FROM A LIVING TOMB.

Lake County Press, Issue 2138, 4 October 1906, Page 7

FROM A LIVING TOMB.

MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF EN-

TOM HEN MINERS. * - LIVED THREE WEEKS ON OATS AND HORSEFLESH. Thirteen miners wore brought up alive from No. '2 of the Courrieres .Mines, where they had been entombed for three weeks, say,*j 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 21 hours. The longest estimate was 12 days. Besides the oats they found in the stables, the men also ate the llcsh of the dead colliery horses. The brave band of men engaged in fighting the lire were just, about, to ascend, when they saw a group of thirteen emanciated men dragging themselves along with the greatest difficulty. Their leader, Ncmy, stated that they came from Pit No. .'{, at Moricourt, where they had been entombed over 120 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, where they were assiduously tended.

Ncmy 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. l]i the darkness and amid the heaps of wreckage and the corpses they sought in vain to find a wuy out of the cutting in which they were 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. Puring the last days they divided into three groups, each being told of! 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 lor 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 soon piven nut The discovery of the. ihlrteun men has caused wild and argr.v excitement in the mining vilktg ••-. It is staled that Hugo, the leader of the German rescue party at Courrieres. will be appointed oflirer of tie- Legion of Honour, and thai. Meyer will be appointed chevalier of the same order. The other members of the German corps will receive medals of honour. HIGH DECORATION I'OIJ NK.MY. It was decided at a Cabinet Council at the lClysee that N'emy, whose Courage and resource led to the fescue ni lhe little band, should receive a special mark of distinction. The Paris newspapers announce that the decoration ronferred upon him would be the cross of chevalier of the Legion of Honour. M. Harthou paid a visit to the 1. - ! survivors and handed I lie cross ol' the Legion of Honour lo the eldest. Provost, and to N'emy, and gold medals of the first class to the II others.