Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-03-12

sists Of 4 mere heap of burnt flesh, and
In nearly every case the body is terri
bly, lacerated. Only one-half Of the
todies recovered have been identified
Despite the danger incurred, the volun-
teers, VIII. include number of those
who were successful in escaping at the
time of the explosion, do not hesitate 10
descend the shaft. Some Of them have
been down mere than dozen times. One
OF them after having brought up il bod
les was suffocated in his 18th attempt
and it is feared that other fatalities
among the volunteers will follow, az the
air in the mines IS still impregnated with
noxious gases. A number of the men en-
gagged in rescue work have already
been brought to the surface unconscious.
and as they were driven to their homes
in closed carriages the women followed
and broke the windows. suspect;ng thar
bodies were being hurried away.
Several miners have come I'D from Dit
II, which is connected with pit No B.
They effected their escape by means of a
ladder and as they came from the mouth
of the pit they appeared to bcb ordering
on madness. All of them We're more or
less injured. When asked about their
comrades one Of them said:
1T is horrible. All of them are dead"
A young miner who escaped from Dit
No. T. where about 800 men remain. said:
Il was working about 20 feet from the
shaft. Suddenly felt puff of hot gas
and started toward the shaft / was half
suffocated and was unable to advance fur
Their because of the fumes. Finally, how
ever. | succeeded in reaching the cage
and came up in it.
"After the blast I neither heard nor
saw more of my comrades, and j believe
that all in that gallery in which | was
working are dead"
Another miner said:
1T is indescribable. Everything was
demolished or has fallen in. / saw bod
les lying in piles. My son is below"
One rescuer has asserted that he heard
voices in the mine. and others found two
horses still living. This gives rise to hope
that some of the men are still living
Replying to an inquiry as to whether
hope remained for the finding of more
men alive in the mine, an engineer who
had been down the shaft said:
1T is scarcely possible. The state of
the galleries is such that clearing them
will be difficult task, while the flames
were so fierce that many of the victims
must have been reduced TO ashes"
1t is hardly thought possible that many
bodies will be recovered tomorrow owing
to the difficulty of reaching the bottom
pits, the runners on which the cages de.
scend being broken or bent. The engi-
neers are endeavoring to devise means for
locating the dangerous zone in the mine
and aerating the galleries. The shaft of
pit No. 3 is completely blocked and the
authorities are considering the advisable
ity Of dropping a heavy mass OF metal
down the shaft in order to clear it and
thus enable them to descend and learn
the worst
During the evening dispatch was
received from Lille which seemed to
give some clue to the origin Of the ex-
ElosiOn. 1t was Stated that a snould-
ering fire broke out last night in the
Cecil pit of the Courriere mines near
MerlcOurt, at q depth OF 270 metres.
where masonry work was proceeding.
NJ. Barault. the chief engineer OF the
mines descended for the purpose Of in
vestigating the circumstances which
led to the fire. This is all that is
known Of the origin OF the terrible
catastrophe. The cages In which the
miners descended into pits two, three