Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-07-11
ACRES OF FLAMES.
A TERRIBLE CONFEDERATION IN A FRENCH
CITY.
Fifteen Hundred Houses Destroyed and Millions Of
Dollars Worth Of PrOperty-Twelye Lives
Known to 10 Lost and Many Others
Missing.

PoRr or SPAIN, July l0.-Details Of the
destruction of the town Of Fort de France,
on the French island of Martinique have
Just reached US. On Sunday morning,
I June -, telegram was received at
St Pierre, the capital, announcing
that terrible fire was raging in
/ Fort lie France, and requesting the ser
/ vices of men and pumps NJ. Leon Ger
rard director of the steamship line, al
once placed the steamers AdacieuX and
/ Parle AT the service of the authorities.
I These steamers, with men and pumps on
/ board, left 81. Pierre at noon and on their
arrival at Fort de France, at about nalf-
/ past one p. m, the whole seaboard was in
I iiames TO the waters edge.
THE PEOPLE PANIC-sTRCKEN.
Starting from the middle of the Rue
/ Bleuac, the fire had reached the Grande
Rue and the Rue St Louis, and had de
stroyed everything up to the river Mad
anne. The Palace of Justice being threat
ened, and with il the northeast of the town,
the vital necessity OF raising the Court
House was recognized, but the street was
narrow, there We're no pumps and but little
water, and the people were tired out and
disheartened after six hours of hopeless
struggle with the flames, the heat from
which was most intense. As result they
became diSOrganized and thought only of
saving what personal effects they could.
Ii was not until the woodwork of the
Presidents office had caught fire that the
pumps arrived and organized; measures
were adopted by the comparatively fresh
hremeu from st. Pierre 10 save the build
ings, which, after an hours hard struggle
was accomplished. Meanwhile the Cathe-
dral was in flames and was soon in Il rim.
together with its magnificent organ. The
panic now becam general Women and
children We're screaming and running
hither and thither, and furniture was being
thrown out Of the windows into the streets
until they became almost impossible.
BUILDINGS BLOWN Up AND PEOPLE KILLED.
At the last moment. when it was too late,
dynamite was employed to arrest the pro
gresS of the fire. Terrific explosions were
heard. and whole blocks Of buildings were
seen to fall. killing some and wOunding
many persons. The PenSionnat des
I Soeurs, the pOstOflice and telegraph offices
and the Hotel Bedlat, though escaping at
first, were now in flames and at p. m
800 of the best houses in town were burn
/ ing.
At the other extremity of this huge fur
mace. which covers ninety acres, the fight
| with the fire was gallGntly and courageous
I lv carried ON, but the wind was high, and
houses were rapidly burned, and, falling
/ bodily across the streets, communicated the
flames 10 the houses on the other side
These falling houses constituted a grave
element of danger 20 the tiremen, and great
lv retarded their efforts.
At night the fire had consumed every
thing between the Rue du Fosse and the
sea. and between the Savane and the River
Madame. At about 10 p. M the houses at
Al 4 .1F=ll rnf1Htn D
were attacked, and only by strenuous ei
forts were the presbytery and the ger
d' armerie saved Had they fallen tht
whole town must have been consumed. Il
was right here that the progress of the
flames was stayed.
THE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY.
The cause Of the fire is attributed by some
TO kerosene and by others TO a dutch stove
In the opinion of many had prompt meas
ures been taken and the surrounding house:
been blown up the town would have beer
saved. The loss is enormous, 200 house;
having been DESTROYED, valued at l., 900 90,
francs -, ,4OOOOOl, and furniture. etc.
valued az 3.OOOOOO francs-in all a total OF
l5.O0OOOO francs
IL is impossible at present TO tell the mum
Der of victims. Twelve bodies have, how
I ever. been recovered, many charrcd beyond
, recognition and others fearfully mutilated
Fifteen soldiers are receiving attention "a
, the hospital, many of them seriously, an'
one. 10 is said, fatally wounded. The mum
Der of civilians wounded is considerable.
Fully three-quarterS of the town is de
, stroyed as regards area, and sevcn-eighth
of the inhabitants are homeless. Anon!
the public buildings destroyed are thu
Poor House, Cathedral Custom House
Town Hall. Convent of the SoeurS St
Joseph. Bureau DIES Revues, L1nspectioi
le Genie, the slaughter house and tn,
Usinc Pointe Simon. The celebrated
. library has also been destroyed
To their credit. be it said, the variou.
British West India Islands have promptly
aided, with grants of money, the afflicted
colony.