Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1906-04-07
SURELY A MIRACLE
FRENCH COAL MINERS EkTOMED
FOR 20 DAYS COME OUT ALIVE.
Thirteen Hageard Miners, Unaided,
Escape From Pit at courris--s-
Live on Hay and Horse Meat-TaIe
Of Terrible Sufferina-others May
Be Found.

Thirteen Of the 1900 miners who |
were entombed in the coal mines at
Courrieres, France for 20 days |
were taken from the mine alive. They |
had lived on hay found in one OF the
of food. which they took into the
mine with them nearly three weeks
ago All attempts to rescue the en-
tombed men had been abandoned more
than two weeks ago.
The sudden appearance of the i'm
prisoned men caused stuperfaction. A
gang of salvagers had just completed
their nights work when they were
startled to see group of miners, ter
ribly haggard and exhausted and with
eyes sunken. appear from remote
part of the pit
The strongest of the party said they
had broken out of a distant gallery
where they had been entombed since
the disaster of March 10.
The rescued men were taken up the
elevator, but were unable to see, ow
ing to the dazzling daylight The
mine officials were deeply affected as
the weeping survivors were taken to a
hospital. The men were able to talk
feebly but audibly. They all asked
for news of relatives or friends and
wished to go home at once.
More Living Men Entombed.
Later crowds besieged the mines in
the hope of further escapes, necessi-
tating the employment of a strong po-
lice force and detachments of troops
to maintain order. 1t is said that 9th
ers of the entombed miners are alive
and about to be brought out, their sig
nails having been heard. One of the
men rescued, man named Nemy, said
that for the first eight days the party
ate the bark off the timbers Of the
mine Later they found the decompos-
ed body of a horse which they cut
and ate with hay. The survivors
brought up portions Of decomposed
horse meat.
Tale of Terrible Suffering.
Nemy, who was the most lucid of the
miners who escaped, graphically de-
scribed their Imprisonment as follows:
After the explosion l CROPPED my
way about, stumbling over bodies and
seeking refuge from the gases. l
found some comrades sheltered in a
remote nitche. We ate earth and bark
for eight days.
I'VE continued to grope among the
bodies. seeking for an outlet from our
prison, but were forced back time and
again. We found some hay and two
days afterward we found 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 separated into three
parties and communicated with each
other by shouts. Last night we felt a
draft of fresh air, which finally guild
ed us to an opening"
This party which escaped originally
numbered 20 men, of whom six dis
appeared during the cropping in the
darkness. A number of the salvage
corps were counted among those
brought out making the actual number
of survivors 10.
Suffered From Cold.
survivor named Martin said: 1--WE
suffered intensely from cold. The
chamber above us was burning, but il
did not temper the cold in the lower
gallery"
Another survivor, LeFebvre, when
asked if he had slept, replied:
|
times we dozed, but Nemy, who took
command, would not permit us to
sleep"
Nemy displayed his watch, which he
had wound up regularly throughout his
Imprisonment. The watch was fast
and therefore the survivors, counted
only 16 days from the time of the ex
plosion.
The rescued men are being kept IL
semidarkness. DR.. Loutiers, who is il
charge of the patients, says they are
suffering from ptomaine poisoning
caused by eating the decomposed mea
of the horse that persisted near them
The floors Of the hospital. where The
rescued men are being treated, arr
covered with straw to prevent noise
and the patients are kept in semi
darkness. The families of the patients
are admitted to see them for very brie
periods. When the project visited thu
men, Nemy, the leader of the rescued
party said:
Il have some additional details I,
give. My mine boy, Provost, was in
jured by the explosion. and | wa
obliged to lead and carry him durinl
our search for the outlet. his sharl
ears heard three responses to on
calls. Afterward l heard men usin
pickaxes, and Provost raped on wal
er pipe. To this we received repeate
answers. It was the noise made b
working party which guided u
out"