Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-09-06
OOupl't' Destruction New Apprehsndsd as
It's Certain Fate.
VOLCANOES CRATER is eNlARsWG
1t Appears to Grow with Each Recurring
Eruption.
RELIEF IS NOW THE SOLE PURPOSE
Steps to he Taken at Once 20 Trans-
port the Inhabitants to other
Islands of the West
Indian Group.

hnolan group.
PoINT-A-PITRE, Guadalupe. Sept. SIT
is generally believed that the island OF
Martinique is doomed to total destruction
and the fear is that when the catastrophe
comes Guadaloupe will be visited by an all
destructive tidal wave.
Business is absolutely at a standstill Few
shops are open and IL It were not for the
efforts OF a small number OF more valiant
souls hundreds would starve to death here
because Of their fear OF a more terrible
death.
Details that have been received during
the last two days prove that the eruption Of
Mount Pelee of August 80 was far more
violent than any of the earlier explosions.
AS the eruptions continue the mouth OF
mount Pelee grows in size. 1t is now OF
enormous proportions. Morne Lacroix, one
OF the peaks that reared skyward from the
Side OF Pelee, has fallen bodily into the
crater ana has been completely swallowed.
lnere seems to be side pressure in the
crater and the burning chasm widens per-
ceptibly every day.
Clouds 40 more hang about the crest Of
Mount Pelee The terrific heat seems to
drive everything away. The column of flame
and smoke rears directly into the heavens
80 that Its top is lost to sight. In the
darkness of the night 1t has the appearance
OF stream of molten iron. standing hxed
between heaven and earth. From Morne
Capote the relief troops we're compelled to
make quick retreat, although they sue
ceeoed IN taking out a few wounded.
Inc entire country, nearly to Fort De
rance Is buried under deep cover of
ashes. This has made It almost impossible
10 hnd the bodies Of those who have per-
lshed while fleeing to the seacoast.
woman Describes First warning.
Constantine Cara, one of the few who
succeeded in escaping from Morne Rouge
atter the explosion. found refuge on the
steamer Esk She was with twelve others
in her house when Pelee gave it's nrst
warning OF y disaster which II was about
to pour upon the village. She said that the
hrst explosion destroyed many houses She
was hurled with great force against the wall
OF the room in which she was sitting. On
recovering from the shock she ran outs,de
and there saw three separate tongues of FIRE
sweeping down from the mouth Of the vol
cano.
The earth shook with so great violence
that she could not retain her feet She was
oInded by the glare of the flames The
heat was 80 terrific that her flesh was blis
tered. She awaited the death which she be-
lieved to be inevitable Fortunately the
ires swept little to one side Of her and she
was saved
At Grande Anse the tide swept 300 feet in
shore, destroying many horses and drowning
scores of Inhabitants. Even at Fort De
France the most stout OF heart have lost
,ouraGe
Colonel Lecoeur has reported to his gov
that 1t is his opinion the entire
sland of Martinique will have to be aban-
ioned. He asks for assistance in transport
ng the inhabitants to the other islands of
he West Indian group.
Ashes Make Night of Day.
CAsTRIEs. Island of st. Lucia, Sept. s.
The eruption Of Mount Pelee on Septem-
Der was not remarkable, but there was a
terrific explosion from the soufrlere on
3. The captain Of the steamer
Savan, now here, confirms the report ca
oled to the Associated Press last night
hat II ran into dense clouds OF dust when
wenty miles southwest OF st. Vincent at
o'clock in the morning Of Wednesday
md adds that absolute darkness prevailed
loon afterward and that he changed his
course to due west in order to avoid the
lshes, which were falling thick. The
irst oficer could not see the captain two
eet away and only knew him by his voice.
They did not see the sun until about 10
}. m. the same day.
The steamer Yare further reports that
everal more valuable plantations were de-
troyed at the time Of the recent outbreak
nd n
revious dispatches and adds that the anx-
ETY. and detection of the surviving popu-
alton is general.
PARIS, Sept. 5.-The colonial minister re-
eived a dispatch today from Fort de
rance, dated September 3, relating to the
lnds placed at the disposal OF the gov
rnor. No mention was made OF a new
ruption of Mount Pelee. The ministry
as not received news OF any eruption OF
Iount Pelee since that OF August 30.
cable dispatch from the island OF
announces the arrival of the
-ench cruiser suchet at Basse-Terre,
, ital OF Guadeloupe, and says the re-
It's are that calm has been completely
estored in Martinique
GaudeIoupe Consul Alarmed.
CHICAGO Sept. ST. am seriously
Harmed at the news of the eruption Of the
Martinique and other volcanoes" said
ouis H. Ayme. United States consul at
who IS in Chicago on sick
ave
should Mount Pelee blow its head of
he loss Of life consequent upon the pro-
uction of a great tidal wave would be
ppalling. With Pelee as a center,
hahn OF Islands extends northwestward,
a population Of some 10000
arsons. Almost without exception the
ties and villages are situated along the
'asts and but slightly elevated above the
"a. tidal wave forty feet high would
robably destroy a half million lives be-
re IL dashed against the shores OF Porto
leo, with it's 100000 Inhabitants.