Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-05-24
ST. VINCENT STILL
BURYINC HER DEAD
Thirteen Hundred Volcano Vic.
tins Inferred and Sever
al Hundred Remain.
THOUSANDS DESTITUTE
All Crops OF the Island Ruined, and
the survivors Are dependent
on Cherity-Need Aid
Promptly.

K%ingstown, st. Vincent's, May H.
The correspondent OF the Associated
Press has just returned from a visit
on horseback to the devastated dis
trict of this island, during which he
travelled fifty miles and penetrated
10 within five miles OF Soufriere
crater. The ash covered area OF st.
Vincent exceeds hat OF Martinique,
which the correspondent also explored.
The most conservative or the
death roll here new places the num-
Der at LOO. About 1900 bodies have
already been inferred.
The entire northern part OF the
island is covered with ashes to an av-
erage depth Of eighteen inches, vary
ing from a thin layer at Kingstown TO
two feet or more at Georgetown. Crops
are ruined. Nothing green can be
seen. The streets of Georgetown are
numbered with heaps of ashes reSem-
bling s%nowdrifts. The ashes rest so
heavily on the roofs in several cases
they have caused them to fall in.
5000 Destitute.
There will soon be 5000 destitute per-
sons in need of assistance from the
government. which is already doing
everything possible to relieve the suf-
ferers. There are 100 injured people
In the hospital at Georgetown.
The British cruiser Indefatigable
brought twenty-five tons OF supplies
here and returned 70 the island OF
Trinidad for more. The governor or
the Windward islands, Sir Robert
Llewellyn, is here supervising the work
OF the authorities
The injured persons are horribly
burned by the hot grit, which was
driven along with tremendous velocity.
Twenty-six persons who sought shell
ter in a room ten feet by twelve were
all killed. One person was brained
with a huge stone nine miles from he
crater.
Rough collins are being made to re-
ceive the remains Of victims. The hos
pital here is filed with dying people.
The negroes are Indifferent to all that
is t%ranspiring and to what has taken
place. They expect TO receive govern
ment rations, but there are instances
where they refused TO bury their own
relatives.
1t is estimated the sea has e~ncroached
from ten feet to twoDmiles along the
coast near Georgetown and that a Sec
ton on the north island has dropped
into the sea. This is apparently Veri-
fled by the report Of the French cable
ship Pouyer QUARTER, hat %soundings
now show seven fathoms where before
the outbreak there were thirty-six
fathoms of water.
The United States steamer Potomac,
now In these waters, has landed what
she can spare OF her foodstuffs.
Soufriere 10 Silent.
Since midnight Tuesday subterranean
detonations here have ceased, and Sou
friere Wednesday relapsed apparently
into perfect repose, no smoke rising
f,,n, tho nt.1t Tor and the assures emit
ting no Vapor.
The stunted vegetation that formerly
adorned the slopes Of the mountain has
disappeared, having given place to gray
colored lava, which greets the eye on
every side. The atmosphere is dry, but
somewhat %agitated. Rain would be well
come, as there is a great deal of dust
i'm the air, which is very disagreeable
and irritating to thrOats and eyes.
The inhabitants (meaning the white
population, as a rule) naturally are
fearful the subsistence Of Soufriere is
but the lull which usually precedes
greater paroXysmal activity. Some peo-
pie, anticipating danger of further
e%ruptions, are leaving outlying towns
for this city. The negroes who have re-
NAMED on estates are half starved, n
the Carib survivors are leaving their
caves and pillaging abandoned dwelling
houses and shops. A number of arrests
have been made in this connection.
Sed Hospital Scenes.
AS the Colonial hospital here was
found inadequate to accommodate the
sufferers large army tents have been
erected for the use of patients, who are
being constantly brought here from
other towns on the island, but even
these annex hospitals are overcrowded.
The arrival here of the first detaCh-
ment OF the ambulance corps which
brought sufferers from Georgetown
caused quite a sensation. This batch
consisted Of 100 persons, whose Charred
bodies cXhaled fetid odors and whose
loathsome faces made even the hospi-
tai attendants shudder. 1t is doubtful
whether one of the whole party will re-
over. The death rate among the peo-
pie in the hospitals is still very high, in
spite of the best medical efforts made
in their behalf.
All nelghboring British colonies are
eVincing sympathy with the sufferers
here. Subscription lists have been
started and food and clothing is being
forwarded to St. Vincent from all Brit
ish Islands.
A Lake Disappears.
The report that the volcanic lake
which occupied the mountain has dis
appeared appears 10 De confirmed. n
sea of lava, emitting Sulphurous fumes,
10Y apparently occupies it's place, and
several new craters have been formed.
AS this dispatch is sent It is excess
sively hot here and the northern hills
retain their foggy appearance. The sui
phurlc vapors which still exhale all
Over the islands are increasing the
sickness and mortality among the sur
Viving inhabitants and causing suffer-
ing among the new arrivals. The hos
pital staffs are giving way to overwork
and are with difficulty bearing up.
The stencil i'm the afflicted districts
is terrible beyond description. Nearly
all huts left standing are filled with
dead bodies. In some cases disinfec-
tants and the usual means of disposing
of the dead are useless. Cremation has
been resorted TO.