The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-04-24
lev ABLE
A1ROCII OF
lHEHUyS told
CONSULTING ENGINEER FOR eU-
REAu or MINES STATISTICAL
FACTS EXISTING IN WAR AREA.

terror, and dean OF the College of Min
ing. University of California, member
| of special commission to investigate
| the damage done by the Germans dur
| ing the war to the coal and iron mines
and the steel works of France and
Belgium, after personal investigation,
has just returned to Washington with
| a first hand story of the almost un :
believable atrocities Of the Huns In
the destruction and wreckage of the
industrial life of France and Belgium.
So systematic and diabolical has
been this destruction in one great coal
mining region. Mr.. Probert says. that
it will take at least five years to
rehabilitate this district and it will
be twelve to fifteen years before it
gets back to normal, pre-war output.
He predicts that with the indomitable
spirit Of France, in spite of the fear
full destruction of her steel works,
with the return Of Alsace and Lor-
raine to the mother land, France will
eventually become the dominant fac
tor In the future steel industry Of
Europe.
In a preliminary report to Van. III.
Manning. director of the bureau of
mines. Mr.. Probert says in part:
Early in the war the German hordes
swept southwark through the iron
basins of French Alsaoe and Lorraine.
and for nearly four years this renown-
ed mining area was held and exploit
ed by the invaders. Many of the en-
ployees were made captives and COM
PEELED to work in mines under Ger
man direction. The international
boundary between France and Ger
many was drawn in 1871, to give the
~yS~ - Ivsv 0o&a =
control Of the iron fields, but since
that time scientific development. guild
ed by better understanding OF the
local geology exposed for France greater
ore reserve at lower horizons than
that of the Lorraine Annexee.
During the German occupation the
iron mines were not intensively ex-s
plotted because of the necessity of re-
cruiting every able-bodied man
into the Teuton army and on
account of the large accumulation of
war minerals in preparation for the
war. The actual physical damage to
the iron mines is comparatively
small when compared to the destruc-
ton Of the coal fields of northern
France, which is as reprehensible as
It is complete. Only in a few cases,
where pillars have been robbed in the
ground working. but the equip
ment both surface and under
ground, has been misused, and where
orehas been mined, the lack of de-
velopment will defer realization of cap
ital until the exploratory work is
sufficiently advanced to admit of daily
output approximately pre-war condi-
tions. The mines are not seriously
crippled, but what of the steel plants
In which the iron ores are smelted?
In my opinion no such atrocity was
ever perpetrated against the industrial
life of any country. Magnificent plants.
comparing favorably with anything we
have In the United States. are now
but tangled. twisted mass of struc-
tural steel and broken stone. Tho
wilful demolition was scientifically
planned. and Systematically carried
out. This after the removal Of all
such mechanical and electrical pow
er units as could be used by Germany.
The righteousness and efficiency with
which this crime against French in
dustry was carried out is almost un-
believable.
I'm the coal districts of Pas de
Calais and Nord, sector fought over
from the beginning to the end of the
war, changing hands frequently, bonn
barded all the time. all surface struc-
lures whether of town. village or min
ing enterprise have been RACED. Per-
haps this may be legitimate warfare,
but it is horrible to look upon now
since the guns are silenced and the
frenzy of combat is past. Arras.
Douai, Bethune, Bapaume. Lens, Loos.
Courriere. centers of coal-mining ac-
tivity but a few years ago and the
ms iVo 4f oh Ind ioI FOL
are gone. but the indomitable spirit
of France survives and already plans
are laid for the future. Bruay. att
the western edge of the known coal
field, was not In the fighting zone and
Its output has been steadily MAIN
tanned. but going eastward the fright
fulness is more and more appalling,
for the hate of the Hun left its mark
on the mines during his forced re-
treat. The coal measures are over
lain by water bearing strata, necessi-
tating special methods of shaft sink
ing and support to keep the mines dry.
The steel lining of the shafts was
dynamited. letting in the quick sands |
and flooding the underground workings !
for miles around. In the entire Pas |
de Calais region 1t is estimated that |
40 million cubic meters OF water must |
be pumped before mining operations |
are resumed. Having flooded the mines |
the headframes and surfaced equip |
ment were systematically dynamited, 1
the twisted debris in many cases fill- |
ing up the demolished shafts
The Saar coal fields were visited /
by bureau Of mines officials. Here,
Ia striking contrast to the mining dis
-