The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-07-18
. DISASTROUS FIRE.
DEFRANcE. ISLAND. OF MAR
UNIQUE. BURNED.

Thrce-Quarters of the Fort Destroyed and
Nearly all the Inhabitants Homeless
The Entire Population Suffering from
Cold. Hunger and Thirst-The Loss Great
Details concerning the destruction june
% Of the town of Fort De France, in che
French island of Martinique, have just
reached Port of Spain. Immediately after
the catastrophe Gov. Case, Of Martinique,
sent On appeal for assistance to the gov
ernor of Trinidad, assuring him
that three-quarters of the town had
bsen burned and that more than
5000 persons were without homes and
food. The legislative council Immediately
appropriated 81, 900 in aid of the sufferers.
On the morning of June %, on receipt Of
the news of the fire at Fort Do France, two
steamers. with men and pumps on board,
were sent from Fort Pierre, aud on their
arrival at Fort DE France, at about l:3Othe
Whole seaboard Was In Flames.
The fire had destroyed everything within
. space of over N hundred yards up to
the river Madam. It was not until the
woodwork of the presidents office had
caught fire that the pumps arrived aud Or
eanized measures were adopted to save
the buildings which, after ON hours
hard struggle was accomplished.
Meanwhile the cathedral was
III flames and was soon in ruins. A panic
now became general. Women and chill
dren were screaming and running hitler
and thither. and furniture was being
thrown out of windows into the streets
until they became almost impossible at
the last moment.
When 1t Was Too Lntc,
dynamite was'employed to arrest the prog
ress of the fire. Terrific explosions were
heard, and whole blocks of buildings were
seen to fall, killing some and wounding
many persons.
At night the fire had consumed every
thing between Rue De Fosse and the sea
and between the Savan and River Madam
Mt about IL p. NJ. The houses at the bot
tom Of Rue government were attacked,
and only by strenuous efforts were the
Presbyterian and Gendarmerle saved. Had
they fallen the
Whole Town Must Been Consuined.
1t was right there that the progress Of
the flames were stayed. The sight next
morning was pitiful and narrowing in the
extreme. Savanna was strewn with odds
and ends, in the midst of which were
camped the whole population suffering
from hunger. thirst and cold, for near
morning a rain had fallen chilling to the
bone those unfortunate people who had no
other shelter than that offered by the trees.
The loss is very considerable,
LOO Houses Having Been Destroyed,
valued at 1000, GOO francs (ss2, AGO. OU) and
furniture valued ut 5000, 900 francs, max
ing a total loss of 49, GOO, 900. 1t is inn
possible ut this moment to tell the mum.
Der of victims. Twelve bodies have, how.
ever, been recovered, many charred beyond
recognition and others fearfully mt.
that Fifteen soldiers are receiving
atte~ ton at the hospital, many of them
seriously and one, it is said, fatally
wounded. The number of Curlans in
juled is considerable. Fully thrcc.quar-
ters of the town is destroyed and seven
cightiis of the inhabitants are homeless.
The various British West India islands
have aided with grants Of money their
afflicted sister colony.