Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-05-16

over an immense area, causing wide
spread terror.
The next day hot ashes covered
the whole OF st. Pierrean inch thick
and made Mount Pelee invisible.
at noon, May 5, stream of burn
ing lava rushed AGO feet down the
mountain side, following the dry bed
of torrent and reaching the sea five
miles from the mountain in three
minutes. In its rush the fiery flood
swept from its path plan tations,
buildings, factories, cattle and human
beings over breadth of about half
mile.
At the rear of the mouth of the
Riviere Blanche stood the large
Guerin sugar factory, one of the
finest in the island. 1t is now en-
tombed in lava. The tall chimney
alone is visible. One hundred and
fifty persons are estimated to have
persisted there, including the owners
son.
OCEANS WATERS RECEDED.
AS the lava rushed into the sea
the waters receded 800 feet all along
the west coast. Returning with
greater strength, a huge wave covered
the whole sea front of st. Pierre, but
did little damage ashore or afloat.
| LIKE A wHIRLwIND.
The first mate of the DESTROYED
steamer Roraima, who has been
brought here, thus describes the dis
aster at st. Pierre:
Between $50 aud 7 O'CLOCK Thurs
day morning, without warning, there
came sort of whirlwind of steam,
boiling mud and fire, which suddenly
swept the city and the roadstead
Eighteen vessels were anchored in
the harbor. All of the vessels i'm
mediately canted over and began to
burn except the Roraima.
Every house ashore was utterly
destroyed and apparently buried
under the ashes and burning lava.
An officer who was sent ashore pene-
trated but short distance into the
city. He found only few walls
standing and the streets LITERAL,
paved with corpses. The Governor
of the island, who had arrived only
few hours before the catastrophe,
was killed.
A TOWN MARvELoUSLY ESCAPES.
The mass of fire passed over Morne
Rouge, population 10000, n town
which is nearer the volcano than was
st. Pierre. Morne Rouge is health
resort situated at the foot of the
mountain. This place was spared,
the force of the eruption being so
great that the mass of fire which
destroyed st. Pierre passed over.
The city of st. Pierre has met with
disaster which will rank in history
as the most appalling of its kind and
exceeds in loss of life that of
Pompeii and Herculaneum, where
most of the inhabitants had time to
dee for their lives and many reached
places of safety.
St Pierre is the principal town of
the Island Of Maj Unique, comprising
$50 square miles, in the French
West Indies, and is located on the
west coast of the island. 1t has
very poor harbor. The town is built
partly on low and unhealthful soil
and partly on picturesque hills, and
flowers are abundant.
ANOTHER DISASTER.
A volcano is in eruption in St.
Vincent Island and 1000 persons have
so far been killed. Hot ashes are
raining over the entire Island.
"stdeIs a Burning, sizzling strip.
lncandescent sand and redhot cinders
are filling the fertile and well, popu-
lated valleys. All the springs have
been dried up, and the lakes are
steaming pits. The residents are
dying of burns and thirst, and many
have been overtaken in their flight
by the overflow from the Soufriere.