Omaha daily bee., 1906-03-31
Sudden Appearance Of Emsciated Men
Frightens Salvage Corps,
THEY ATE HAY AND FLESH OF DEAD HORSE
This Meagsr Diet sustains Life for Nearly
Three Weeks,
TAKEN At ONCE TO THE HOSPITAL
others OF Twelve Hundred Buried BY
Explosion Relieved 20 Ne Alive
ana Rescue work is
Resumed.


LENS. France. March 9O-The disaster
at the Courrieres coal mines had a startling
sequel today when thirteen miners were
taken out alive after having endured un-
speakabln horrors during twenty days OF
entombment The story NJ the survivors,
20 far as Il hAs been told. discloses that
they lived for many days on putrid horse
meat amid total darkness and the stencil
from scores OF decaying corpses. The pres
ence OF human flesh would speedily have
forced the starving men TO resort to the
last desperate extremity IL they had not
been rescued. The survivors here sturdy
young miners from II to S years OF age.
except their leader. Henri Nemy. who is
IS years old. All show the terrible effects
Of their experiences, being emacated and
blinded. Their rescue caused a temporary
nervous lucidity, during which they greeted
their relatives and graphically related their
sufferings The doctors then forced quiet
upon them. fearing the results Of fever
and poisoning from their having eaten de-
cayed horsehesh.
Many Touching scenes.
There were touching scenes as wives and
mothers greeted those whom they had long
given up as dead. Crowds besieged the hos
pitais to which the men were taken, cheer
ing the survivors and imprecating the inef-
fectve nature OF the salvage work that fol-
lowed Immediately after the disaster.
The rescue of these thirteen men revived
hope in many families that others arc alive,
and the relatives of those whose bodies
have not been recovered clamorously de-
rnanded that efforts be redoubled to bring
out any possible survivors
There is a report that in addition to the
=. thirteen men who were brought up out Of
Tho mine today there were nve others who
came with them almost to the bottom Of
the pit. but were unable to come further
on account OF exhaustion.
The total number of men missing after
the catastrophe was 1,212. The bodies re-
covered approximately numbered 800, and
there are stu unaccounted for, approxi-
mately. 100.
The engineers explain that some smould-
erine lres prevented them from exploring
remote passages of the mine, whore II was
Thought tbare could be no survivors The
mine owners also say that the strike OF
miners reduced the number OF rescuers
a~4nabie Many engineers and scientists
agree that all IN the mine died long age.
Engireer Iaur. however. dssehts, assert
ing that the savage work has been deploE-
ably inefficient and he believes that scores
died OF exhaustion owing TO the poor work
OF the salvage companies
Rescue Party startled.
The sudden appearance Of the Inn
prisoned men caused stupefaction- gang
OF saIvaeers nad just completed their nights
work when they were startled 10 SEQ
group OF miners, terribly hageard and ex-
hausted and with eyes sunken appear from
a remote part OF pit No. 2. The strongest
Of the party said they mad broken out Of
distant gallery Ehere they had been en-
to abed since the disaster OF March 10 The
rescued men were taken up the elevator
but were unable 20 see, owing to the
dazzling daylight. The mine oficals were
deeply afected as the weeping survivors
were taken 10 a hospital The men were
able TO talk feebly but sensibly. They all
asked for news OF refatives or friends and
wished 10 20 home Immediately. The doc
tors, however. prevented them with dini-
Guilty from so doing. Later crowds be-
sieged the mines in the hope OF hearing
of further escapes. necessitatng the en-
Dloyment Of a strong police force and de-
taehments Of troops TO maintain order.
others May BE Alive.
II is said that others OF the entombed
miners are alive ana about TO be brought
out. their signals having been heard
one OF the men rescued today. q man
named Nemy, said that for the nrst eight
bering Of the mine. Later they found the
deoompesed body Of a horse. which they
cut up and ate with hay.
The survivors brought up portions Of the
deoomposed horse meat.
Nemy, who was the most lucid OF the
miners who escaped, graphically described
their Imprisonment as follows:
After the explosion ! CROPPED my way
about. stumbling over bodies and seeking
refuge from the gases. found some COM
rades sheltered IN remote niche. We ate
\ earth and bark for eight days.
J we continued to grope among the bodies
seeking for an outlet from our prison. but
were forced back time and again. we
found some hay. which we ate. and two
days after we found a 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 sepa-
rated into three parties and communicated
with each other by shouts.
Last night we felt a draft OF fresh air,
which nnaliy guided us 60 an opening"
The doctors have forbidden the survivors
to do any further talking. Vast crowds
Of people surround the hospital where the
escaped men are being treated.
Rescuers Carry Provisions.
The families OF the miners are intensely
Indignant They claim that salvage op-
erations were never undertaken In the part
Of the mine from which Nemy and his COM
panions escaped. and disorders are ex-
pected. The most severe repressive mea-
sures have been taken Crowds Of women
denounee the directors and engineers. cry
Ing. III you had given us tools We would
have saved our own husbands"
The party which escaped today origin
ally numbered twenty men. OF whom six
disappeared during the gropings In the
darkness. number OF the salvage corps
was counted among those brought out
today. making the actual number OF sur
wvor thirteen- The latter are positive
that others are alive IN the mine They
say they heard calls and tappinss yestkr-
day but were unable 70 reach the en-