FROM A LIVING TOMB.

Golden Bay Argus, Volume X, Issue 89, 14 February 1907, Page 2

FROM A LIVING TOMB.

MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF. ENTOMBED MINERS, LIVED THREE WEEKS ON OATS AND HORSEFLESH. * Thirteen miners were brought up alive from No. 2 of the Courrieres Mines, where they had been entombed for three weeks, says a Reuter message from Lens. The entombed miners were quite unaware of the time they had spent underground. Some of them thought they had, only been entombed for 24 hours. The longest estimate was 12 days. Besides the oats they found in the stables, the men also ate the flesh of the dead colliery horses. The brave band of men engaged in fighting the fire were just about to ascend, when they saw a group of thirteen emanciated men dragging themselves along with the greatest difficulty. Their leader, Nemy, stated that they camq from Pit No. 3, at Mericourt, where they had been entombed over 20 days. They were brought to the surface with every care, under the superintendance of the managers of the mine and doctors, who were summoned by telephone. The survivors could scarcely bear the light, and were very weak, though in fairly good health. They were taken to the infirmary, whore they were assiduously tended. Nemy said that he was staggered by the explosion, and was groping his way to shelter, when he stumbled upon a heap of corpses. He then succeeded in reaching the top of the working, where he found his 12 comrades, who had taken refuge in a corner of the cutting.

They were terribly disappointed to discover that he was, like themselves entombed, instead of being a rescuer, as they thought. The thirteen had no provisions, and ate anything they could lay their hands on, including the bark of the timbering and even the earth. In the darkness and amid the heaps of wreckage and the corpses they sought in vain to find a way out of the cutting in which they wei'o imprisoned. One evening- they came upon a stable, in which . they found some oats, which they lived upon for two days. A TERRIBLE DIET. After this they ate the decomposing flesh of the horses. During the last days they divided into three gi’oups, each being told off to search with diligence for a way out. On Thursday night they felt a sensation of fresh air, and, following up this welcome draught, were led to the “cavein” near the bottom of the shaft. There may be more men alive down in the wrecked mine galleries, and there undoubtedly were a few days ago. Nemy says that his party numbered twenty after the explosion, and kept together for a long time until seven of the men were lost in the winding passages, which, of course, were in total darkness, the miners’ lamps having-roxm—given out The discovery of the thirteen men has caused wild and angry excitement in the mining villages. It is stated that Hugo, the leader of the German rescue party at Courrieres, will be appointed officer of the Legion of Honour, and that Meyer will be appointed chevalier' of the same order. The other members of the German corps will receive medals of honour.

HIGH DECORATION FOR NEMY. It was decided at a Cabinet Council at the Elysee that Nemy, whose courage and resource led to the rescue of the little band, should receive a special mark of distinction. The Paris newspapers announce that the decoration conferred upon him would be the cross of chevalier of the Legion of Honour. M. Barthou paid a visit to the 13 survivors and handed the cross of the Legion of Honour to the eldest. Provost, and to Nemy, and gold medals of the first class to the 11 others.