The independent., 1907-01-31
APPALLING DISASTER IN WORKS
OF RHENIsH PRUSSIA.
SCORES OF BODIES FOUND
ESTIMATE MADE OF TWO HUN
DRIED FATALITIES.
ffredamp Explosion Far Under
ground Cause of the Dfsasfer-
Outbreak of Fire Drives
Ont Rescuers.


Ont Rescuers.
sAARBRUEcK, Rhenish Prussia
Jan IA firedamp explosion oc-
CURED this morning in the Redenr coal
lillne al ~. Johann-On-saar, opposite
saarprueck and caused the loss of from
lgV 70 1OV ives The mine is owned by
Las RUSSIAN government. Up to 6
COCK this evening seVentv-seven
bodies have been brought OUT and fif-
ly-slx corpses were known to be nm
derground. Only fifty live men have
peen brought out, and of these the
doctors say at least thirty-five will die
as tney are frightfully injured through
having been hurled against the walls
or the galleries by the force Of the ex
plosion
An official report given out this
evening says the number Of dead can
not exceed 1G0.
Immediately after the explosion res
cue workers We're hurried from all tie
adJacent mines and boldly entered the
Reden smart IN great numbers. The
work or rescue has been greatly ham
pered by the poisonous gases resulting
from the explosion and by a fierce fire
wards. This caused efforts at rescue to
be suspended and the workers had to
De ordered out of the mine
After all the rescuers had reached
daylight, according 10 one version. a
second terrific detonation was heard
Underground But, according to an
other report, many Of the rescuers
were still below when the second ex-
ploslon occurred and ii is estimated
that the casualty list from the two
EXPLOSIONS reaches total Of 300
Lower Levels Wrecked.
1t is regarded as certain that the
lowest levels Of the mine are complete
ly wrecked and the inspectors are de-
Iberating upon further measures to
get control Of the fire The managers
are discussing the adyisability of flood
ing these levels as the means Of ex-
tinguishing the flames. It is believed
that all the men who were in the
lower levels assuredly are dead. 1t win
take a full week to enter and explore
the mine.
Up to 2 o'clock this afternoon the
bodies of 1e4 dead miners had been
taken out of the mine, seventeen meu
dangerously injured had been rescued,
and more than 100 miners were miss
ing. There We're about 500 men work
ing in the shaft when the explosion
occurred. but half of them Were not in
the galleries which We're wrecked. The
rescue corps is working desperately in
efforts TO reach the entombed men, and
it is hop5d that some Of them viii be
found alive. The scenes at the nit
mouth We're most distressing. The
Reden mine is owned by the Prussian
government.
The disaster occurred 2.300 feet un-
derground and is one and a quarter
miles from the floor Of the shaft. 1t is
the greatest mining catastrophe ever
known in the Saar region. About 600
men entered the mine for the day shift
but about 400 OF them escaped through
the Bildstock shaft, which communi-
Gates with the Reden underground.
At late hour tonight it was still un-
certain how many workmen still were
in the mine. the reports being conflict
ing. The entrance 10 the galleries un- /
derground Is blocked with dead horses.
Most Of the bodies brought 10 the <
surface arc mangled beyond recogni- 4
tion. The mine inspectors this evening
ordered the rcSeuers To return Ia their
homes but 10 hold themselves i'm reaa- 1
mess for further orders.
Emperor William has ordered that
full report Of the disaster be sent him
Experts calculate that the rescue
work will take one week
PARIS. Jan. sA.-President Fallltres
Former Minister richon and the mu.
nicipal council of Paris have t.le-
srapbed Emperor William. expressing
the sympathy &c France In tho saar.
orueck disaster and recalling the e,.n-
arons assistance given by German
miners af The time nf the Courrieres
mtaslrophe