davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13

The cause Of the catastrophe was the
explosion of naphtha cars, which were
being switched at the yard and in the
switching the rear car telescoped a car
forward. The leaking naphtha ignited
from a switch light, causing an explosion
which threw the flames fifty feet high.
Much of the escaping naphtha ran through
Cork's to Esplenborough. distance
Of one and one-half miles, and caused an
other explosion. blowing to atoms the Sey-
mour Hotel and the Collins House on River
road. and badly wrecked a frame building
near by in which were consregated two
hundred or more men from Pittsburg and
vicinity. betting on the races and base
BALL Few of the occupants of this build
ing escaped injury, many being badly hurt.
Mrs, Seymour and her daughter, of the
Sheraden Hotel. were seriously and, it is
feared, fatally injured.
The first car of naphtha exploded about
4:4O o'clock, and the spectacle soon at
the hills on both sides of and parallel to
the railroad The second car exploded
about o'clock, but it was 6:15 o'clock
when three more cars of the deadly stun
went up with roar that could be heard
for miles, before the work Of destruction
really began. A torrent of fame belched
forth on each side of the track, sweeping
back the terrified spectators like a charge
of artillery. and sending a shower of flame
over their heads.
The successive explosions had heated the
air to such an extent that before the third
explosion, many were rendered unconscious
by the extreme heat and the gaseous fumes
and were being carried away when the tor
rent of flame swept over the excited crowd.
There was an awful rush for a moment.
then followed a scene of frenzy Men and
women, their clothing ablaze. their faces
scorched and blistered and the hair burned
off their heads. ran hitler and thither, only
intent on escaping from the furnace of
fire. Some gave vent 10 frenzied appeals
to kill them and put them out of their
misery, and little children, with their hair
and clothing aire. cried piteously as they
were swept along by the tide of burning
humanity.
The townspeople did all in their power
for the stricken victims. and all the Pitts
burg ambulances were Immediately dis
patched to the scene, with a corps of
physicians. Many OF those not seriously
burned were removed to their homes In
Sheraden, while others were sent TO the
various Pittsburg hospitals and the dead
removed to undertaking establishments in
Sheraden and vicinity ana to the Pittsburg
morgue-
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13

these tracks is a rounded hill bare of trees.
yards a hill fully two hundred feet high
rises sheer above the roundhouse, so steep
that the thick trees and the score or more
of homes there seem to cling to their hold
with difficulty. In less than fifteen minutes
after the first explosion both of these hills
were black with men, women and children
the cut below. unconscious of the fact that
two tanks filled with naphtha and with
lower enough to bring death TO many and
suffering to scores were lying in the heart
of the flames
Great clouds of smoke arose in masses
from the burning debris on the tracks, the
flames cracked and Kissed as they took
hold of the masses of coke that had been
waiting for shipment, and great tongues of
flames leaped from the burning skeleton of
the freight station.
Suddenly third explosion was heard,
muff1ed this time as though from a dis
tance, and seemingly coming from the
mouth of the valley on the Ohio river. Be
tween the time when the first tank of
naphtha was damaged in switching and
sprung a leak. and the moment when it
exploded. enough of the dangerous liquid
had escaped to work its way into the sewer
that empties into the Ohio near the mouth
of Cork's run. Burning oil, too, found its
way into the sewer, and soon as it
reached the open air at the mouth an ex-
pIosion followed.
This third explosion, separated as it was
by mile from the scene of the burning
cars al Sheraden. served as a warning to
but a few of the spectators there. Both hill
sides were fairly packed with interested
spectators.
without moments warning there was
an awful roar loud enough TO be heard in
the heart of Pittsburg five miles away. anI
sheet of solid flame shot I'D from the
wreckage and enveloped both hillsides even
to their tops.
There was moments lull though ev-
cry living thing in the vicinity had been
annihilated. and then the cries, the scream
ing for help and the blanks in the crowd
that told OF the explosions terrible results.
Both OF the two remaining tank cars had
blown up.
Aid was sent TO the suffering communi-
ties from beth Pittsburg and Allegheny.
Surgeons hurried TO the scene of the catas-
trophe and worked hard for hours TO aid
the injured and alleviate suffering II was
after midnight before the last OF the in
jured had beer given attention.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13

War, Navy and State Departments CO.
operate to Aid Distressed

WASHINGTON, May 12-The President
himself turned his attention to-day TO the
extension Of relief to the sufferers from
the terrible catastrophe in the lesser An
titles. Although Congress had not finally
appropriated the funds necessary for the
purchase OF supplies, the President pro-
ceeded with the greatest energy TO give
shape TO the relief measures Secretary
Hay was called in and brought with hin
the dispatch from United States Consul
Ayme. which served as official confirma-
ton of the worst reports of the extent of
the disaster. and in the opinion Of the
President fully justified emergency meas
ures. Secretary Hay was requested to ac-
quaint Secretary Root and Secretary Moody
with the Presidents wishes, and they were
charged TO carry out the details Of the ar
rangements. The Treasury Department
was instructed TO cooperate. and il is sup
posed that this Will mean the employment
OF the revenue cutters and the medical offi-
GERS OF the Marine Hospital Service. The
War Department, with its well-Organized
supply departments. was regarded as in
10 take charge OF the relief measures ex-
cept that IL had no means of transportation
the Sedgwick. which is out OF condition.
being the only army transport on the At
lantic coast.
Fortunately the navy had a handy ship
in the Dixie. which arrived at New York
recently from a training cruise. She was
purchased just prior 10 the Spanish war.
CONTINUED on PAGE Z. COL. o.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13
DETAILS OF THE DISASTER.
scenes and Incidents of the Explosions
and Fire Described.

PITTSBURG, May 12-The accident
happened in the railroad yards at Shera-
den, where the Panhandle Railroad makes
a turn near COrk's run. Banked in by two
high hills. hundreds of people were caught
At this point, which is about one-fourth
OF a mile from the city line, there are
thirty-three tracks. Upon these tracks
there were several hundred cars. About
the middle of these tracks at 4:45 o'clock
q heavy freight train was being made up
for the West. In this train were ten tank
cars containing refined petroleum and
naphtha. In the shifting necessary to
prepare the train for it's journey. a switch
was made with too much force. Five tank
cars. two OF them hlled with refined pc
troleum and two with naphtha, were
switched with too much force and one of
the cars OF naphtha was broken. Instantly
the inhammable liquid poured out In a
stream. The trainmen. seeing one OF the
cars was damaged. started to pull them
all out OF the way.
The man in charge OF the switch lights
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13
INDIANAPOLIS MORNING. o2-TE

city of St Pierre has ceased TO exist, and
that the American consul and mis- family
have perished. He is informed that $4,000
people have lost their lives and that $1,000
are homeless and hungry: that there is
urgent need Of all kinds Of provisions and
that the visit of vessels for the work or
supply and rescue Is lmperauvely required
The government OF France, while express
ing its thanks for the marks of sympathy
which have reached it from America, in
forms US that Fort de France and the en-
tire Island of Martinique are still threat
ened. 1t therefore requests that for the pur-
pose of rescuing the people who are in
such deadly peril and threatened with
starvation. the government OF the United
States may send as soon as possible the
means of transporting them from the
stricken island. The Island of st. Vincent
seriously menaced by the calamity which
has taken so appalling form in Mar
Unique.
Il have directed the departments of the
treasury, OF the war and OF the navy TO
take such measures for the relief of these
stricken people as lies within the executive
discretion and earnestly commend this
case of uneXampled generous consideration
of the Congress. For this purpose / recon-
mend that appropriation of 100000 be
made, TO be Immediately available"
special meeting of the appropriations
committee held to facilitate action
the bill and it was reported to the House
soon after the receipt of the message. Mr..
Hemenway, the acting chairman Of the
committee. explained that the amount was
limited to 100000 owing to the fact that
large contributions were being made. The
discussion was brief. Mr.. Underwood, OF
Alabama, being the only one to speak in
opposition. The bill was passed by 196 to 9
votes. The bill was at once sent to the
Senate. which concurred in the amendment.
as the substitute was termed in the Senate.
Within three hours after the reception of
the Presidents message the bill was at the
White House ready for signing. The bill
as passed follows:
ITO enable the President of the United
States to procure and distribute among the
suffering and destitute people of the islands
of the French West Indies such provisions.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13

FORT DE FRANCE, Martinique, May
l2-Latest advices from St. Pierre indicate
that fully thirty thousand persons perished
by the eruption Of Mont Pelee. At first it
was supposed that all the residents of lie
Carbet, lie Precheur and other suburbs had
been engulfed in the flow of lava or had
perished in the shower of fire that followed
the great eruption of last Thursday morn
ing, but rescue parties have found four or
five thousand famishing persons in places
where the lava did not reach. Some of
those who escaped from the small towns
died afterwards from burns, lack of water
and food.
Members of rescue parties who have re-
turned from ST. Pierre agree in saying the
picture of horror and desolation has not
been ovedrawn Words are inadequate to
describe the awful scenes. AS far as the
eye can reach there is a smoking waste.
Great assures opened when Mont Pelee
shook the earth in its fury. Yawning
chasms show where the rock that underlies
the soil was rent asunder. Streams of
water disappeared. to be elected from the
volcano later in the form of steam and
mud. Little valleys were filled with molten
matter In fact, the whole northern por-
recognition.
The rescuers found nearly three thousand
dead bodies in the ruins of the ST. Pierre
Cathedral. In the streets and ashes of the
houses were thousands of corpses, some
half burned and others merely charred
Many of these have been piled in heaps
petroleum poured over them and the torch
applied. Prompt disposal of the dead was
necessary to avert pestilence.
One of the survivors declares that St
Pierre was a city of the dead ten min
utes after the great outburst of Mont Pelee
began. The force of the eruption shook the
place like an earthquake. There was a ter
rible rumbling, then a deafening report, fol-
lowed by peals of thunder in the atmos-
phere and lightning the like of which the
survivors never saw before. The whole sky
seemed ablaze and electric bolts shot in all
directions. Many persons were killed by
the electric storm caused by the eruption.
Briefly put, last Thursday morning the
city OF ST. Pierre disappeared within ten
minutes, in a wnirling fire vomited from
Mont Pelee. Thirty thousand persons were
instantly and horribly killed, and the vol
cano, whose ancient crater for more than
fifty years had been occupied by a quiet
lake, became a torrent of fiery mud which
rolled towards the sea. engulfng every
thing before it.
The work OF relieving the destitute. sup
plying them with food and clothing, is be-
ing pushed as rapidly possible. Word
reached here to-day that the United States
is hurrying several shiploads of supplies to
this place. for which the unfortunate will
Ao lxr nj
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13

had made his rounds and the lights were
burning. AS the tank car passed over
one of the lights the dripping naphtha
caught on the little flame and almost in
stantly an explosion followed Two brake
men were on the car. One of them jumped
and escaped injury. The other. Clyde Fare.
of Sheraden. was seriously injured.
The first explosion sent showers of burn
ing naphtha over the freight station, near
at hand, and also enveloped a number of
carloads of coke and lumber close by, and
in a moment all were blazing Knowing
that there was imminent danger OF an
other explosion. there was no attempt to
save the freight station or the cars for
the time. and all sought safety in flight
This fact saved many lives, for at 5
o'clo"k. fifteen minutes after the first ex-
plo - he two cars of refined petroleum
tn ; g been damaged by the bursting Of
II . * of naphtha and were leaking. blew
I5A n a terrific report. No one was in
Es by this, however.
eS noise of the two explosions, the
Ike of the fire and the cracking of the
mes told the people of Sheraden that
mething unusual was going on in their
usually peaceful valley and they crowded
down the street of the borough to watch
the scene.
The yards at Sheraden lie in a narrow val
ley, the hills on each side running up from
the tracks. On the south side of the yards,
cut out of the hillside, is road on which
are the tracks of the Sheraden branch of
the Pittsburg Railway Company. Above
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13
CONSUL AYME'S STORY.
An Americans Description of the
Havoc at st. Pierre.

FORT DE FRANCE. Martinique. May
12-The American consul at Guadeloupe
Louis Ayme. has reached the desolate
spot where ST. Pierre stood and confirms
the awful story in all its essential de-
tails. From an interview with Colonel
Ayme, who Is a trained American news
paper man. the correspondent learned the
following facts: Thursday morning the
inhabitants Of the city awoke TO find heavy
clouds shrouding the Mont Pelee crater
All day Wednesday hOrrid detonations had
been heard. These were echoed from St.
Thomas on the north To Barbados on the
south. The cannonading ceased on
Wednesday night and fine ashes fell like
rain on St Pierre. The inhabitants were
alarmed. but Governor Mouttet, who had
arrived at ST. Pierre the evening before.
did everything possible 10 allay the panic.
The British steamer Roraima reached
st. Pierre on Thursday with ten passen-
gers among whom were Mrs. Stikes and
her three children. and Mrs. Il. J. Ines.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13
Votes $4,000 for Relief of Distressed
People in the VOlcanO-Stricken
West Indian Islands.
ACTION FOLLOWED MESSAGE
UNDERWOOD, OF ALABAMA, THE
ONLY SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION.
Orders Issued by the President for the
Loading of Ships with Supplies
Some Already on the Way.
special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special TO the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, May 12.-Congress to-
day voted 10000 for the relief of the. West
Indian sufferers. Indianians had entire man.
agement of the measure. Prior to the re-
ceipt of a message from the President Sen
ator Fairbanks had arranged for the pass
ing by the House of the bill he pushed
through the Senate on Saturday. He was
working in conjunction with Representa-
tive Hemenway, who, in the absence of
Representative Cannon, chairman of the
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13
SHOWERED WITH FLAME
Hundreds of Persons EnvelOped in Burning
Naphtha at PittSburg Suburb.

Frightfu Disaster at the Sheraden Yards of the Pam
handle Railway, Where a Train of Oil Cars
Exploded Last Night.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13
BODIES OF DEAD BURNED
Funeral Pyres in the Streets of the Ruined
City of St. Pierre, Martinique.

Thousands of Corpses Thrown Into Heaps, Petroleum
Poured Over Them and the Torch Applied
i'm Order to Avert PestienCe.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13

Many Residents of the Suburbs Rescued - Consul
Ayme's Account of the Catastrophe I'm
buried Dead St. Vincent Island.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13

Series of Explosions That Drew Crowd, Which Was
Caught in Torrent of Fire -PooIroom and
Hotel a Mile and Half Away Wrecked.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13
SCENES DESCRIBED BY THE SURVIVORS

Storm of Fire So Irresistible that St. Pierre
Disappeared Within Ten Minutes.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-13
FATALITIES MAY EXCEED ONE HUNDRED

Score of Persons Already Dead and 200 Badly
Hurt, IS Per Cent. of Whom May Die.
Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-06-04

ON saturday evening the UniyeF-
sity seniors will be received by DIR.
and Mrs. Purinton at their home on
North High street
BoTTLE your own beer and effect a
big saving. The lightning stoppered
bottle for sale by j. H. Kaszer at
Kaszer Cut Glass Works viii do the
work.
THE games the rest Of the week
may be expected to be much more in
teresting than the one which was
played on Tuesday afternoon.
THE Robe & Rlghtmire cabinet fac
tory in conjunction with the Chap
man & Warman building establish
ment is about the busiest place in
town.
AT meeting OF the senior class M.
NJ. Nicely was selected TO represent
them at the alumni dinner which is
to be held on Commencement day.
You will find the best brussels car
pet in town for soy per yard. The
priettiest and cheapest line OF rugs,
mattings, linoleums, oil cloth, DC at
Werner, Fortney d Co.
REAL estate is booming here and
those who are investing their money
in it are laying their ropes 10 make a
big wad OF money on it.
HAVE you bought pair Of Uni
versity shoes YETI All men who
want foot comfort wear them.
Hirschmans.
SOME more big buildings are want
ed here. There is demand for room
10 them. Houses without number
are wanted and people cannot do bet
ter than to build them.
GRANT WELLS wants to announce
that he has secured an assistant and
that the public may now be waited
on without delay. Everyone is cor
daily invited to call at his shop in
basement of City Hospital.
THE English are tickled over tn cir
success in the Transyaal but VIII en-
one counts the cost 1t is hard to tell
just how much they have gained ia
the scrap.
The AUXILIARY Savings Banks
being issued by the Farmers & Mer-
chants Bank make it possible TO save
money when the saving impulse is
upon you and prevent you from spend
ing your money when you weaken.
THE first popular excursion over
the B. & o. to Atlantic City Will be
on June 10th. There will also be ex-
eurslons July II and 81, and August
IA and %, and September 4.
Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-06-04
ABOUT Our FRIENDS.
Personal Mention OfPromlnent People.
HoN they ale aud here they are.

August StengeF is able TO be out
again after a severe sick spell.
Ralph Rogers has gone to Fair
mont where he will spend some
days.
Mrs. Jos. Lohry of McLane ayenu
is quite sick Her husband is one OF
the best known glass workers o.
town.
f. n lfram, Of Philippi, stopped
of here on his way to Connellsyille
where he had goneto attend to some
business.
Mrs. james A. Dasis has gone to
Toledo where she will spend some
time visiting her daughter, Mrs. P.
II Strauss
Miss Blanche Anderson has gone
to Kittanning, Pa, where she will
visit Mrs w G. Davis Of that place
for few days.
Tom Protzman will be located a
Castle KeYser this Summer aud he
will have lots of visitors to that pop,
ular place
Mrs. Laura Pickenpaugh arrived
here yesterday from Baltimore and
will spend the summer in Morgan
town. Her friends viii be glad to
have her.
James Howe who came home sick
two weeks ago and was taken to the
Hartlgan hospital has improved very
much and Will soon be himself
again
T. II Watson, OF Valley district,
Preston county, is dead at the age
of 50 with heart failure. lie was
prominent in G A. r. circles He
died at Terra Alta.
Pop Shriver had gone on the base
tall field yesterday to practice Just be-
fore the game when he received a tele-
gram stating that his t0tber had died
suddenly and calling him home. He
went at once.
Frank Richey and Miss Sara E.
linn of this place went to Falrmont
yesterday evening where they were
quietly married by Rev. w j. Eddy
at his residence. The action Of the
Young people was quite surprise
to their many friends.
Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-06-04
The Acme Book Store
The CITY Store. Carlow Building.

GET in the procession and go to
the circus.
ANOTHER brewery Is said to be
projected for Fairmont with Schmul-
bach back OF the plan.
The Democrats of Fayette county
have made their nominations and
the campaign down there is on in
full blast.
ANYTHING in strawsor wool hats,
all shades and shapes, at very low
prices. Hirschmans.
The members of the county court
are getting very busy and they are
grinding out lot of business.
LADIES who have tender feet
should wear Queen Quality shoes.
Hirschmans.
THE Robinson shows were at I'm
iontown yesterday and will be at
Grafton tomorrow. They play Wheel
ing Friday and then leave the state.
A LARGE lot of Arbuckle's Court
House brand of raisins at Weaver s
for 10 cents per package or three
packages for rs cents. This is 33
per cent below regular price.
THE plumbers of Fairmont have
been on strike for several DAYS to
enforce demands which they have
made on the master plumbers In re-
gard to pay and working hours No
work at all has been done in the
town.
Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-06-04
}DR. Al. BOYERS<
) DENTIST.
>0f1Ce:: Poster Building, Main andS
7 Walnut Streets. /
CROWN & BRIDGE WORK A SPECIALITY
Office hours 8 to ~ an. to 5.

NN<@NN<S~~<NfN>A< ~N~~Na@sS@ND~
THE miners In the southern part of
the state are reported to be in favor
of the strike and it is stated that sew
eral thousand Of them will come out
on Saturday In the Fairmont re-
gion ii Is stated that they will not
pay any attention to the strike order.
WE have New York rural potatoes
of the best quality at $1.00 per BUSH
Ell. Dupuis & Co. pa Peasants ST.
DURING a recent visit to Fairmont
Governor A. B. White and party
from Charleston visited the Miners
hospital in the First Ward. His Elk
eellency expressed himself as agree
ably surprised at the size Of the insti-
tuition and the business it does.
Ed. W. Mcneil special agent tor
the Aetna life insurance company.
Life, endowment, 3 per cent, gold
bond policies sold; also accident and
health policies. Protect yourself and
your families. Office TIA Chancery
Row, Morgantown. w. Va.
AN attempt made by unknown par
ties to wreck an east bound passenger
train on the Monongahela division of
the B. & 0. was frustrated yesterday
at Chieftain by William Google re-
moving huge piece of iron from the
tracks Just in time to allow the train
to pass. The matter was reported to
the B. & o. detectives.