The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-05-29

Out Upon Land and sea when
Mountain Was Rent Asunder-Pris-
ener In d lJsii Only Person who
Came out Alive asa 9s,
d w. +. Lough sends the following
special dispatch from Dominica. b. w.
l., TO the New York World. describing
the disaster at st. Pierrs ~ be snw itI
from the deck OF the steamer Korona.
Mr.. Lough Is n member OF the firm OF
y. r. Darrell & Co.. I'm the Produce
Exchange building. New York. lie is
q wealthy resident OF Staten Island
and went TO the West Indies on bust.
ness.
81 saw ST. Pierre burning last Fri.
day MAY 81 from the deck OF the
steamer korona. A dense pail OF smoke
covered the city but when this inky
cloud was raised by the wind II re-
vealed u dtsolation 'rconceivable to
one who had not witnessed IL. The
steamer Rorniun IN the foreground
was blazing frriousiy Nearer ehore
were numerous vessels burned to the
waters edge some toating with their
keels uiL In the background what
once was the city showed only bare
walls. There were no roofs no glass.
no blinds In the windows. no signs OF
life and no landmarks. .ti
''The wharf which that morning had
been so busy with life. the lighthouse,
the trees and everything perishable
had been wiped out. From end to
end OF the city only the black stained.
gaunt. fire swept walls remained.
Above this ruined and desolate city
the mountain belched volumes of
black. sulphurous smoke down its
sides. Streams of lava flowed into the
sea with kissing noise, sending up
clouds of steam as they reached the
water.
"The sides of the mountain and the
environs of St Pierre. which only a
few hours before had been covered
with luxuriant growth Of tropical
foliage, showed not n vestige OF YER
dure. Everything was burned and
scorched out OF existence. The coun.
tryside was covered with grayish white
ashes and lava. AS near as could be
estimated, over fifty square miles of
the island are now in this condition.
"Of the 10000 persons in St Pierre
and its suburbs | know Of only one
who escaped, and he was prisoner in
a dungeon Of the Jail. There may have
been others in some Of the suburbs and
nearby towns who survived. but | be-
lleve this man was the only one in the
aff fftff sIr, g- oft
after making sure that the burning
steamer was the Roraima we proceed
ed 20 Fort-de- France. and went among
the survivors there and questioned
them. | learned that Of sixty-eight
persons on board the Roralmu twenty.
two had been taken off by a French
man-of-war and landed at Fort-de-
France. The Korona took four away
from Fort-de- France. They were only
slightly burned. They were the first
officer. the assistant purser and two
negro laborors We left six OF the sur.
yivors In the hospital The others died
OF their burns.
Thompson, the assistant purser, told
me that he was OH deck about 7:15
o'clock on the morning OF the eruption.
bis vessel was not discharging its car.
go, as II was a public holiday. AScen-
sion day. The volcano. he said, was
smoking, and he saw flames issuing
from It's crater. The ships steward
he said. called the women passengers
and children up on the deck to see the
wonderful sight
Great masses Of fire and big streams
Of lava were coming from the crater.
Above them an immense pail OF smoke
spread In every direction. blotting out
the blue OF the heavens and causing
darkness like late twilight. AS the
darkness increased advised the pas
sengers and the steward to take TO COW
er. as feared that we were In danger
Then suddenly sng the flames burst
up TO a great height. and heard
sound for which l can give no compar.
ison. No volley OF artillery. no thun-
der. can compare with that awful roar.
Ing sound.
THE mountain appeared 10 burst
asunder. and from the crevices a huge
ball OF hre rose high into the air and
swept toward the city. II Travelled
with wonderful speed and struck the
sea with a roar. throwing up a huge
wall or water high into the air. The
combined tre and water came down
on the shipping with terrific force. over
turning many OF the vessels and heel.
ing the Roraima until her deck ports
were under. a $3.50 4
Thompson told me that he took
refuge. in his cabin. He, said that the
iron masts and the great funnel had
been swept away like paper. The |
hatcbes. he said, were stove In. and |
deckhouses were smashed into finder
and burned. Captain Muggah. he said |
was frightfully burned and jumped |
overheard. but a negro laborer sprane
after him and bravey went TO his res.
cue. The negro caught the captain
and swnm with him IN n hoatine, hotcb