The San Francisco call., 1907-01-29
HUNDREDS MEET
DEATH IN MINE
EXPLOSIONS
Firedamp Causes Disaster
at st. John-on-Saar and
Loss of $50 to 300 Lives
RESCUERS
PERISH AT WORK
Reden Colliery, Owned by
Prussian Government, the
Scene of the Catastrophe
SAARBRUCK, Jan. IS

SAARBRUCK, Jan. Is
A fredamp explosion oc-
Cured this morning in the
Redan coal mine at St. John
on-Saar, opposite Saarbruck,
and caused the loss Of from
$50 to 200 lives. The mine
is owned by the Prussian
Government.
Up to 8 o'clock this even
ing seventy-seven bodies had
been brought out and fifty
six were known to be under
ground. Only fifty live men
have been brought out, and
Of these the doctors say at.
least thirty-hve will die, as
they are frightfully injured
through having been hurled
against the galleries by the force OF
the explosion.
An official report given out this even
ing says that the number of dead can
not exceed 1se-
Immediately after the explosion res
cue workers were hurried from all
the adjacent mines and boldly entered
the Reden shaft in great numbers The
work of rescue has been greatly ham
pered by the poisonous gases resulting
from the explosion and by a fierce
fire that broke out Immediately after
ward. This caused eforts.at rescue to
be suspended and the workers had to
be ordered out Of the mine.
SECOND EXPLOSION
After all the rescuers had reached
daylight. according to one version, a
second terrific detonation was heard
underground. But according to another
report many. of the rescuers were stiu
below when the second explosion oc-
CURED. and it is estimated that the
casualty list from the two explosions
reaches a total of 300 men.
1t is regarded as certain that the
lowest levels of the mines are com
pIetely wrecked. and the inspectors are
celebrating upon further measures to
get control of the FIRE The managers
are discussing the advisability Of food
ing these levels as the only means OF
extinguishing the flames. 1t is believed
that all the men who were in the lower
levels assuredly are dead 1t will take
a fun week to enter and explore the
mines.
The disaster occurred 1900 feet
underground 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 500 men entered the mine for
the day shift. but about 4OoNof them
escaped through the Bildersteck shaft.
which communicates with the Reden
underground.
At late hour tonight it was stin
uncertain how many worknen yet
were in the mine the reports being
conflicting. The entrance to the gal.
leries under ground is blocked with
dead horses.
VICTIMS BADLY MANGLED
Most of the bodies brought to tn
surface are mangled beyond recognf
ton.
The mine inspectors this evening
ordered the rescuers to return to their
homes. but to hold themselves in readi-
ness for further orders
Emperor William has ordered that a
full report Of the disaster be sent him.
Experts calculate that the rescue
work will take one week.
PARIS, Jan. 2S.-President Fallieres.
Foreign Minister Pichon and the
Municipal Council OF Paris have tele-
graphed Emperor william expressing
the sympathy Of France in the saar-
bruok disaster and recalling the
generous assistance given BY Germany
at the time Of the Courrieres catastro-
-nha