The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-19
An Awful Calamity.
Fort de France, I'm the Island Of
Martinique. Destroyed
By Fire.
Fifteen Hundred Houses Reduc-
ed to Ashes, Harrow
ing Scenes.
Five Thousand People Rendered
Homeless. Several
Perish.

The cable brings dispatches from
Port OF Spain, dated July 10, giving
the details concerning the destruc-
tion OF the town OF Fort de France,
in the French island OF Martin
ique. Immediately after the ca
tastrophe Gov. Casse OF Mar
Unique. sent an appeal for assistance
TO the governor OF Trmruau. SIR WIT
liam Robinson, assuring him that
three. quar- ters OF the town had been
burned, and that more than 5000
people were without homes and food.
Gov. Robinson at once convened the
legislative. council, the members OF
which voted sum OF $4,000 to aid
the sufferers.
A telegram was received at st.
Pierre, the capital, announcing that q
terrible fire was raging in Fort de
france, and requesting the services oi
men and pumps. M. Leon Gerard, di.
rector OF the steamship line. at once
placed the steamers Audacieux and
Pearl at the service OF the authorities.
These steamers, with men and pumps
on board, left St. Pierre at noon, and
on their arrival at Fort de France,
at about 1:30 p. m, the whole sea-
board was in flames to the waters
edge. Starting in the middle OF the
Rue Blanc, the fire had reached
the Grande Rue and the kuo
st. Louis and had destroyed every
thing within space oil 100 yards up
to the river Madame. The palace OF
Justice being threatened and with it
the northeast OF the town, the vital
necessity OF saving the court house
was recognized. but the street was
narrow, there were no pumps and but
little water and the people were tired
out and dispirited alter six hours Of
hopeless struggle with the flames, the
heat from which was most intense.
As q result, they became disorganized
and thought only OF saving what per-
sonal effects they could. IL VAS not
until the woodwork OF the presidents
office had caught fire that the pumps
had arrived and organized measures
were adopted by the comparatively
fresh firemen from St. Pierre TO save
the buildings, which after an hours
hard struggle was accomplished.
Meanwhile the cathedral was In
flames and was soon a ruin, together
with the magnificent organ. Women
and children were screaming and run
nink hIther and thither and furniture
was being thro wn out of the windows
into the streets until they became i'm
passable. At the last moment, when
it was too late, dynamite was employ
ed TO arrest the progress OF the fire.
Terrific explosions were heard and
whole blocks OF buildings were seen to
tall, killing some and wounding many
persons: The Pensionnat de Souers,
the postoffice and the Hotel Rediat,
though escaping at first, were now in
flames, and at 5 D. m. 1900 OF the
best houses in the town were burning.
At the other extremity of this huge
furnace, which covers ninety square
acres, the fight with the fire was gal
lantly and courageously carried on,
but the wind was high and houses
were rapidly burned, and, failing bodi-
ly across the streets, communicated
the flames TO the houses on the other
side. These falling houses constituted
a grave element OF DANCER to the ire
men, and greatly retarded their efforts.
At nighs the fire had consumed ev-
erything between the Rue du Forse
and the sea, and between the Savane
and the river Madame. At about 10
d. m. the houses at the bottom OF the
Rue du Government were attacked,
and only by strenuous efforts were
the presbytery and the gendarmerie
saved. Had they fallen. the whole
town must have been consumed. IL
was right here that the progress OF
the flames was stayed.
THE sight next morning was pityful
and narrowing In the extreme. The
Savanna was strewn with odds and
ends, I'm the midst OF which Was camp
ed q whole population, suffering from
huDger, thirst and cold, for near
morning rain had tallen, chilling to the
bone these unfortunate people, who
had no other shelter than that afforded
by the trees. The steamer Energique
soon arrived from ST. Pierre with
twenty tons OF food, dispatched Dy
the agent OF the line.
The cause of the FIRE is attributed
by some to kerosene and by others to
q Dutch stove. In the opinion cf ma
ny, had prompt measures been taken,
and the surrounding houses been
blown up, the town would have been
saved. The loss is very consider able,
l,7Q0 houses having been destroyed,
valued at IL, 900, 900 francs t$2, AGO.
0O0), and furniture. etc, valued at
100000 francs; in all to-
tai OF $3,600,0O 1t is impossi-
ble at this moment TO tell the number
OF victims; Twelve bodies have, how
ever, been recovered, many cnarred
beyond recognition: and others fear
fully mutilated. Fifteen soldiers are
receiving attention at the hospital,
many OF them seriously, and one, it 10
said, fatally. wounded. The number
OF civilians wounded Is considerable.
Fully three quarters OF the town is
destroyed as regards area, and seven
eiRhths OF the inhabitants are home
less. Among the pubic buildings de-
stroyed are the Pop house, cathedral,
custom house, town hall, Convent OF
the Soeurs de sc. Joseph, Bureau des
Revues, Pinspection 10 Genie, the
slaughter house and the Usine Pointe
Simon. The celebrated library has
also been destroyed. To their credit.
be it said, the various British Weet
India Islands have promptly aided
with grants OF money their afflicted
sister colony.
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