The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-03-16
ELEVEN HUNDRED VICTIMS
wives aud Children In and Around
Courrieres, Bereaved by the
Terrible Calamity.
An Explosion OF Firedamp Carried
Death and Destruction, and OF
$500 Men In the workings
LOO Lost Their Lives.

ter OF northern France. An explosion
OF firedamp at seven O'Clock Saturday
morning carried death and destruction
throughout the network OF coal mines
centered at Courrieres, and fire fol-
lowed the explosion, making rescue diff
fcult and almost impossible.
The intense excitement and confu-
sion in the vicinity prevented early es-
Inmates Of the exact loss Of life, but
the worst fears rs TO the enormity OF
the disaster have been realized The
death list numbers l,100. and the whole
of the region stands appalled, at the ter
rible tragedy which has brought sor-
row TO 5000 fathers, mothers, wives
ard children.
The Worst In French History.
The last great mine disaster in France
occurred in 1885, when 293 persons were
killed and so injured. but that and all
others sink into insignificance before
Sourrieres.
The vast mortuary camp is under
military guard. 400 soldiers having ar
river there 10 assist in holding in check
the crowds of distracted mourners. Fol-
a time hope had been held out to the
people that tappings 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 On man named
Sylvester succeeded in entering the
mine. but he never returned. 1t is be-
lieved he CROPPED about inside until he
vas overcome by the gases and per
'shed II is reported that a rescue
party numbering 40 had been cut OF
by the Caving in of one of the galleries
Ministers Al the Scene.
Minister of Public Works Gauthier
Minister Of the Interior Dubief and the
secretary OF President Failleries are or
the ground endeavoring TO comfort the
distressed families Of the miners. Pres
ident Failleries has given s. goo to aic
in relief measures The ministry Will
add a further sum to this. and the
chamber of deputies will be asked &C
vote 800 600 for the purpose of allevi
ating distress.
Ministers Gauthier and Dubief have
received complete details Of the catas-
trophe from NJ. Lavaurs, the director
Of the mine
"Of 500 miners who we're down IL
the pits when the explosion occurred"
he said. "673 were working in Pit No
4. 4s2 we're in Pit No. 3. 81 in pit No
q - -, r~ft -
The Number Rescued.
Those rescued were taken out as fol-
lows:
From pit No. 4. 100; from pit No. 3,
16. escaped through pit No. IL: 400
came up from pit No. and "A from
pit No TO- A number Of these were in
jureG and some of them have died since.
AT the present moment over 1000
men remain imprisoned.
Another director declared that the
imprisoned men numbered 100.
Minister Dubief inquired: Have you
still any hope?" To this the director
replied: mo. | believe ali Of them are
dead"
This was whispered into the ear of
the minister, in order that his words
might not be overheard by the pale
faced miners who stood anxiously about
the mine building waiting for an ON
cial view of the state OF affairs.
An Improvised Morgue.
For the time being the mine build
| Ing has been transformed into a NOR
tuary chamber and all about in it lie
| the carbonized and almost unrecogniza-
bic bodies of miners which were taken
there as they we're brought up from the
mine Stricken relatives arrive at the
| mine building from time TO time, search
| ing for missing members OF their fam
lilies, and Undesirable scenes OF grief
occur as women recognize loved ones.
Heartrending scenes.
Heartrending scenes. too. are wit
messed about the mouth of pit No. 4,
Dubief and Gauthier the bands OF res
cuers are continually descending and re-
turning with bodies Women with chill
dren in their arms attempt to break
through the Gordon Of troops which
forms lane through which the body
bearers proceed 10 the mortuary cham
Der. Sometimes the burden consists OF
a mere heap of burnt flesh. and In near
" every case the body is terribly lscer-
ated Only one half OF the bodies re-
covered have been Identified.
Heroic Rescue workers.
Despits the danger incurred. the vol
unteers. who include number OF thoss
who were successful In escaping at the
time OF the explosion. do not hesitate
to descend the shaft Some of them
have been down more thar dozen
times. One Of them. after having
brought up IL bodies, was s,iffocated
on his fifteenth attempt, and II Is feared
that other fatalities among the volun-
teers will follow, as the air in the mines
still impregnated with noxlous gases. A
number OF men engaged in rescue work
have already been brought to the sur
tare unconscious