many other points. The output
of these mines is particularly combustibls
and is largely used 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 6,0oo to
5000 souls
The catastrophe took place shortly after
1906 men had descended into the mine this
morning There was deafening explo-
sion, which was followed by the cages and
mining appartus being hurled from the
mouth of the Courriere mine. Men and
horses nearby 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 work of attempting TO rescue the
Imprisoned miners was hastily begun by
officials, engineers and miners from the
surrounding mines, who formed parties
and made heroic efforts to penetrate the
smoke and foul gases and bring out the
imprisoned men.
The families of the entombed miners
crowded about the shaft, seeking fathers
or husbands and threatening in their ef-
forts 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 house
hold
Those persons who were rescued were
terribly burned. The latest estimates place
those taken out at 591.
Throughout the afternoon the heroic ef
forts at rescue were continued. but night
fall brought the conviction that the en-
tombed men had been suffocated, and the
dispatch from Lille at $40 pm. announc-
ing the number of dead al I.193. appears
TO remove the last hope that others may
be brought 20 the surface alive.
At O'Clock tonight a rescue party at
Courrleres brought out several engineers.
two OF whom were unconscious, but who
were revived under medical attendance.
The attempts at rescue have been given
up. as the galleries have fallen in.
Crowds still surround pit 4. and the
scenes heartrending.