Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1902-05-15
Vessels Afraid to Approach the
Stricken City Of st.
Pierre.
Governor Of Martinique, His Wife,
and United States Consul Be-
lieved to Have Perished.
Latest News Does Not Lessen the Ex-
tent of the Terrible
Calamity.
v.r,ou. Movements to Send Relief
France orders Unlimited Ex-
pense to Relieve Sufferers.

Various Movements to Send Relief
France orders Unlimited Ex-
pen.e to Relieve Sufferers.
London, May IA cable company
received message from Martinique
Saturday saying the volcanic erup-
ton there continues and that ships are
afraid to approach the island.
Earthquakes Cease.
Fort-de-France, Martinique, May
12.-The earthquakes have ceased
hut the volcanic eruptions continue.
Eruptions Grow Worse.
London, May 12.-Private dis
patches received late Saturday after
noon from the West Indies. say the
eruption at Martinique is decidedly
worse.
The French Cable company received
cablegrams Saturday morning an
that the eruption at Mar
tiniuue continues and that ships are
afraid to go near the island.
Number OF DeaO 4O,OOUs
The latest messages indicate that
the number of deaths will be about
100000, several of the smaller islands
near Martinique having also suffered.
Between eight in the morning and
eight in the evening of Thursday,
May 8, st. Pierre was mass of fire,
and there was also volcanic erup-
ton at St. Vincent. The island of
St. Thomas is sending help.
A ship which arrived Friday, May
0, at the island of Dominica, British
West Indies, and which was lying off
St. Pierre when the eruption COM
reports that the noise was
terrific. A huge cloud of fire APP
peared over the town and neighbor-
hood, giving the Inhabitants no
chance to escape.
Rescued $50 People.
New York, May 12.-The French Ca
BILE company's Offices in this city were
advised Saturday that their repair
steamer Pouyer Quertier has ar
rived at Fort-de-France, having res
cued $50 persons from St. Pierre.
She has returned Immediately to the
scene of the disaster to search for
further survivors.
Senator knight Safe.
Paris, May 12.-Thg Patrie says the
wife ex-senator Knight has received
a cable dispatch from her husband,
dated Fort-de- France, Martinique, at
three p. M, Friday, saying: "Well.
property safe"
The cable dispatch from Senator
Knight also said that Morne-Rouge
was spared. Morne-Rouge is beat-
tiful resort situated between the
St. Pierre and the crater of Mont
Pelee.
Story of an Eye Witness.
Pointe-a'-Pitre, Goudaloupe, May ~.
The first mate of the Roraima thus
describes the disaster at st. Pierre:
Between $50 and z o'clock in the morn
ing on Thursday, without warning, there
came Of sort Of whirlwind Of steam,
boiling mud and fire, which suddenly swept
the, city and the roadstead. There were
some Is vessels anchored in the harbor,
including the Roraima, the French sailing
ship Tamaya, four larger sailing ships and
others. All five vessels Immediately canted
over and began to burn. The Tamaya was
a bark from Nantes, Capt. Maurice, and
was on her way to Pointe-a-Pitre. All the
boats except the Roraima sank instantly
and at the same moment. "
EVERY house ashore was utterly de-
etroyed and apparently buried under the
ashes and burning lava. An officer who was
sent ashore penetrated but short distance
into the city. He found only few walls
standing and the streets literally paved
with corpsess The governor o, the island,
who had arrived only few hours before
the catastrophe. was killed. Both the Eng
Nsh and American consuls with their fam
lilies were reported to have perished II is
certain that no more than 40 out of the
above 25,W0 could have escaped
The cruiser Suchet was here Friday
buying provisions for the survivors in
the outlying districts. She sailed for
Fort-de-France Friday night with
large quantity of stores, which were
Immediately put under guard. Ne
groes are flocking in vast numbers into
Fort-de-France from the surrounding
country, demanding food.
A telegram from Fort-de-France
says that hot mud and cinders have
been falling all night throughout the
island and still continue, doing great
damage, and that when the final re-
ports are received it will be found that
many people have been killed or in.
jured in other parts of Martinique.
Hopes Being Raised.
Fort-de-France, Martinique, May IL.
Hopes are raised here that more of
the population of st. Pierre than in
Dictated in the earlier dispatches have
been saved. It is believed that num-
Der of people were. rescued from the
stricken town by steamers running
to Fort-de-France.
I The work of clearing away the debris
in the city of st. Pierre has already
commenced and even now some SEM