The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-17
He SAW IT.
Ferdinand CIerc is One of the
Few Persons Alive
Who Witnessed the Terrible
Eruption of Mont Pelee.
RUSHED FROM HOME.
Warned His Friends and Neigh
bors of the Danger.
RUSHED FROM HOME.
Saw American Consul Prentis
Standing in His Door.
He Put Warming Aside With
Wave of His Hand.

one OF the few persons who witnessed
the eruption Of Mont Pelee and lived
to tell about it, says a dispatch to the
World from St. Marie. Martinique. He
says on the morning of May he no
ticed the rumblings from the volcano
which were more pronounced than they
had been UP to that time. The barom-
eter in his house f1uttered violently and
he at once notified his servants to har-
ness mules to his carriage and prepare
for flight. Clerc took his wife and four
children with him and rushed from the
city. He warned all his friends to has
ten away, also, but his advice was dis
credited.
He left behind him at a house % of
his friends who had gathered there at
his call and whom he advised to get
away as quickly as they could AS
/ Clerc and his family were leaving St.
Pierre he saw Mr.. Prentis, the American
consul, standing in front Of his house
with Mrs. Prentis- Mr.. Clerc called out
to Prentis and warned him to flee from
the city at once. but the consul only
laughed and waved his hand as he an
swered: oh, there's no danger. Don't
be afraid.
When Clerc reached Morne Rogue
distant from St. Pierre about six miles
/ he looked back and saw q huge mass
/ Of slate-colored stones and ashes burst
from 1OuI 6elee ana tunlDl6 GOWN on
/ St. Pierre This was Immediately fol-
! lowed by a great wall of flame Whicn
seemed to rise and topple over on the
/ doomed town. The whole thing lasted
not more than two minutes
So sharply defined was the wall of
4 flame that a bull caught on the edge of
/ its tracks, was roasted on one side and
not hair of the animal was singed on
! the other.
A man named Lazzerne with a COM
/ panion was entering st. Pierre in a
small carriage drawn by pair of
mules. The mules We're instantly killed
verely burned and his friend were Sc
verely burned but the coachnan. who
was between the mules and the two
men, was not burned or injured in the
! least.
HAD A PRESENTIAIENT.
New York, May I'm a letter writ
ten just before he started on his last
voyage, which ended when his ship was
! destroyed in the rOadstead off st. Pierre
! by the explosion Of Mont Pelee, Captain
G. T. Muggah indicated that he had a
I presentiment of impending disaster. The
letter was written to an old friend, the
captain Of Canadian government
i steamer.
Captain Muggah had known Mont
Pelee in Martinique and the Scufriere of
/ St. Vincent, as old acquaintances- More
than once he had sailed under their
! in them that was displayed by the ma
/ tives Of the West Indian islands. In mis-
( letter he said:
We are leaving here for Martinique
in the morning and I hope that the old
Roraima viii do as we'll as she did on
I her last voyage We have some passen-
gers this trip, including the mates fam
/ lily and other women hope that they
/ will get through all right
4 heard a peculiar yarn from a priest
I not long ago about the forming of a lake
on the summit of Mont Pelee, like the
one formed IN 1872 on Soufriere. Really,
I have a creepy sensation when under
the lee Of the mighty crater
DUST REACHES NEW YORK.
New York, May 17.-Close observers
in this city believe that the volcanic
+ dust from the West Indies has reached
here. 1t is particularly noticeable at
sunset when blood-red tinge surrounds
Scientists declare. however, that the
dust cannot be noticed before the end
of this month.
No DISTURBANCE AT TRINIDAD.
Port of Spain, Trinidad, May 17.-An
investigation of the report which orig
mated in Marseilles, France, that a
| volcanic outbreak was imminent here
and that people on that account were
leaving the island. shows that no
Z volcanic disturbance had occurred here
up to last night. The asphaltum or
pitch lake retains its normal conditions.
! Refugees from the surrounding islands
are arriving in large numbers at Trini-
5000 DESTITUTE.
Washington, May lf--L1eutenant Nc
Cormack, commanding the Potomac. to-
day reported that vessels departure
from St. Lucia for Fort de France.
The navy department has received an
I unsigned cablegram, dated st. Lucia
/ and apparently from Lieutenant McCor-
/ mick 1t read:
Island St.Vincent devastated north of
line Georgetown east, ChaleaubeIar
| west. Sufferers country people. Dead
200. Destitute 5000. Immediate relief
/ supplies by local government Destitu-
I ton Will continue several months"
| Kingston, Jamaica, May 17.-Accord-
ing to a report received from Barba-
does. B. w J., it is calculated that O.
COO 900 tons Of volcanic dust from the
eruptions on St Vincent have fallen
/ over that island Volcanic dust is now
/ falling in the highest attitudes of ia
| nlajea.
FIFTY ROBBERS SENTENCED.
I Fl de France, Island of Martinique
! May 1.-THE French cruiser Suchet viii
| sail from here tomorrow with the prin-
cipal local authorities who will be land
ed at St Pierre and proceed to the
ton of Basse Point and thoroughly in
! vestigate the situation 1t IS feared
1 that pillage is rampant there Fifty
/ robbers arrested at St. Pierre have been
j sentenced TO five years Imprisonment.
FLASHES FROM MONT PELEE
I Fort de France, Island of Martinique
| May 17-Great flashes of very bright
light were emitted from Mont Peiee be-
1 tween 10 and II o'clock Thursday night
glowing red clouds, interspersed with
flashes Of light are issuing from the