New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-11

Paris. March 10-A mining catastrophe in
volving the loss of over a thousand lives has
stricken the great coal centre OF Northern
France. An explosion Of hredamp at o'clock
this morning carried death and destruction
throughout the network of coal mines centred
at Courrieres. and fire followed the explosion.
making rescues almost impossible.
The intense excitement and confusion in the
vicinity prevented early estimates of the exact
loss of life. but dispatch received here at 4:35
p. gave 1.4O4 miners entombed and probably
lost. At S:45 o'clock this evening brief dis
patch from Lille announced the total of 1,193
dead
All France has been profoundly shocked by the
magnitude of the disaster. which is said to be
the greatest in the history of Continental mining
President Fallieres sent his secretary. accom-
panied by NJ. Gauthier. the Minister OF Public
Works. and NJ Dubief. the Minister of the In
terror on a special train TO the scene of the
disaster.
The ministerial crisis was temporarily for
gotten. Senators and Deputies joining in the
general public manifestations of sorrow.
The scene OF the catastrophe is the mountain
Gus mining region near Lens. in the Department
of Pas de Calais Here are hudded small ham
lets of the mine workers who operate the most
productive coal mines in France The subter-
ranean chambers form a series of tunnels. Six
OF the outlets are near Lens. and others at
Courrieres, Verdun and many other points.
The output of these mines is particularly COM
bustible and is largely used in the manufacture
of gas and in smelling About two thousand
miners work the group of mines, and with their
families make a population Of from 5000 to
5000 souls.
The catastrophe occurred shortly after 1876
men had descended into the mines this morning.
There was deafening explosion. which was
followed by the cages and mining apparatus
being hurled from the mouth of the Courrieres
mine Men and horses near by outside the mine
were either stunned killed. The roof Of the
mine Office was torn Off
Immediately following the exple sion 1me-
burst from the mouth of the pit drtTtt4s back
those without who sought TO enter and booming
those within.
dispatch from Courreres, timed p. m,
said that the attempts to rescue the imprisoned
miners had been given UP. the galleries in the
mine having fallen in.
The work of attempting to rescue the impris-
oned miners hastily begun by officials. en-
gineers 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 husbands fathers.
and threatening in their efforts to obtain de-
tails. 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 household.
Those persons who were rescued were terribly
burned The latest estimates place those taken
out at 591.
Throughout the afternoon the heroic efforts at
rescue were continued, but nghtfau brought
the conviction that the entombed men had been
suffocated, and the dispatch from Lille at $40
D. m, announcing the number of dead at 1.193,
appears to remove the last hope that others may
be brought to the surface alive.
The explosion occurred in Pits II and 4. and
the flames spread to all the communicating pits,
embracing Mericourt. Coron and Lens.
A dispatch from Lille says that smouderng
fire broke out last night in the Cecil pit of the
CourrIere mines, near Mericourt at depth of
27O metres, where masonry work going on
This is all that is known Of the origin of the
catastrophe.
The cages in which the miners descended into
Pits Nos ., 3 and about o'clock this morn
ing were hurled thirty feet from the mouth Of
the shaft miner working near the mouth
was instantly killed, and a horse was thrown
into the air. Some of the imprisoned miners
sought to escape TO the pits which remained
intact, and several rescues were made Ine
first cages came up at 10 o'clock with about
TOOK TRANSFER; IN JAIL.