Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-03-12
FEW LIVING SURVIVORS ARE
NEARLY CRkZEO BY EXPERIENCE
Government Appropriates 100000
for Work Of Rescue and Caring
for Families Of the Suffo-
Gated Miners,

Paris, Mar. 11.--The worst fears as
TO the enormity Of the mine disaster
IN the COmriepes district of the Pas
de- Calais saturday morning have been
realized. The death list numbers
I,IOO, and the whole of the region
stands appalled, at the terrible trag-
edy, which has brought sorrow to
5000 fathers, mothers, wives and chill
dren.
The last great mine disaster in
France occurred In 1885, when 29's
persons were killed and 80 injured,
hut that and all others sink into ill.,
Significance before COuTTlcres.
The vast mOrtuary camp is under
military guard, four hundred soldiers
having arrived there TO assist in hold
Ing In check the crowds Of distracted
mOurnePs.
For time hope had been held out
to the people that tappings on pipes
by the imprisoned men had been
heard, but gradually these hopes van
ished and the people demanded ad-
mission to see the bodies and even
threatened TO break through the cor
don of troops, who had the greatest
difficulty in keeping the crowds from
the pit.
one man named Sylvestre succeed
ed in entering the mine, but he never
returned III is believed he groped
about inside until he was overcome by
the gases and perlshed. 1t Is reported
that rescue party numbering forty
has been cut off by the caving in OF
one of the galleries.
Minister OF Public Works Gautier
Minister OF the Interior Dubief and
the secretary of President Fallieres
remain on the ground endeavoring to
comfort the distressed families of tht
miners President Fallieres has given
$4,000 to aid In relief measures. The
ministry will add a further sum tC
this and the chamber of deputies will
he asked TO vote $1,000 900 for the pur-
pose of alleviating distress.
Awful Scenes In the Mines Depths.
Leon Cert, one of the men rescued
and who still is suffering from the
terrible effects Of his experience, gave
the following description Of the scent
in the mine;
u was working with a gang wher
the explosion occurred. The foreman
Immediately shouted for us to follow
him. and, dashing into a recess in tht
gallery, we were followed by a bias
of golsonous gases, which rushed by
however without affecting us. We re.
mained there for eight hours. when
feeling that suffocation was gradually
coming upon us. we attempted to es
cape. We crawled In single file to-
ward shaft, but several of the mel
dropped dead on the way, including
my son and the foreman. I carried
my nephew on my back for forty min
utes and succeeded in saving him. |
took MS four hours to reach th'
shaft"
Bodies Almost UnrecOgniZabIe.
For the time being the mine build
Ing has been transformed into a NOR
tuary chamber and all about It III
carbonlzed and almost unrecogniza
BILE bodies of miners which were takel
here as they were brought up from
The mine. Stricken relatives arrive a
he mine building from time to time
searching for missing members o
heir families and indescribable scene
of grief occur as the women recog
nize loved ones.
Heart rendlng scenes. too, are wit
messed about the mouth OF pit No. 4
where IN the presence of Ministers Du
hlen and Gauther. bands of rescuer
are continually descending and re
turning with bodies.
Women with children IN their arm
attempt to break through the Gordon o
troops which forms a lane throug
which the, body bearers proceed to th
ninmnnry chamber. Sometimes tn
burden CONSIST Of merely a heap 0
burnt ilesh and In nearly every cas-
the body Is terribly lacefated. Onl